A portable and flexible intermediary patch for in vivo magnetic localization
摘要
Safe operation in visually obstructed anatomy relies on accurate in vivo localization of medical devices, yet current magnetic systems struggle to adapt across device types and clinical environments. Here we present a portable and flexible patch that functions as an intermediary in a dual-stage localization paradigm of a source–sensors–source configuration, enabling three-dimensional localization in vivo with mean positional errors under 300 µm and orientation errors under 0.3°. The patch can be customized in shape and size to accommodate diverse medical scenarios requiring precise localization. We validate its flexibility and versatility through systematic characterization, and through in vitro and in vivo studies in vascular and gastrointestinal surgery, where the system maintained continuous magnetic capsule tracking for 6 hours. Our magnetic localization patch could potentially broaden the compatibility and adaptability of magnetic localization across various medical applications.