A virtual platform for real-time performance analysis of electromagnetic tracking systems for surgical navigation

Abstract

<p class="Abstract">Electromagnetic Tracking Systems (EMTSs) are widely used in surgical navigation, allowing to improve the outcome of diagnosis and surgical interventions, by providing the surgeon with real-time position of surgical instruments during medical procedures. However, particular effort was dedicated to the development of efficient and robust algorithms, to obtain an accurate estimation of the instrument position for distances from the magnetic field generator beyond 0.5 m. Indeed, the main goal is to improve the limited range of current commercial systems, which strongly affects the freedom of movement of the medical team. Studies are currently being conducted to optimize the magnetic field generator configuration (both geometrical arrangements and electrical properties) since it affects tracking accuracy. In this paper, we propose a virtual platform for assessing the performance of EMTSs for surgical navigation, providing real-time results and statistics, and allowing to track instruments both in real and simulated environments. Simulations and experimental tests are performed to validate the proposed virtual platform, by employing it to assess the performance of a real EMTS. The platform offers a real-time tool to analyze EMTS components and field generator configurations, for a deeper understanding of EMTS technology, thus supporting engineers during system design and characterization.</p>

Analysis and optimization of surgical electromagnetic tracking systems by using magnetic field gradients

“…where 𝑥 𝑗 , 𝑦 𝑗 , 𝑧 𝑗 denote the actual sensor position at the j-th grid point, whereas 𝑥 ̂𝑗, 𝑦 ̂𝑗, 𝑧̂𝑗 denote the estimated position by applying a reconstruction algorithm based on the dipole model approximation, as we have also done in [16], [18], [19].…”

“…In [16] we proposed a solution to study the effect of system parameters and FG configuration on tracking accuracy, and we compared the performance of two FG configurations, whose transmitting coils were identical in their geometrical and electrical parameters, except for their number and their pose (i.e., position and orientation) in space. In particular, one configuration consisted of a flat FG with six coplanar transmitting coils, whereas the other one was a representation of the 5-coils FG prototype presented and characterized in [17]- [19], which was developed to overcome the state of the art of current commercial systems by increasing the tracking distance beyond 0.5 m from the FG.…”

“…In particular, one configuration consisted of a flat FG with six coplanar transmitting coils, whereas the other one was a representation of the 5-coils FG prototype presented and characterized in [17]- [19], which was developed to overcome the state of the art of current commercial systems by increasing the tracking distance beyond 0.5 m from the FG. In [16] we did not optimize any FG configurations, but we only compared the performances of chosen configurations.…”

Introductory notes for the Acta IMEKO second issue General Track

“…Studies are currently being conducted to optimize the magnetic field generator (FG) configuration (both geometrical arrangements and electrical properties) since it affects tracking accuracy. In [15], Authors discuss experimental data from an EMTS based on a developed 5-coils FG prototype, and they show the correlation between position tracking accuracy and the gradients of the magnetic field. Therefore, they optimize the configuration of the FG by employing two different metrics based on i) the maximization of the amplitude of the magnetic field as reported in literature, and ii) the maximization of its gradients.…”