The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 30, 1990
Filed:
Jul. 15, 1988
Freeman H Rose, Del Mar, CA (US);
Charles D McGregor, Laguna Beach, CA (US);
Prabodh Mathur, El Toro, CA (US);
Medstone International, Inc., Costa Mesa, CA (US);
Abstract
The present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for localizing an object in space, such as a gallstone in a human, using stereo imaging and ultrasound imaging. The localization system is described in connection with a dry table shock wave lithotripter, and uses a conventional ultrasound imaging system but wherein the ultrasound transducer has been modified to enable its location in space to be readily determined automatically. This is accomplished by providing a hood fixed to this transducer, the hood having a plurality of reference points which may be in the form of light sources such as LEDs. This hood is imaged by head and foot video cameras. By calibrating the cameras with respect to a reference point, calibrating the focal point of the shock wave system with respect to the reference point, and knowing the relationship of the hood to the ultrasound transducer, the position of the stone with respect to the reference point can be determined by ultrasound imaging of the stone, along with suitable storage of the ultrasound and camera images, digitizing and processing of these images. Given this information, the patient with the stone can be suitably moved so as to position the stone at the focal point of the shock wave generating system.