Probe for determining magnetic marker locations

1. A method for determining a distance and direction between a probe and a magnetic marker, the method comprising:

providing the probe, wherein the probe comprises

a first sensor including a first magnetometer having a first range within which a magnetic marker can be detected and a first accelerometer, and

a second sensor including a second magnetometer having a second range within which the magnetic marker can be detected and a second accelerometer,

wherein the first sensor is separated from the second sensor by a distance that is greater than the first range and the second range such that the magnetic marker can only be detected by one of the first magnetometer and the second magnetometer at a time;

wherein the probe is configured to determine a position, in three-dimensional space, of the magnetic marker;

balancing the probe while the probe is positioned away from the magnetic marker such that the magnetic marker is not within the first range of the first magnetometer or the second range of the second magnetometer;

moving the balanced probe so that the magnetic marker is within the first range of the first magnetometer and not within the second range of the second magnetometer; and

determining the distance and direction between the probe and the magnetic marker by comparing an output of the first sensor with an output of the second sensor.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein balancing the probe comprises compensating for a gain and an offset in an output of the first magnetometer and an output of the second magnetometer, wherein the gain and the offset are caused by hard and soft iron effects.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the output of each of the first and second magnetometers comprises X, Y, and Z, values, and balancing the probe further comprises:

rotating the probe through 360 degrees around each of three orthogonal axes;

for each of the first and second magnetometers:

recording minimum and maximum X, Y, and Z values output during the rotation;

calculating a length between the recorded minimum and maximum X, Y, and Z values for each of X, Y, and Z;

calculating a gain factor by dividing the length for each of X, Y, and Z by the average length of X, Y, and Z;

calculating an offset value for each of X, Y, and Z by, for each of X, Y, and Z, adding half the length of X, Y, and Z, to the minimum value for X, Y, and Z.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising adjusting raw output data into balanced output data by subtracting the offset value from the raw output data and multiplying by the gain factor for each of X, Y, and Z.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the output of the first sensor comprises first magnetometer output data and first accelerometer output data, and the output of the second sensor comprises second magnetometer output data and second accelerometer output data, and wherein determining the distance and direction between the probe and the magnetic marker further comprises:

calculating a difference between the first magnetometer output data and the second magnetometer output data to determine distance between the probe and the magnetic marker; and

determining an orientation of the probe using one of the first accelerometer data or the second accelerometer data.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the difference represents a field strength of the magnetic marker at a location of the probe, and wherein determining the distance between the probe and the magnetic marker comprises looking up the distance in a look up table based upon the field strength.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising marking a location with the magnetic marker.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the location is a location of a breast tumor to be surgically removed.

9. The method of claim 7 , where the location is one of a location of a lung nodule, a lymph node, a parathyroid nodule, a thyroid nodule, or a GI lesion.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising inserting the magnetic marker into a patient's body.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the magnetic marker is coated in a layer of gold.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the distance separating the first sensor and the second sensor is greater than the sum of the first range and the second range.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the probe comprises:

a base configured as a handle; and

an extension portion extending from the base,

wherein the first sensor is positioned in a distal tip of the extension portion, and the second sensor is positioned in the base.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein, when balanced and positioned such that the magnetic marker is not within the first range of the first magnetometer or the second range of the second magnetometer, an output of the first sensor comprises an ambient magnetic field strength, and an output of the second sensor also comprises the ambient magnetic field strength.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein, when balanced and positioned such that the magnetic marker is within the first range of the first magnetometer and not within the second range of the second magnetometer, the output of the first sensor comprises the ambient magnetic field strength plus a magnetic field strength due to the magnetic marker, and the output of the second sensor comprises the ambient magnetic field strength.