Method for guiding a medical device
A device and method for ablating tissue is disclosed comprising the steps of acquiring an anatomical image of a patient, correlating the image to the patient, guiding an ablating member within the patient while tracking the position of the ablating member in the patient, positioning the ablating member in a desired position to ablate tissue, emitting ablating energy from the ablating member to form an ablated tissue area and removing the ablating member from the patient.
1. A method of performing an ablation procedure within a patient, comprising:
placing a fiduciary marker in the patient; then
acquiring a three-dimensional image of a portion of the patient using an imaging device, the three-dimensional image including the fiduciary marker; then
registering the three-dimensional image to the patient using the fiduciary marker to obtain a registered three-dimensional image; then
guiding a portion of an ablation device comprising a sensor into a desired position within the patient while viewing the registered three-dimensional image using a guidance device, the guidance device displaying a current position of the sensor; then
energizing the ablation device to ablate tissue;
performing the ablation procedure within the patient;
wherein the fiduciary marker is positioned subcutaneously.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional image is one of a fluoroscopic image, a computed tomography image, and a magnetic resonance image.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises an electrode.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a coil.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises an ultrasound transducer.
6. A method of performing an ablation procedure within a patient, comprising:
placing a fiduciary marker in the patient; then
acquiring a three-dimensional image of a portion of the patient using an imaging device, the three-dimensional image including the fiduciary marker; then
registering the three-dimensional image to the patient using the fiduciary marker to obtain a registered three-dimensional image; then
guiding a portion of an ablation device comprising a sensor into a desired position within the patient while viewing the registered three-dimensional image using a guidance device, the guidance device displaying a current position of the sensor; then
energizing the ablation device to ablate tissue;
performing the ablation procedure within the patient;
wherein the fiduciary marker is positioned in one of the trachea, the bronchi, and the esophagus.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the three-dimensional image is one of a fluoroscopic image, a computed tomography image, and a magnetic resonance image.
8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the sensor comprises an electrode.
9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the sensor comprises a coil.
10. The method of claim 6 , wherein the sensor comprises an ultrasound transducer.
11. A method of performing an ablation procedure within a patient, comprising:
placing a fiduciary marker in the patient; then
acquiring a three-dimensional image of a portion of the patient using an imaging device, the three-dimensional image including the fiduciary marker; then
registering the three-dimensional image to the patient using the fiduciary marker to obtain a registered three-dimensional image; then
guiding a portion of an ablation device comprising a sensor into a desired position within the patient while viewing the registered three-dimensional image using a guidance device, the guidance device displaying a current position of the sensor; then
energizing the ablation device to ablate tissue;
performing the ablation procedure within the patient;
wherein the fiduciary marker is inserted in the cardiovascular system.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the three-dimensional image is one of a fluoroscopic image, a computed tomography image, and a magnetic resonance image.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the sensor comprises an electrode.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the sensor comprises a coil.
15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the sensor comprises an ultrasound transducer.