Active template guide plate and system and method for utilizing same

1. A guide plate for inserting, into a body, needles used for medical purposes, said guide plate comprising:

a plurality of openings, each opening being for receiving a needle,

a first wall and a second wall, which are generally parallel to one another, and define a generally hollow space between the first wall and the second wall, the openings being defined by tubes extending from the first wall to the second wall, and a respective sensor arrangement comprising a plurality of sensors, each of said plurality of sensors being disposed about a respective one of said tubes, the sensor arrangement being for detecting presence of a needle when a needle is received in an opening; and

for each of said openings, reporting apparatus for reporting sensing of a needle by each respective sensor arrangement.

2. The guide plate of claim 1 , wherein each of said sensors comprises an electromagnetic source and an electromagnetic detector responsive to energy from said source, said source and said detector being disposed so that insertion of a needle into a respective opening blocks at least a portion of energy traveling from the source to the detector.

3. The guide plate of claim 1 , wherein each of said sensors comprises an inductor, and means for detecting a change in inductance of said inductor, said inductor being disposed so that insertion of a needle into a respective opening changes inductance of said inductor.

4. The guide plate of claim 1 , in combination with:

an imaging system, said imaging system including a display for displaying an image of a portion of the body into which needles are to be inserted, said imaging system having means for superimposing on said image on said display an array corresponding to openings in said guide plate;

wherein said reporting apparatus comprises:

signal transmission means for transmitting output to said imaging system representative of sensing of a needle by at least one of said plurality of sensors; and

a display modification arrangement responsive to signals from said signal transmission means for modifying elements of said array to indicate that a needle has been inserted into a respective opening in said guide plate.

5. The guide plate of claim 1 , comprising a portion for receiving a transrectal probe associated with an ultrasonic imaging system, in combination with a cradle for carrying the transrectal probe and the guide plate.

6. A method for using the apparatus of claim 1 , comprising the steps of:

connecting the apparatus of claim 1 to an imaging system having a capability for superimposing an array corresponding to said openings on an image of a portion of the body generated by said imaging system;

inserting successive needles in indicated ones of said openings; and

viewing modification of elements of said array as said needles are inserted to monitor which of said openings and corresponding locations in the body have needles inserted therein.

7. The combination of claim 4 , wherein said imaging system is an ultrasonic imaging system, said ultrasonic imaging system comprising an ultrasonic probe for contacting the body to display the portion of the body where said needles are inserted.

8. The combination of claim 4 , wherein said signal transmission means includes at least one selected from the group consisting of an electrical cable, a radio link and an infrared link.

9. The combination of claim 4 , wherein said display modification arrangement changes color of a respective element of said array when a needle has been inserted into a respective opening in said guide plate.

10. The combination of claim 7 , wherein said probe is a transrectal probe, and the portion of the body that is imaged includes the prostate.

11. An imaging system for a portion of a body, comprising:

an array generator for generating an array of symbols superimposed on an image of said portion of the body;

an input for receiving data concerning which locations in the body corresponding to symbols of said array have undergone a change in status;

a guide plate having an array of openings corresponding to said array of symbols, said guide plate further comprising a first wall and a second wall, which are generally parallel to one another, and define a generally hollow space between the first wall and the second wall, the openings being defined by tubes extending from the first wall to the second wall, and a respective sensor arrangement comprising a plurality of sensors, each of said plurality of sensors being disposed about a respective one of said tubes;

a sensor arrangement for sensing insertion of an element into one of said openings and for providing an output indicative of said insertion; and

means for changing, in response to said output, an indication associated with said symbols in said array to indicate which locations in said body have undergone a change in status.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein said imaging system is an ultrasonic imaging system.

13. The system of claim 11 , further comprising:

a transrectal probe for imaging a prostate; said guide plate being disposed to guide treatment needles into the prostate.

14. A combination of components for operation with an imaging system, comprising:

a guide plate for inserting, into a body, needles used for medical purposes, said guide plate including:

a plurality of openings in said guide plate, each opening being for receiving a needle, said guide plate comprising a first wall and a second wall, which are generally parallel to one another, and define a generally hollow space between the first wall and the second wall, the openings being defined by tubes extending from the first wall to the second wall, and a respective sensor arrangement comprising a plurality of sensors, each of said plurality of sensors being disposed about a respective one of said tubes;

said sensor arrangement being for detecting presence of a needle when a needle is received in an opening;

for each of said openings, reporting apparatus for reporting sensing of a needle by each a respective sensor arrangement; and

a sensor reading module, responsive to said reporting apparatus for providing to said imaging system, data concerning which of said openings has a needle disposed therein.

15. The combination of claim 14 , wherein said data is of a form that when provided to said imaging system is used to change an indication representative of one of said openings on a display of said imaging system, when a needle is disposed in said one of said openings.