Advances in sectional CT and MRI imaging allow for high fidelity three dimensional reconstruction and volumetric display of human anatomy and pathology. Additionally, recent engineering advances in magnetic tracking devices allow for determination of positional data of sensors embedded in medical instruments and intravascular catheters. At present time, the integration of this improved magnetic tracking technology with three dimensional image data is not available. This integration is needed to precisely deliver needles and intravascular catheters to the targets in human bodies. This integration would be an enabling technology for a variety of minimally invasive percutaneous surgical and interventional procedures. Specific steps must be realized to integrate the imaging and magnetic tracking technologies. The main focus of this research will include: 1) Design of a general purpose intravascular catheter coupled with a small commercially available magnetic sensor. This will allow for the sensor delivery to various intravascular locations in the body. 2) Integration of the CT imaging data with real time magnetic position tracking will be achieved by modification of existing image registration methods. 3) Validation of the technology will be performed in a moving liver phantom by determining the accuracy of needle placement into small targets based on this integrated system.
