Abstract: A method of finding the location of an occluded portion of a blood vessel relative to a three-dimensional angiographic image of a subject's vasculature includes identifying the location of the occluded portion of the blood vessel on each of a series of displayed two dimensional images derived from the three dimensional image data in planes substantially transverse to direction of the occluded portion of the vessel. The identified locations in the occluded portion of the vessel can then be used to determine the path of the occluded portion of the vessel.

Abstract: A system for moving an elongate medical device has at least one drive element for engaging and moving an elongate medical device. Various embodiments provide for moving the separate inner and outer elements of a telescoping medical device. Some systems also provide for the rotation of a rotatable distal element on a rotatable medical device or the rotation of extension element in a telescoping medical device.

Abstract: An energy delivery apparatus for delivering electrical energy at a target location, the energy delivery apparatus being usable in combination with a magnetic field. The energy delivery apparatus includes an electrical conductor, the electrical conductor having a substantially elongated configuration; an electrode for delivering the electrical energy at the target location, the electrode being electrically coupled to the electrical conductor and located at a predetermined location therealong; and a guiding element mounted to the electrical conductor in a substantially spaced apart relationship relative to the electrode, the guiding element including a magnetically responsive material. The energy delivery apparatus is constructed such that a movement of the guiding element causes a corresponding movement of the electrode. The magnetic field is used to move the guiding element in order to position the electrode substantially adjacent to the target location.

Abstract: The movement of a catheter through a medium, which may be living tissue such as a human brain, is controlled by mechanically pushing a flexible catheter having a magnetic tip through the medium and applying a magnetic field having a magnitude and a direction that guides the mechanically-pushed catheter tip stepwise along a desired path. The magnetic field is controlled in a Magnetic Stereotaxis System by a processor using an adaptation of a PID (proportional, integral, and derivative) feedback method. The magnetic fields are applied by superconducting coils, and the currents applied through the coils are selected to minimize a current metric.

Abstract: A method of navigating the distal end of a medical device through an operating region in a subject's body includes displaying an x-ray image of the operating region, including the distal end of the medical device; determining the location of the distal end of the medical device in a reference frame translatable to the displayed x-ray image; and displaying an enhanced indication of the distal end of the medical device on the x-ray image to facilitate the navigation of the distal end of the device in the operating region.

Abstract: A method of determining the quality of contact between a remotely navigated medical device and a cyclically moving anatomical structure includes measuring movement of the device, and processing the measured movement of the device to determine the contact between the device and the moving anatomical structure.

Abstract: An apparatus for selectively advancing and/or rotating an elongate device, includes a carrier mounted for rotation about a primary axis and a pair of opposed rollers on the carrier adapted to drive the device in a direction along the primary axis. A mechanism drives at least one of the rollers has a first gear and a second gear. A first input selectively rotates the second gear in first or second directions to advance or retract the elongate device. A second input selectively rotates the carrier in first and second directions to rotate the elongate device. The operation of the second input alone simultaneously rotates and advances/retracts the elongate device, and the coordinated operation of the first and second inputs rotates the elongate device without advancement/retraction.

Abstract: A system for controlling a medical device in a patient. A display system displays an image of a volume of the patient in a virtual three-dimensional space. A stylus is controllable to actuate a virtual element in the virtual space. A navigation system controls the medical device in the patient volume based on a position of the actuated virtual element. This inherently three-dimensional interface allows a physician to actuate the medical device more intuitively than possible using a two-dimensional interface.

Abstract: A system for magnetically navigating a medical device in an operating region within the body of a patient. The system includes a magnet having a front field projecting from the front of the magnet sufficient to project a magnetic field into the operating region in the patient. The magnet is mounted for movement between a navigation position in which the magnet is located adjacent to the patient with the front of the magnetic generally facing the operating region, and an imaging position in which the magnet is spaced from the patient and the front generally faces away from the operating region.

Abstract: A method for obtaining registration of a three-dimensional image data set of an anatomical vessel with corresponding two-dimensional image data of the vessel in an X-ray imaging system, where the method comprise the user identifying two points on an anatomical vessel on at least two X-ray image planes, the user identifying two similar points on the surface of the corresponding three-dimensional anatomical image data, determining the orientation direction of the vessel from the two user identified image data surface points, determining the orientation direction of the vessel from the two points obtained from the X-ray image planes, and calculating a transformation of the three-dimensional image data to obtain a best fit registration of the direction derived from the image surface points with the direction derived from the X-ray image data points.

