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Enhancing electromagnetic tracking accuracy in medical applications using pre-trained witness sensor distortion
Marco Cavaliere1,2, Pádraig Cantillon-Murphy3,4
1University College Cork, Cork, Ireland. m.cavaliere.ucc@gmail.com.
Summary
This study introduces a novel method to track medical instruments by measuring magnetic field distortion, achieving millimeter accuracy for ultrasound probes and improving C-arm accuracy. This technique enhances electromagnetic tracking (EMT) without extra sensors.
Area of Science:
- Medical Imaging
- Electromagnetic Field Theory
- Robotics and Control Systems
Background:
- Electromagnetic tracking (EMT) systems are susceptible to accuracy degradation from nearby metallic objects.
- Accurate instrument localization is critical for image-guided interventions and robotic surgery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a method for localizing instruments causing magnetic field distortion using a pre-trained model.
- To enhance the accuracy of electromagnetic tracking (EMT) without requiring additional sensors on the tracked instrument.
Main Methods:
- Characterized magnetic field distortion caused by an ultrasound (US) probe for 1D tracking.
- Estimated the distance of an interventional fluoroscopy C-arm machine to apply a compensation model.
Main Results:
- Achieved millimetric accuracy in tracking the US probe's position.
- Reduced C-arm machine localization errors from centimeters to 1.52 mm RMS after compensation.
Conclusions:
- Demonstrated the feasibility of using pre-characterized magnetic distortion profiles for object tracking and error compensation.
- Highlighted the potential for advanced AI models to enable 6-DOF tracking with multiple witness sensors in future research.
