Bioelectric Navigation for Non-Fluoroscopic Catheter Navigation

Abstract

Many vascular interventions require to navigate a catheter or guidewire into a certain branch of the human vascular tree, e.g. for performing angioplasty or placement of a stent. Currently, these interventions are performed under fluoroscopic guidance. This inherently brings along an exposure to radiation for both patients as well as clinical staff. Furthermore, in order to visualize the vessel tree during the intervention, injections of contrast agent are required, which in turn constitute an additional burden on the patient. The aim of this project is to reduce or even eliminate the use of fluoroscopy for some of these interventions.

Common non-fluoroscopic navigation approaches focus on technologies like ultrasound as an alternative imaging modality or electromagnetic fields generated outside of the patient’s body. While each of those approaches presents with its own set of challenges, we want to investigate a new, complementary navigation technology, thereby augmenting the other modalities. Research on this topic is carried out as a joint project of TUM’s CAMP chair and the Imperial College London, in collaboration with DHM.

Link: Homepage of project at DHM