Abstract: A method and system for determining the three-dimensional location and orientation of a medical device distal end using a single-plane imaging system, using a computational model of the medical device and a transfer function for the medical device describing local device shape and orientation in response to user or computer determined inputs. The method allows guidance of an interventional medical system to a set of target points within the patient using a single-projection imaging system.

Abstract: A magnetically navigable catheter includes a sheath having a proximal end and a distal end, and an extension member having a proximal end and a distal end, slidably mounted in the sheath so that the distal end portion of the extension member telescopes from the distal end of the sheath. The distal end portion of the extension member being relatively more flexible than the distal end of the sheath. There may be one or more electrodes on the distal end of the extension member. There is also at least one magnet on the distal end portion of the extension member to allow the distal end of extension member to be oriented by the application of an externally applied magnetic field.

Abstract: A method of navigating a medical device includes determining the location of a medical device at a point in an operating region in a subject's body, the medical device being responsive to at least one control variable to assume a desired configuration includes storing information representative of the at least one control variable being applied to the medical device at the point, and more preferably storing information representative of the at least one control variable and the device length.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for control of a navigation system for deploying a medical device within a subject, and for enhancement of a display image of anatomical features for viewing the projected location and movement of medical devices, and projected locations of a variety of anatomical features and other spatial markers in the operating region. The display of the X-ray imaging system information is augmented in a manner such that a physician can more easily become oriented in three dimensions with the use of a single-plane X-ray display. The projection of points and geometrical shapes within the subject body onto a known imaging plane can be obtained using associated imaging parameters and projective geometry.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for performing remote surgical navigation in multiple systems from a single control center, where there are at least two remote navigation systems in separate procedure rooms having respective control computers. The system includes a Control Center separate from each procedure room that has a set of displays and interface input devices. A switch may also be included for connecting the Control Center to the set of displays, interface input devices, and remote navigation systems. A method is provided for performing multiple simultaneous remote medical procedures that includes displaying information transmitted from a remote navigation system to the Control Center, and accepting user input from a remote navigation system. The method provides for establishing an encryption key with the remote system, converting the user input to a script data and encrypting the data. The transmitted script command is then transmitted to the remote navigation system.

Abstract: The invented guidewire relates to improvements in a magnetically navigable medical guidewire to enable passage through an occluded or partially occluded vessel. The guidewire comprises an elongate wire having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the distal end further comprises a magnetically responsive element and a helical thread formed on the tip. The distal end of the guidewire may be preferably aligned substantially in the direction of an applied magnetic field, after which the proximal end of the guidewire may be torqued to rotate the threaded tip while remaining aligned with the applied magnetic field and cause the tip to screw through the blockage in the occluded vessel.

Abstract: A guide for controlling the orientation of a medical device includes a cannula having a lumen therein for the medical device, and a guide member having a passage therein for receiving and directing the medical device, the guide member being movably mounted in the cannula for movement. The guide member can be magnetically responsive to an externally applied magnetic field, or can be magnetically responsive to an externally applied magnetic field when a magnetic medical device is in the passage, and/or it can be mechanically responsive.

Abstract: A magnetic navigation system for orienting a magnetically responsive device in an operating region in a subject has at least two magnet units and a support for mounting the at least two magnet units for movement relative to the subject, the support supporting the at least two magnet units adjacent the operating region in the subject at locations to apply a magnetic field to the operating region. Each magnet unit includes sing a magnet and a positioner for selectively changing the position of the magnet. The system also includes a control for operating the positioners of each magnet unit to selectively change the positions of the magnets to maintain the magnetic field direction applied to the operating region by the magnets as the locations of the magnet units relative to the operating region change.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for dynamic magnetic field control using multiple magnets. Control methods and system means are described that allow dynamically changing the magnetic field generated at a point in space by a multiplicity of magnets.

Abstract: A method of turning a medical device, having a magnetically responsive element associated with its distal end, at an operating point within an operating region inside a patient's body from an initial direction to a desired final direction, through the movement of at least one external source magnet. The at least one external source magnet is moved in such a way as to change the direction of the distal end of the magnetic medical device from the initial direction to the desired final direction without substantial deviation from the plane containing the initial direction and the desired final direction.