title: Pitfalls of electromagnetic tracking in clinical routine using multiple or adjacent sensors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  While electromagnetic tracking (EMT) holds great promise, there are substantiated concerns about interference within the clinical environment. The purpose of this study was to address accuracy and isolate pitfalls for using multiple or adjacent EMT sensors in clinical routine.
  
  
  METHODS
  A phantom simulating an EMT-guided puncture of the kidney was used to analyse the effects of multiple sensors in the direct vicinity, common clinical environments and the influence of endo-urological instruments.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No relevant interference due to the investigated instruments was discovered. However, there was a great decrease in accuracy in the vicinity of a C-arm's image intensifier, especially affecting the precision of two adjacent sensors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Endo-urological instruments can be safely used for multi-sensor EMT-guided procedures. When avoiding the immediate proximity of the surgical table and the image intensifier, there is a comfortable accuracy corridor. Thus, EMT-assistance is promising for a wide range of procedures if basic conditions are met.
authors.affiliation: German Cancer Research Centre (DKFZ), Division of Medical and Biological Informatics, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Ingmar
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Wegner
authors.forename: Dogu
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Teber
authors.forename: Boris
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hadaschik
authors.forename: Sascha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pahernik
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hohenfellner
authors.forename: Hans-Peter
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Meinzer
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Huber
mesh_terms: D055590:Electromagnetic Phenomena; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D061705:Image-Guided Biopsy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D007668:Kidney / Q000473:pathology; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D012984:Software; D025321:Surgery, Computer-Assisted / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*