Modeling positions of implanted devices in a patient
Technology is disclosed for modeling positions of implanted devices in a patient. In various embodiments, the technology can construct a forward model that predicts an electrical impedance between electrical contacts; detects an actual electrical impedance between electrical contacts; computes a fitness value based on a comparison between the detected electrical impedance and the predicted electrical impedance; varies at least one parameter of the forward model until the computed fitness value is a maximum fitness value; and displays at a display device a estimated position of the first lead and/or second leads.
1. A method for treating a patient having an implanted signal delivery device located within a vertebral foramen of the patient, said signal delivery device including a first lead carrying at least a first electrical contact and a second lead carrying at least a second electrical contact, said first electrical contact having been positioned relative to a target location, said method comprising:
detecting an electrical impedance between the at least a first contact of the signal delivery device and the at least a second contact of the signal delivery device;
computing a position of the second lead relative to the first lead based at least on the detected electrical impedance;
transmitting at least one locator signal from the signal delivery device;
detecting the at least one locator signal from a position external to the patient; and
based at least in part on detecting the at least one locator signal, adjusting a position of the signal delivery device.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the positioning of the first and the second electrical contacts occurs without use of fluoroscopy.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising modulating neural activity to reduce patient pain.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising constructing a forward model.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein the forward model receives as a parameter a value indicating a position of a second contact of a second lead relative to a first contact of a first lead.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein the parameter value is drawn from a continuous range of values.
7. The method of claim 5 wherein the forward model additionally receives as a parameter a radial distance between the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact in a substantially axial direction.
8. The method of claim 5 wherein the forward model additionally receives as a parameter a radial distance between an axis of the first lead and a specified contact of a second lead.
9. The method of claim 5 wherein the forward model additionally receives as a parameter an inclination of a lead.
10. The method of claim 5 wherein the forward model additionally receives as a parameter an electrode-tissue interface impedance at the first and the second electrical contacts.
11. The method of claim 5 further comprising computing a fitness value based on a comparison between the detected electrical impedance and an electrical impedance predicted by the forward model.
12. The method of claim 11 further comprising varying the parameter and iterating computation of electrical impedance and computing the fitness value until a maximum fitness value is computed.
13. The method of claim 12 further comprising rendering a relative position of the second lead on a display device.