Abstract: A catheter includes: a shaft for insertion into an organ of a patient, and first and second position sensors. The shaft includes: (a) an inner shaft, which is configured to be deflected relative to an axis of the shaft, and (b) an outer shaft, which is coupled to a distal tip of the catheter and is configured to be: (i) coaxially disposed around the inner shaft, (ii) deflected together with the inner shaft, and (iii) rotated about the axis relative to the inner shaft. The first position sensor is coupled to the distal tip and is configured to produce a first signal, and the second position sensor is coupled to the inner shaft, and is configured to produce a second signal.

Abstract: A computer readable medium comprising instructions to be executed by one or more processors, the instructions configured to cause a system to estimate, based at least in part on signals received from a first position sensor of an expandable assembly disposed along a longitudinal axis, a position and longitudinal direction of the first position sensor; and estimate, based at least in part on signals received from a second position sensor of the expandable assembly, a position of the second position sensor. The instructions are further configured to cause the system to project the estimated position of the second position sensor on an axis defined by the longitudinal direction of the first position sensor and correct the estimated position of the second position sensor by projecting the estimated position of the first position sensor.

Abstract: A system for use with a balloon disposed at a distal end of an intrabody probe includes an output device, configured to produce an output indicating whether the balloon is elongated, and a processor. The processor is configured to calculate, based on respective locations of multiple elements disposed on a surface of the balloon, multiple values, over an interval, of a parameter indicative of a radius of the balloon. The processor is further configured to modify a state of the output based on at least one of the values. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: A system includes an expandable distal-end assembly, a proximal position sensor, a distal position sensor, and a processor. The expandable distal-end assembly is coupled to a distal end of a shaft for insertion into a cavity of an organ of a patient. The proximal and distal position sensors are located at a proximal end and a distal end of the distal-end assembly, respectively. The processor is configured to estimate a position and a longitudinal direction of the proximal sensor, and a position of the distal sensor, all in a coordinate system used by the processor. The processor is further configured to project the estimated position of the distal sensor on an axis defined by the estimated longitudinal direction, and calculate an elongation of the distal-end assembly by calculating a distance between the estimated position of the proximal sensor and the projected position of the distal sensor.

Abstract: A system for use with a catheter having a distal structure including a plurality of electrodes includes a display and a processor. The processor is configured to ascertain a number of the electrodes contacting an ostium of a pulmonary vein, and in response to the number equaling or exceeding a predefined lower threshold, carry out an iterative process. The process includes, during each iteration of the process, in response to the number being less than a predefined higher threshold, computing an adjustment to a current pose of the distal structure, and displaying, on the display, a target-pose icon, which represents the distal structure, offset, per the adjustment, from a current-pose icon representing the distal structure at the current pose. Other examples are also described.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a catheter alignment system includes a catheter to be inserted into a body part, and including catheter electrodes to contact tissue at respective locations within the body part, a display, and processing circuitry to receive signals provided by the catheter, assess respective levels of contact of ones of the catheter electrodes with the tissue of the body part responsively to the received signals, find a direction in which the catheter should be moved to improve at least one of the respective levels of contact of at least one of the catheter electrodes responsively to the respective levels of contact of the ones of the catheter electrodes, and render to the display a representation of the catheter responsively to the received signals, and a direction indicator indicating the direction in which the catheter should be moved responsively to the found direction.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a catheter alignment system includes a catheter to be inserted into a body part, and including catheter electrodes to contact tissue at respective locations within the body part, a display, and processing circuitry to receive signals provided by the catheter, assess respective levels of contact of ones of the catheter electrodes with the tissue of the body part responsively to the received signals, find a direction in which the catheter should be moved to improve at least one of the respective levels of contact of at least one of the catheter electrodes responsively to the respective levels of contact of the ones of the catheter electrodes, and render to the display a representation of the catheter responsively to the received signals, and a direction indicator indicating the direction in which the catheter should be moved responsively to the found direction.

Abstract: An apparatus for medical treatment includes a probe including multiple electrodes and configured to be inserted in a body cavity of a patient so as to bring the multiple electrodes into contact with tissue in the body cavity. A processor is configured to assess one or more individual contact quality indicators with respect to the contact between each of the multiple electrodes and the tissue, to compute one or more global contact quality measures based on the individual contact quality indicators of the multiple electrodes, to compare the one or more global contact quality measures to a predefined global contact quality criterion, and to display on a display screen an icon indicating whether the global contact quality measures satisfy the predefined global contact quality criterion.

Abstract: A method includes, using anatomical data, calculating multiple cross-sectional shapes of a lumen of an organ in a body of a patient at multiple respective positions on a medial axis of the lumen. One or more of the positions on the medial axis are identified, at which a given expandable frame of a catheter would fit the cross-sectional shapes. The one or more identified positions are presented to a user.

