Imaging system and methods displaying a fused multidimensional reconstructed image

• US 10,019,819 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2017
• Issued: 07/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcon Incorporated
• Original Assignee: TrueVision Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Tripathi, Ashok Burton, Polchin, George Charles, Ng, Yen Ting
• Primary Examiner(s): Akhavannik, Hadi
• Application Number:
  US15/412,959
• Publication Number:
  US 20170132812A1
• Time in Patent Office: 533 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/365 augmented reality, i.e. correlating a live optical image with another image
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3983 Reference marker arrangements for use with image guided surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2576/00 Medical imaging apparatus involving image processing or analysis A61B1/00009, A61B6/52 and A61B8/52 take precedence; image processing per se G06T; details of algorithms for analysing medical images G06T7/0012
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2576/026 for the brain
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0077 Devices for viewing the surface of the body, e.g. camera, magnifying lens
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/055 involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7425 Displaying combinations of multiple images regardless of image source, e.g. displaying a reference anatomical image with a live image geometric transforms for image registration G06T3/14; enhancement using image fusion G06T5/50; algorithms for registration of images G06T7/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/743 Displaying an image simultaneously with additional graphical information, e.g. symbols, charts, function plots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/745 using a holographic display
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/03 Computed tomography [CT] echo-tomography A61B8/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/032 Transmission computed tomography [CT]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/037 Emission tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/20 Surgical microscopes characterised by non-optical aspects
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/37 Surgical systems with images on a monitor during operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/008 Specific post-processing after tomographic reconstruction, e.g. voxelisation, metal artifact correction
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/00 Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/20 Editing of 3D images, e.g. changing shapes or colours, aligning objects or positioning parts
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/24 involving graphical user interfaces [GUIs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10021 Stereoscopic video; Stereoscopic image sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10028 Range image; Depth image; 3D point clouds
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10088 : Magnetic resonance imaging [MRI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20104 : Interactive definition of region of interest [ROI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20221 : Image fusion; Image merging
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30016 : Brain
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30196 : Human being; Person
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30204 : Marker
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2210/41 : Medical
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2210/62 : Semi-transparency
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2211/40 : Computed tomography
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/028 : Multiple view windows (top-side-front-sagittal-orthogonal)
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/2004 : Aligning objects, relative positioning of parts
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/70 : Denoising; Smoothing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0014 : using an image reference approach
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/337 : involving reference images or patches
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/40 : relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 : for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/40 : for processing medical images, e.g. editing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/204 : using stereoscopic image cameras stereoscopic photography G03B35/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/30 : Image reproducers optical systems for producing stereoscopic or other three-dimensional effects G02B30/00

Abstract

A system, method, and apparatus for displaying a fused reconstructed image with a multidimensional image are disclosed. An example imaging system receives a selection corresponding to a portion of a displayed multidimensional visualization of a surgical site. At the selected portion of the multidimensional visualization, the imaging system displays a portion of a reconstructed image which corresponds to the selected multidimensional visualization such that the displayed portion of the reconstructed image is fused with the displayed multidimensional visualization.

Claims

1. An imaging system comprising:

at least one photosensor configured to record a visualization of a surgical site;

a visualization generation system configured to create a multidimensional visualization based on the recorded visualization of the surgical site;

a processor communicatively coupled to a display device, the processor configured to display the multidimensional visualization of the surgical site;

an image reconstruction module configured to

receive a selection corresponding to a portion of the displayed multidimensional visualization of the surgical site,

create a reconstructed image related to the surgical site, and

select a portion of the reconstructed image that corresponds to the selected portion of the multidimensional visualization; and

a fusion module configured to combine the portion of the reconstructed image with the multidimensional visualization,

wherein the processor is configured to display the portion of the reconstructed image in addition to the multidimensional visualization.

2. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein the reconstructed image is created from at least one of a two-dimensional pre-operative image, a three-dimensional pre-operative image, and at least one intra-operative image slice of the surgical site.

3. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein the image reconstruction module is configured to create the reconstructed image as a three-dimensional reconstructed image using vector-based or feature based construction to create outlines of objects located within sequential pre-operative image slices.

4. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein the fusion module is configured to at least one of fuse, merge, blend, join, and integrate the portion of the reconstructed image with the multidimensional visualization at the selected portion of the multidimensional visualization.

5. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein the fusion module is configured to select the portion of the reconstructed image by:

determining at least one of an orientation and coordinates of the selected portion of the multidimensional visualization;

determining at least one of a corresponding orientation and coordinates of the reconstructed image; and

selecting the portion of the reconstructed image that is associated with the at least one of the corresponding orientation and coordinates.

6. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein the fusion module is configured to combine the portion of the reconstructed image with the multidimensional visualization by:

identifying at least one of a feature, a structure, and an object inside of or within proximity of the selected portion of the multidimensional visualization;

identifying at least one of a corresponding feature, structure, and object within the reconstructed image; and

aligning the portion of the reconstructed image with the selected portion of the multidimensional visualization such that the at least one identified feature, structure, and object of the multidimensional visualization is aligned with the at least one corresponding identified feature, structure, and object of the reconstructed image.

7. The imaging system of claim 6, wherein at least one of the feature, structure, and object includes at least one of brain tissue, a blood vessel, a tumor, bone tissue, muscle tissue, and a marker.

8. An imaging apparatus comprising:

a visualization generation system configured to create a multidimensional visualization based on a recorded visualization of a surgical site;

a processor communicatively coupled to a display device, the processor configured to display the multidimensional visualization of the surgical site;

an image reconstruction module configured to

receive a selection corresponding to a portion of the displayed multidimensional visualization of the surgical site,

create a reconstructed image related to the surgical site, and

select a portion of the reconstructed image that corresponds to the selected portion of the multidimensional visualization; and

a fusion module configured to combine the portion of the reconstructed image with the multidimensional visualization,

wherein the processor is configured to display the portion of the reconstructed image in addition to the multidimensional visualization.

9. The imaging apparatus of claim 8, wherein the fusion module is configured to combine the portion of the reconstructed image with the multidimensional visualization by integrating, within a video signal, the portion of the reconstructed image with the multidimensional visualization at the selected portion.

10. The imaging apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to transmit, to the display device, the multidimensional visualization separately from the portion of the reconstructed image.

11. The imaging apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to transmit an instruction to the display device specifying a location of the selected portion of the multidimensional visualization to which the portion of the reconstructed image is to be superimposed as a graphic.

12. The imaging apparatus of claim 8, wherein the fusion module is configured to combine the multidimensional visualization with the portion of the reconstructed image by adjusting a visual property of at least one of the multidimensional visualization and the portion of the reconstructed image so as to make the multidimensional visualization merge or fuse with the portion of the reconstructed image.

13. The imaging apparatus of claim 12, wherein the fusion module is configured to adjust the visual property by at least one of:

(a) increasing a transparency of the selected portion of the multidimensional visualization so that the portion of the reconstructed image replaces the selected portion of the multidimensional visualization;

(b) adjusting a contrast around edges or fringes of at least one of the selected portion of the multidimensional visualization and the portion of the reconstructed image;

(c) adjusting a focus around edges or fringes of at least one of the selected portion of the multidimensional visualization and the portion of the reconstructed image; and

(d) applying a spline function around edges or fringes of at least one of the selected portion of the multidimensional visualization and the portion of the reconstructed image.

14. The imaging apparatus of claim 8, wherein the fusion module is configured to combine the portion of the reconstructed image with the multidimensional visualization by:

identifying a target structure within the multidimensional visualization;

identifying the same target structure within the reconstructed image;

aligning the reconstructed image with the multidimensional visualization such that the target structure within the multidimensional visualization is aligned with the target structure within the reconstructed image; and

identifying the portion of the reconstructed image that is located at a same location as the selected portion of the multidimensional visualization.

15. The imaging apparatus of claim 14, wherein the target structure includes a marked screw and is registered intra-operatively using an O-arm or C-arm imaging device.

16. An imaging method comprising:

creating, via a processor, a multidimensional visualization based on a recorded visualization of a surgical site;

creating, via the processor, a reconstructed image related to the surgical site;

displaying, via the processor in a display device, the multidimensional visualization of the surgical site,

receiving, via the processor from an input device, a selection of a portion of the displayed multidimensional visualization;

selecting, via the processor, a portion of the reconstructed image that corresponds to the selected portion of the multidimensional visualization;

combining, via the processor, the portion of the reconstructed image with the multidimensional visualization; and

displaying, via the processor in the display device, the portion of the reconstructed image in addition to the multidimensional visualization.

17. The imaging method of claim 16, wherein the selected portion of the multidimensional visualization is represented as a window.

18. The imaging method of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving, via the processor from the input device, an instruction to move a position of the window in response to the window being clicked and dragged;

determining a second portion of the displayed multidimensional visualization based on the moved position of the window;

selecting, via the processor, a second portion of the reconstructed image that corresponds to the second portion of the multidimensional visualization;

combining, via the processor, the second portion of the reconstructed image with the multidimensional visualization; and

displaying, via the processor in the display device, the second portion of the reconstructed image in addition to the multidimensional visualization.

19. The imaging method of claim 16, wherein combining the portion of the reconstructed image with the multidimensional visualization includes fusing the portion of the reconstructed image by identifying first features of the multidimensional visualization and aligning the first features to correspond to second features of the reconstructed image.

20. The imaging method of claim 16, wherein combining the portion of the reconstructed image with the multidimensional visualization includes at least one of:

increasing a transparency of the selected portion of the multidimensional visualization; and

applying a smoothing function to a boundary between the portion of the reconstructed image and the multidimensional visualization.