초록 ▼

A medical magnetic positioning system and method for determining the position of a magnetic probe inside a body of an individual in which at least two spaced magnetometers are fastened to an area on an external portion of an individual's body proximate to the desired location of the probe inside of

A medical magnetic positioning system and method for determining the position of a magnetic probe inside a body of an individual in which at least two spaced magnetometers are fastened to an area on an external portion of an individual's body proximate to the desired location of the probe inside of the body, the magnetic probe is inserted inside the body of the individual to be spaced from the at least two magnetometers, the three-dimensional magnetic field of the probe is detected at the at least two magnetometers, and the location of the probe is determined in accordance with the location of the detected three-dimensional field. Preferably the magnetometers are triaxial magnetometers adapted to be mounted on an external portion of the body proximate to the inserted location of the probe so that the magnetometers measure the three-dimensional magnetic field of the probe. A computer is used for calculating and storing information relative to the position of said probe by using a non-linear computer algorithm.

대표청구항 ▼

[ I claim:] [1.] A method for determining the position of a magnetic probe inside a body of an individual comprising the steps of:(a) fastening at least two spaced magnetometers to an area on an external portion of the individual's body proximate to the position of the probe inside of the body;(b) i

[ I claim:] [1.] A method for determining the position of a magnetic probe inside a body of an individual comprising the steps of:(a) fastening at least two spaced magnetometers to an area on an external portion of the individual's body proximate to the position of the probe inside of the body;(b) inserting said magnetic probe inside the body of the individual, to be spaced from the at least two magnetometers, said magnetic probe having an a priori known magnetic moment magnitude;(c) detecting at the at least two magnetometers, the three-dimensional magnetic field of the probe; and(d) determining the location as well as the angular orientation of the probe with respect to the position of the magnetometers by solving simultaneous equations involving the detected three-dimensional field and said magnetic moment magnitude.