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. 04, 2000
Filed:
Dec. 08, 1997
Gene H Barnett, Gates Mills, OH (US);
The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH (US);
Abstract
A fiducial positioning cup (86) has a hemispherical well (92) in its top and a central bore (94) from a bottom of the hemispherical well (92) to a base of the positioning cup (86). The fiducial cup (86) is then attached to the skin (88) of a patient. A needle (110) is passed through the fiducial positioning cup (86) to mark an area of the patient's skin (88) with a tattoo (112). Fiducials (84) are secured in the fiducial positioning cups (86). Magnetic resonance or other diagnostic images are taken. Once the images are taken, the fiducials (84) and fiducial positioning cups (86) are removed. The tattoo mark (112) remains. The fiducial positioning cups (86) are reattached when a stereotactic procedure is to be performed. The needle (110) is passed through the fiducial cups (86) and a tip of the needle (110) is aligned with the tattooed mark (112) on the patient's skin (88). The fiducial cup (86) is then lowered and centered over the tattooed mark (112). A stereotactic wand (36) is aligned with the magnetic resonance image by placing a tip (42) of the wand (36) in the fiducial cups (86) and emitting signals. The stereotactic system decodes the signals to identify where the tip (42) of the wand (36) is on the magnetic resonance image.