Electromagnetic navigation in medicine - basic issues, advantages and shortcomings, prospects of improvement

摘要

This paper presents most essential problems related to electromagnetic navigation (EM) systems employed in medicine. The principle of operation of the EM navigation system, advantages of the method, requirements imposed and disadvantages of commercially available solutions have been presented. Possibilities of improvement of metrological and usable properties of such systems have been shown. The most important part of the paper is a proposal for modifications allowing significant improvement of the system operation and its capabilities. The effectiveness of these improvements has been investigated using a computer model and, partially, also the physical model of the system. The problem of distortions of magnetic field distribution caused by the presence of conducting and magnetic objects is also discussed.