View-based robotic intra-cardiac catheter guidance
For view-dependent control, different desired imaging catheter views are defined. A robotic catheter system may alter from one view to another view based on activation but otherwise hands-free by the operator. This pre-definition of views and swapping views intra-operatively provides procedure monitoring information while avoiding radiation and minimizing interruption of the procedure (e.g., needle placement and puncture).
1 . A method for robotic control of an imaging catheter, the method comprising:
determining a plurality of views by the imaging catheter in a heart for transseptal puncture, the determining being selection of the views of the plurality in a pre-operative image, wherein each view of the plurality of views defines a respective location and orientation of an ultrasound transducer of the imaging catheter;
defining a trajectory of movement of the imaging catheter between the views of the plurality;
registering the pre-operative image and the views of the plurality with a patient;
moving, by a robotic catheter system, the imaging catheter between the views of the plurality of views along the trajectory in the patient based on the registration, wherein moving the imaging catheter comprises automatically navigating the imaging catheter from a first view of the plurality of views to a second view of the plurality of views to swap views in response to a user activation input, without user control of the imaging catheter along the trajectory; and
displaying images from the imaging catheter at the views of the plurality.
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein moving and displaying are performed intra-operatively based on pre-operative performance of determining.
3 . The method of claim 1 wherein determining comprises determining the views of the plurality as one or more views of one or more locations for the transseptal puncture and/or one or more views of a needle for performing the transseptal puncture.
4 . The method of claim 1 wherein defining comprises selecting the trajectory from a roadmap of motions confined to a boundary of the heart.
5 . The method of claim 1 wherein moving comprises moving in response to input of a user selection of one of the views.
6 . The method of claim 1 wherein moving comprises hand-free moving of the imaging catheter.
7 . A catheter control system comprising:
a memory configured to store instructions; and
a processor configured by the instructions to control a catheter robot to physically manipulate an intracardiac echocardiography catheter to swap real-time imaging views captured by the intracardiac echocardiography catheter intra-operatively based on pre-operative selection of the views.
8 . The catheter control system of claim 7 further comprising the catheter robot.
9 . The catheter control system of claim 7 wherein the processor is configured to manipulate the intracardiac echocardiography catheter hands-free by a user in response to activation of the swap by the user.
10 . The catheter control system of claim 7 wherein the processor is configured to receive the selection of the views in pre-operative images, the selection defining a location and orientation for each of the views.
11 . The catheter control system of claim 7 wherein the processor is configured to perform the swap from a first of the views to a second of the views with the intracardiac echocardiography catheter following a trajectory based on optimization of a path length from the first view to the second view.
12 . The catheter control system of claim 7 wherein the processor is configured to perform the swap from a first of the views for a transseptal puncture to a second of the views for the transseptal puncture.
13 . The catheter control system of claim 7 further comprising a display configured to display ultrasound images of the views in sequence from the swap.
14 . A control system for a steerable catheter, the control system comprising:
a robotic system for operation of a steerable catheter;
a memory configured to store a first view of a heart and a second view of the heart, the first view being a different location and/or orientation than the second first view from within the heart, the first and second views being views of anatomy and/or devices for a medical procedure, the first and second views being defined in a pre-operative image, wherein the first view defines a first physical location and orientation of the steerable catheter and the second view defines a second physical location and orientation of the steerable catheter;
a processor configured to register the pre-operative image with a patient and to cause the robotic system to physically navigate the steerable catheter from the first physical location and orientation of the first view to the second physical location and orientation of the second view in response to activation by a user and based on the registration; and
a display configured to display an image of the first view and an image of the second view.
15 . The control system of claim 14 wherein the processor is configured to cause the navigation in response to input from the user, the navigation being hand-free by the user.
16 . The control system of claim 14 wherein the first view and the second view are stored in the memory as selections from a pre-operative image of the heart.