3D localization of electrophysiology catheters from a single x-ray cone-beam projection

X-ray images allow the visualization of percutaneous devices such as catheters in real time but inherently lack depth information. The provision of 3D localization of these devices from cone beam x-ray projections would be advantageous for interventions such as electrophysiology (EP), whereby the operator needs to return a device to the same anatomical locations during the procedure. A method to achieve real-time 3D single view localization (SVL) of an object of known geometry from a single x-ray image is presented. svl exploits the change in the magnification of an object as its distance from the x-ray source is varied. The x-ray projection of an object of interest is compared to a synthetic x-ray projection of a model of said object as its pose is varied.

svl was tested with a 3 mm spherical marker and an electrophysiology catheter. The effect of x-ray acquisition parameters on svl was investigated. An independent reference localization method was developed to compare results when imaging a catheter translated via a computer controlled three-axes stage. svl was also performed on clinical fluoroscopy image sequences. A commercial navigation system was used in some clinical image sequences for comparison.

svl estimates exhibited little change as x-ray acquisition parameters were varied. The reproducibility of catheter position estimates in phantoms denoted by the standard deviations, (σ(x), σ(y), σ(z)) = (0.099 mm,  0.093 mm,  2.2 mm), where x and y are parallel to the detector plane and z is the distance from the x-ray source. Position estimates (x, y, z) exhibited a 4% systematic error (underestimation) when compared to the reference method. The authors demonstrated that EP catheters can be tracked in clinical fluoroscopic images.

It has been shown that EP catheters can be localized in real time in phantoms and clinical images at fluoroscopic exposure rates. Further work is required to characterize performance in clinical images as well as the sensitivity to clinical image quality.