Abstract: A system includes a processor and an output device. The processor is configured to: (a) receive electrical signals indicative of measured positions of (i) one or more chest position sensors attached externally to a chest of a patient, and (ii) one or more back position sensors attached externally to a back of the patient; (b) compare between (i) a first shift between the measured positions and respective predefined positions of the one or more chest position sensors, and (ii) a second shift between the measured positions and respective predefined positions of the one or more back position sensors; and (c) produce an alert in response to detecting a discrepancy between the first and second shifts. The output device is configured to output the alert to a user.

Abstract: A system includes an expandable distal-end assembly, a proximal position sensor, a distal position sensor, and a processor. The expandable distal-end assembly is coupled to a distal end of a shaft for insertion into a cavity of an organ of a patient. The proximal and distal position sensors are located at a proximal end and a distal end of the distal-end assembly, respectively. The processor is configured to estimate a position and a longitudinal direction of the proximal sensor, and a position of the distal sensor, all in a coordinate system used by the processor. The processor is further configured to project the estimated position of the distal sensor on an axis defined by the estimated longitudinal direction, and calculate an elongation of the distal-end assembly by calculating a distance between the estimated position of the proximal sensor and the projected position of the distal sensor.

Abstract: A catheter includes: a shaft for insertion into an organ of a patient, and first and second position sensors. The shaft includes: (a) an inner shaft, which is configured to be deflected relative to an axis of the shaft, and (b) an outer shaft, which is coupled to a distal tip of the catheter and is configured to be: (i) coaxially disposed around the inner shaft, (ii) deflected together with the inner shaft, and (iii) rotated about the axis relative to the inner shaft. The first position sensor is coupled to the distal tip and is configured to produce a first signal, and the second position sensor is coupled to the inner shaft, and is configured to produce a second signal.

Abstract: A system includes an expandable distal-end assembly, a proximal position sensor, a distal position sensor, and a processor. The expandable distal-end assembly is coupled to a distal end of a shaft for insertion into a cavity of an organ of a patient. The proximal and distal position sensors are located at a proximal end and a distal end of the distal-end assembly, respectively. The processor is configured to estimate a position and a longitudinal direction of the proximal sensor, and a position of the distal sensor, all in a coordinate system used by the processor. The processor is further configured to project the estimated position of the distal sensor on an axis defined by the estimated longitudinal direction, and calculate an elongation of the distal-end assembly by calculating a distance between the estimated position of the proximal sensor and the projected position of the distal sensor.

Abstract: A system for use with a balloon disposed at a distal end of an intrabody probe includes an output device, configured to produce an output indicating whether the balloon is elongated, and a processor. The processor is configured to calculate, based on respective locations of multiple elements disposed on a surface of the balloon, multiple values, over an interval, of a parameter indicative of a radius of the balloon. The processor is further configured to modify a state of the output based on at least one of the values. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: A system and method for achieving linear alignment between elements in a procedure are disclosed. The system and method include determining the axis of a first element, such as the ostium, of a plurality of elements utilized in the procedure, determining the axis of a second element, such as a catheter, of the plurality of elements utilized in the procedure, and aligning the determined axis of the first element and the determined axis of the second element. The method may include further determining the axis of a third element, such as a sheath of the catheter, of the plurality of elements utilized in the procedure and aligning the determined axis of the third element with the aligned axis of the first element and the aligned axis of the second element.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a catheter alignment system includes a catheter to be inserted into a body part, and including catheter electrodes to contact tissue at respective locations within the body part, a display, and processing circuitry to receive signals provided by the catheter, assess respective levels of contact of ones of the catheter electrodes with the tissue of the body part responsively to the received signals, find a direction in which the catheter should be moved to improve at least one of the respective levels of contact of at least one of the catheter electrodes responsively to the respective levels of contact of the ones of the catheter electrodes, and render to the display a representation of the catheter responsively to the received signals, and a direction indicator indicating the direction in which the catheter should be moved responsively to the found direction.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a medical probe tracking system includes a first probe, a magnetic field generator to generate a magnetic field, and processing circuitry to measure first electrical currents between body surface electrodes and first probe electrodes, receive magnetic position signals from a magnetic field sensor of a second probe, compute first position coordinates of the first probe in a first coordinate frame responsively to distribution of the first electrical currents, render an initial 3D representation of the first probe in the first coordinate frame and then compute a current-position map with respect to a second coordinate frame defined by the magnetic field generator, find a transformation between the first and second coordinate frames, apply the transformation to the first position coordinates yielding second position coordinates, and render a modified 3D representation of the first probe according to the second position coordinates in the second coordinate frame.