Abstract: A target socket for frameless stereotactic surgery has a ring with an arcuate band that captures a target ball therein. The ring defines a pair of spaced apart channels which provide the ring with a degree of flexibility. The ring defines a radially oriented gap extending throughout the ring's entire thickness, the gap being spanned by a tightening member which allows a user to easily manually tighten the ring upon a target ball held within the arcuate band. The target socket is also provided with an attachment element for attaching the target socket to a surgical tooling structure. The attachment element has at least three links to provide the target socket with at least six degree of freedom.

Abstract: A frameless stereotaxis skull fiducial marker system uses custom-formed mouthpieces fitted to maxillary and mandibular teeth. A relatively thick medial portion of a tapered U-shaped bar is attached to a forward projecting connector on a mouthpiece. Thin distal ends of the rigid U-shaped bar support fiducial markers. The customized mouthpiece is stored for repeated use on a patient. The rigid bar may be connected to mouthpieces customized for several patients.

Abstract: A device for examining by nuclear magnetic resonance a volume having small depth, including means for creating a static homogeneous magnetic field B.sub.0 in which a volume to be examine is positioned, a system for creating magnetic field gradients in three directions of space, and a radio frequency transmission/reception system. The means for creating the static magnetic field B.sub.0, the field gradient system, and the radio frequency transmission/reception system are situated on a same side of an open surface, while the volume to be examined is situated on the other side of the surface. The device can be applied to magnetic resonance imaging.

Abstract: A local antenna for an MR device contains or carries a marking arrangement that permanently contains a substance that can be detected using MR techniques. The marking arrangement allows the substance to selectively be made visible or not visible in an MR image.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for calibrating a navigation system in relation to image data of a magnetic resonance apparatus, positions of at least three markers arranged in an imaging volume of a magnetic resonance apparatus are determined with the navigation system in a first coordinate system, and are determined by means of magnetic resonance in a second coordinate system. From the positions of the markers in the two coordinate systems, a position and an orientation of the two coordinate systems to one another are determined. Localization data are transformed into the second coordinate system. An apparatus for conducting the method has at least one marker having a substance that can be detected using magnetic resonance technology, in spatial allocation to optical markings. A pickup coil can be spatially allocated to each marker.

Abstract: A trackable medical instrument for use in a computer assisted image guided medical and surgical navigation systems that generate images during medical and surgical procedures, includes a guide member having an emitter array for being tracked by the system and a drive shaft contained within the guide member having a proximal and a distal end, the drive shaft being rotatable within the guide member while being fixable axially inside the guide member, the proximal end of the drive shaft having a first connector for interchangeably receiving at least one drive source, and the distal end having a second connector for interchangeably receiving at least one instrument tip.

Abstract: A system for computer graphic determination and display of a patient's anatomy, as from CT or MR scanning, and stored along with associated equipment in an object field including the patient's anatomy. A first digitizing camera structure produces a signal representative of its field-of-view which defines coordinates of index points in its field-of-view. A second digitizing camera structure produces similar output for an offset field-of-view. The two camera positions are defined with respect to the patient's anatomy so that the fields-of-view of the cameras include both the patient's anatomy and the equipment, but are taken from different directions. Index markers are for fixing points in the fields of view and accordingly locate equipment relative to said patient anatomy. The index markers are provided by variety of structures including, light sources in various forms as reflectors, diodes, and laser scanner structures to provide a visible grid, mesh or cloud of points.

Abstract: A microscope calibrator probe includes a handle, a tool head connected to the handle, a viewable target connected to an end of the tool head opposite the handle, and three or more position signaling devices disposed on the handle for tracking the probe in an image guided surgery system. The tool head includes a bend of approximately 90 degrees to provide easy placement of the viewable target on an object being viewed below a microscope. Other angles for the bend are also acceptable. A precise location of the object being viewed is determined by sensing a location the three or more position signaling devices disposed on the handle with respect to an operating room reference frame and knowing an offset between the position signaling devices and a bottom surface of the viewable target in contact with the object. Additionally, the viewable target includes a viewable aperture for calibrating a line of sight of the microscope and a means for indicating a rotational sense of the viewable target.

Abstract: A surgeon can select an entry point and a target point in a preoperative image volume of the patient. The target point and entry point form a trajectory line along which the surgeon wishes to perform a surgical procedure such as a biopsy and line up a surgical instrument. Once a surgical platform is moved along a guide arm arc close to a point on the trajectory line, the surgical platform is locked to the guiding arm. A pivot point position at the center of a ball joint in the middle of a metal plate is then arranged to be exactly at a point on the trajectory line. The metal plate is locked down and the ball joint is rotated to ensure that the surgical sleeve extends exactly along the trajectory line. This allows a decoupling between the position and orientation movements required to line the surgical sleeve up with the trajectory line to perform a surgical procedure. An interoperative localization device (ILD) is used to track the position of the surgical guide relative to the image space.

