Systems and methods for guiding the insertion of a medical tool
Inventors
Shochat, Moran • ARNOLD, Ofer • Goldberg, Shraga Nahum
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12262955-B2
Publication Date
2025-04-01
Expiration Date
Abstract
A system and method for controlling the insertion of a medical tool, such as a needle, into a subject's body based on measurements of an interaction parameter associated with the interaction between the tool and a bodily tissue, such as the forces exerted on the tool during insertion. The system comprises an insertion device, at least one sensor configured to measure the interaction parameter and at least one processor configured to receive sensor measurements, detect one or more predefined patterns in the sensor measurements and control an operation of at least one of the insertion device and an imaging device, upon detecting the predefined patterns. The processor may be configured to compare the actual correlation between the sensor measurements and an insertion parameter, such as insertion depth, with an expected correlation, and determine if the medical tool is following its pre-planned trajectory based on the result of that comparison.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a system for monitoring insertion of a medical tool through a tissue of a subject. The system detects tool–tissue interaction parameters during insertion using a force sensor configured to measure forces exerted on the medical tool, and a processor receives force measurements and determines a real-time correlation between an insertion parameter and the force measurements.
The system compares the real-time correlation to an expected correlation between the insertion parameter and the force measurements. The comparison includes one or more pre-defined patterns in the real-time and expected correlations, where the one or more pre-defined patterns are indicative of the medical tool reaching a boundary between tissue layers.
If a deviation of the real-time correlation from the expected correlation does not exceed a pre-determined threshold, the system initiates one or more real time images of a region of interest in the subject. The system adjusts the trajectory of the medical tool based on the one or more real-time images and continues monitoring using the updated expected correlation.
Claims Coverage
The provided claims include two independent claims. The inventive coverage centers on real-time correlation of an insertion parameter with force/interaction measurements, comparison to an expected correlation defined using pre-defined patterns indicative of tissue-layer boundaries, and imaging/trajectory/expected-correlation updates governed by pre-determined threshold deviation logic.
Force-based real-time insertion monitoring with correlation
A system configured to receive force measurements from a force sensor during insertion and determine a real-time correlation between an insertion parameter and the force measurements.
Expected correlation comparison using predefined patterns for tissue-layer boundary indication
A system configured to compare the real-time correlation to an expected correlation by comparing one or more pre-defined patterns in the real-time and expected correlations, where the one or more pre-defined patterns are indicative of the medical tool reaching a boundary between tissue layers, and to determine if deviation exceeds a pre-determined threshold.
Threshold-gated region-of-interest imaging
If the deviation does not exceed the pre-determined threshold, the system initiates one or more real time images of a region of interest in the subject.
Image-based trajectory adjustment and expected-correlation updating
The system adjusts the trajectory of the medical tool based on the one or more real-time images and adjusts the expected correlation between the insertion parameter and the force measurements based on at least one of the one or more images and the adjusted trajectory.
Interaction-parameter correlation monitoring method with expected correlation deviation test
A method comprising measuring at least one interaction parameter associated with an interaction between the medical tool and the tissue, determining an actual correlation between an insertion parameter and measurements, and comparing the actual correlation to an expected correlation to determine if the actual correlation deviates from the expected correlation.
Threshold-governed imaging and expected-correlation adjustment in the method
If the actual correlation deviates from the expected correlation, determining if the deviation exceeds a pre-determined threshold; and if the deviation does not exceed the pre-determined threshold, initiating one or more images of a region of interest and adjusting the expected correlation based on the one or more images.
Overall, the claims cover a closed-loop monitoring concept that correlates insertion parameters with force/interaction measurements in real time, compares the correlation against an expected correlation using pre-defined patterns indicating tissue-layer boundaries, and gates region-of-interest imaging with a pre-determined threshold deviation logic, followed by trajectory adjustment and expected-correlation updating.
Stated Advantages
Reduces radiation exposure by gating imaging based on correlation deviation logic.
Documented Applications
Automated percutaneous insertion guidance for monitoring a medical tool reaching a boundary between tissue layers.
Real-time use with imaging modalities including CT scan, X-ray/CT fluoroscopy, cone-beam CT, MRI, and ultrasound as described in the monitoring and region-of-interest imaging context.
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