Graphical user interface for catheter positioning and insertion

1. A method of guiding an interventional instrument within a patient anatomy, the method comprising:

identifying a target location within the patient anatomy;

receiving a position for a tip portion of an interventional instrument at a first location within the patient anatomy;

determining a three-dimensional distance between the first location and the target location; and

displaying on a display system an image that includes a symbol representing the target location, a symbol representing the tip portion of the interventional instrument, and a rotational assist symbol indicating a rotational orientation of a deployment feature of the tip portion,

wherein as the tip portion of the interventional instrument is actuated, the image is displayed so that the symbol representing the tip portion of the interventional instrument is a frame of reference for the image and the symbol representing the target location moves with respect to the symbol representing the tip portion of the interventional instrument to represent a new location of the tip portion relative to the target location.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying a symbol representing a direction between the position of the tip portion and the target location.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying a symbol representing an insertion distance component of the three dimensional distance in addition to the symbol representing the target location, wherein the symbol representing the insertion distance component is displayed surrounding the symbol representing the target location, and wherein a size of the symbol representing the insertion distance scales as an insertion distance between the tip portion and the target location changes.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the symbol representing the insertion distance component is concentric with the symbol representing the target location.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying the symbols representing the target location and tip portion in a first window of a display; and

displaying a symbol representing a direction between the target location and the tip portion in a second window of the display.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the symbols in the first window are rotationally aligned with the symbol in the second window.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the symbol representing the direction between the target location and the tip portion includes directional guidance information for directing the tip portion toward the target location.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying the symbols representing the target location and the tip portion in a first window of a display; and

displaying a secondary guidance image in a second window of the display.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising, based on a position of the tip portion of the interventional instrument, providing an alert that the position of the tip portion should be adjusted, wherein displaying the secondary guidance image in the second window includes displaying the alert.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein displaying the secondary guidance image in the second window includes rotating the secondary guidance image to reflect an orientation of the tip portion.

11. A system comprising:

non-transitory computer readable media containing computer executable instructions for guiding an interventional instrument within a patient anatomy including:

instructions for identifying a target location within the patient anatomy;

instructions for receiving a position of a tip portion of an interventional instrument at a first location within the patient anatomy;

instructions for determining a three-dimensional distance between the first location and the target location; and

instructions for displaying on a display system an image that includes a symbol representing the target location, a symbol representing the tip portion of the interventional instrument, and a rotational assist symbol indicating a rotational orientation of a deployment feature of the tip portion,

wherein as the tip portion of the interventional instrument is actuated, the image is displayed so that the symbol representing the tip portion of the interventional instrument is a frame of reference for the image and the symbol representing the target location moves with respect to the symbol representing the tip portion of the interventional instrument to represent a new location of the tip portion relative to the target location.

12. The system of claim 11 further comprising instructions for displaying a symbol representing a direction between the position of the tip portion and the target location.

13. The system of claim 11 further comprising instructions for displaying a symbol representing an insertion distance component of the three dimensional distance in addition to the symbol representing the target location, wherein the symbol representing the insertion distance component is displayed surrounding the symbol representing the target location, and wherein a size of the symbol representing the insertion distance scales as an insertion distance between the tip portion and the target location changes.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the symbol representing the insertion distance component is concentric with the symbol representing the target location.

15. The system of claim 11 further comprising:

instructions for displaying the symbols representing the target location and tip portion in a first window of a display; and

instructions for displaying a symbol representing a direction between the target location and the tip portion in a second window of the display.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the symbols in the first window are rotationally aligned with the symbol in the second window.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the symbol representing the direction between the target location and the tip portion includes directional guidance information for directing the tip portion toward the target location.

18. The system of claim 11 further comprising:

instructions for displaying the symbols representing the target location and tip portion in a first window of a display; and

instructions for displaying a secondary guidance image in a second window of the display.

19. The system of claim 18 further comprising, based on a position of the tip portion of the interventional instrument, instructions for providing an alert that the position of the tip portion should be adjusted, wherein displaying the secondary guidance image in the second window includes displaying the alert.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein displaying the secondary guidance image in the second window includes rotating the secondary guidance image to reflect an orientation of the tip portion.