Abstract: A real-time positioning system monitors and displays a real-time position and orientation (pose) of a surgical device relative to reference device and internal structures of a subject during a medical procedure. Tracking targets are affixed to a surgical device and a reference device. The reference device is fixed to a target site of a subject. The tracked targets are interactively monitored by a tracking device and their raw positions are converted to a position and orientation (pose) of the surgical device and the reference device. A medical imaging device acquires images of internal structures of the subject which is converted into computer models by a modeling engine. The models of internal structures are correctly registered with models of the surgical instrument and the reference device into a single interactive representation assisting a surgeon in a medical procedure.

Abstract: In a method for modifying at least one calculation algorithm in a biopsy system and a biopsy system operating according to the method, a phantom is placed in a specific position on an object table in a biopsy system and the phantom is irradiated with penetrating radiation from at least two angles to produce at least two images. The phantom contains markers at exact positions, and the calculation algorithm can be modified on the basis of information on the known positions of the markers and image information in the two exposures.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are described for guiding a penetrating tool to a predetermined point of interest within a three-dimensional object, such as a brain tumor within a human skull. A plurality of signal-transmitting markers disposed about the periphery of the object are used to determine the precise point of entry and slope of entry. A light ray is directed along the slope of entry to the point of entry, and a penetrating tool is directed along the path defined by the light ray. In a preferred embodiment, in which the point of interest is within the brain, additional signal-transmitting markers are placed through a very small skull opening directly at the point of interest and optionally about its periphery. When the skull is opened for surgery and the position of the point of interest in the brain shifts due to loss of pressure, the additional markers nevertheless will indicate the exact location of the point of interest.

Abstract: An image guided surgery system comprises a position detection system which measures the position of a surgical instrument and displays the surgical instrument in its corresponding position in a CT-image or an MRI-image. The position detection system is provided with an indicator system which shows a region for which the position detection system is sensitive. Preferably, the camera unit of the position detection system incorporates a semiconductor laser which generates a light spot in the center of the operating region.

Abstract: In a medical compression apparatus and a compression part therefor, the compression part has a number of access openings therein allowing an instrument, such as a biopsy needle, to be inserted through one of the openings into a body part compressed by the apparatus. The compression part allows the access openings to be alterable in size and/or shape.

Abstract: A noninvasive apparatus for supporting tools associated with a stereotactic apparatus and procedures to guide tools along any selected path. In one embodiment of the invention, the tool support system is mounted to a skull clamp holding a patient's head. In another embodiment, the tool holder and an articulated arm and probe are mounted to the tool support system which in turn, is mounted to the side rails of a table supporting a patient. With the second embodiment, stereotactic procedures can be practiced with respect to any part of the patient's body.

Abstract: A noninvasive alignment apparatus for providing a stereotactic interface between a noninvasive stereotactic adapter mounted on a patient's head and a medical device, such as, an imaging device or a radiotherapy machine. The apparatus permits a method of noninvasive fractionated radiotherapy to be practiced. The alignment apparatus is constructed of separable arcuate segments to facilitate the insertion of the patient's head and stereotactic adapter within the apparatus. The alignment apparatus further has various calibrated shafts for each of its movable elements, so that, after the alignment apparatus is initially positioned and adjusted on an imaging machine, its position with respect to the stereotactic adapter may be replicated later on a radiotherapy machine.

Abstract: An imaging system produces an image of an internal part of an object and a representation of a tool, which representation corresponds to the position of the tool with respect to the actual object. An imaging apparatus defines an examination region. After an image of the object is obtained, the object is moved to a treatment position fixed in relation to the examination region. The object is supported on a moveable table, which is in turn supported on a pair of rails. A reference frame mounted to the imaging apparatus carries radiation detectors for detecting radiation emitted by emitters on a surgical tool. The position of the tool with respect to the reference frame, and hence with respect to the actual object, can therefore be determined.

Abstract: This invention is a method of using the Magnet Center of a magnetic resonance imaging scanner, commonly referred to as MRI, as the common reference point to accurately film image an area of concern for parallel axial, sagittal and coronal parallel slices. The perpendicular axis of each of the parallel slices of film images from all three of the mutually perpendicular slices passes through Magnet Center of the MRI. Upon determination of the number of film image slices in each stack, the position of the first slice with respect to Magnet Center, and the thickness of each slice has been determined, this data is entered into a computer capable of producing three-dimensional images. Using the entered data and positioning lasers, the original position during scanning can be accurately reproduced in the simulator suite or room as well as in the Treatment room.

Abstract: A patient is secured to a subject support (10). A stereotaxic wand (40) is inserted into a tool guide (60). The wand has a tip portion (44), a portion extending along a pointing axis (46) of the wand, an offset portion (42) which is offset from the pointing axis of the wand, and at least two wand emitters (48, 50), mounted in alignment with the pointing axis of the wand. The two emitters selectively emit wand signals which are received by three receivers (14) mounted to a frame assembly (12). The tool guide includes a bore (66) extending along a guide axis. The bore is configured for selectively receiving a tool and the tip portion of the wand. An entry point and a trajectory are identified by the surgeon with the wand in the guide. More specifically, a trajectory and location of the wand are superimposed on a diagnostic image on a monitor (30).