Medical imaging-aided computerized system for remote aiming a needle guide for precise invasional procedures and method using same

摘要

Apparatus for performing needle biopsy or aspiration by automatically controlling the direction of a medical needle towards a target as indicated by an ultrasound imaging device, the apparatus comprising: at least one post provided with means for firmly positioning the at least one post on a horizontal surface near a patient, said at least one post being provided with a vertical, cylindrical portion, a first arm for permitting manual positioning of an ultrasound transducer on any portion of a patient's body, said arm including: a first horizontal link movable along and around said vertical portion of said at least one post, a first allaround movable link, first universal joint means for attaching one end of said first allaround movable link to said first horizontal link, an ultrasound transducer, and second universal joint means for attaching said ultrasound transducer to an opposite end of said first allaround movable link, a second arm for permitting manual positioning of a medical needle held by a needle guide on any portion of a patient's skin, said second 259 י" ג בתמוז התש" ס - July 16, 2000 arm including: a second horizontal link movable along and around said vertical post portion independently of said first horizontal link, a second allaround movable link, third universal joint means for attaching one end of said second allaround movable link to said second horizontal link, a needle guide for holding said medical needle, and fourth universal joint means for attaching said needle guide to an opposite end of said second allaround movable link, a rotatable shaft for carrying said needle guide, said shaft being rotatably mounted in said fourth universal joint means, first servo motor means for rotating said shaft and said needle guide, two links connecting said needle guide to one end of said shaft and movable in a common plane defined by an angular position of said shaft, second servo motor means for changing an angle of said needle guide in said plane, an ultrasound generating and imaging apparatus connected to said ultrasound transducer, an electronic processor including computing, image processing and controlling means for computing: a relative position of said transducer and of said needle guide, a position of the target in the patient's body from signals received from said ultrasound generating and imaging device, and a direction of said needle guide towards the target by signals issued to both of said servo motor means, and means for transmitting signals defining the position of said ultrasound transducer and of said needle guide to said electronic processor, by one of (i) a conductor and (ii) wireless means, wherein said means for transmitting signals defining the position of said ultrasound transducer and of said needle guide to said electronic processor includes: wireless transmitting units, mounted on said needle guide and on said ultrasound transducer, and receiving means for detecting signals issued by said wireless transmitting units, said receiving means including means for transmitting said detected signals to said processor, characterized in that said wireless transmitting units for transmitting signals defining the position of said ultrasound transducer include three spaced-apart infrared-ultrasonic transponder units (11), each having a different triggering code, wherein said receiving means includes at least three spaced-apart transceivers,each configured to communicate with one of said three transponders by coded infrared signals and to compute the position of said transducer from ultrasonic responses received from said transponders.