Method and apparatus for collecting and processing physical space data for use while performing image-guided surgery

• US 20040019274A1
• Filed: 04/16/2003
• Published: 01/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vanderbilt University
• Original Assignee: Vanderbilt University
• Inventors: Herline, Alan J., Sinha, Tuhin K., Miga, Michael I., Galloway, Robert L. Jr., Stefansic, James D., Chapman, William C., Cash, David M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,072,707 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/425
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/02 by cooling, e.g. cryogenic techniques devices for cooling specific reflex points of the body within cell-life limits A61H39/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/14 Probes or electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/107 Visualisation of planned trajectories or target regions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2055 Optical tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/207 Divots for calibration
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2072 Reference field transducer attached to an instrument or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/20 Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/25 User interfaces for surgical systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/36 Image-producing devices or illumination devices not otherwise provided for

Abstract

A method and apparatus for collecting and processing physical space data used while performing image-guided surgery is disclosed. Physical space data is collected by probing physical surface points of surgically exposed tissue. The physical space data provides three-dimensional (3-D) coordinates for each of the physical surface points. Based on the physical space data collected, point-based registrations used to indicate surgical position in both image space and physical space are determined. In one embodiment, the surface of surgically exposed tissue of a living patient is illuminated with laser light. Light reflected from the illuminated surface of the exposed tissue is received and analyzed. In another embodiment, one or more magnetic fields of known shape and size are established in the proximity of the exposed tissue. Data associated with the strength of the magnetic fields is acquired and analyzed.

Claims

1. A method of collecting and processing physical space data for use while performing image-guided surgery, the method comprising:

(a) surgically exposing tissue of a living patient;

(b) collecting physical space data by (i) illuminating the surface of the exposed tissue with laser light, (ii) receiving light reflected from the illuminated surface of the exposed tissue, and (iii) performing an analysis on the reflected light, the physical space data providing three-dimensional (3-D) coordinates for each of a plurality of scanned surface points;

(c) based on the physical space data collected in step (b), determining point-based registrations used to indicate surgical position in both image space and physical space; and

(d) using the registrations determined in step (c) to map into image space, image data describing the physical space of an ablative instrument used to perform the image-guided surgery, an ablation zone of the instrument, the tissue, and a particular portion of the tissue to be resected or ablated.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

(e) prior to performing the image-guided surgery, scanning tissue of the patient to acquire, store and process a 3-D reference;

(f) creating a triangularized mesh based on the scanned tissue of step (e); and

(g) determining the volumetric center of a particular portion of the tissue to be resected or ablated during the surgery, wherein an algorithm using the triangularized mesh and the physical space data collected in step (b) is implemented to determine the registrations in step (c).

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the algorithm is an iterative closest point (ICP) registration algorithm.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the tissue is the patient'"'"'s liver and the particular portion of tissue to be resected or ablated is a hepatic metastatic tumor.

5. Apparatus for collecting and processing physical space data for use while performing image-guided surgery, the apparatus comprising:

(a) a laser scanner for collecting physical space data by (i) illuminating the surface of surgically exposed tissue of a living patient with laser light, (ii) receiving light reflected from the illuminated surface of the exposed tissue, and (iii) performing an analysis on the reflected light, the physical space data providing three-dimensional (3-D) coordinates for each of a plurality of scanned surface points;

(b) an ablative instrument for resecting or ablating a particular portion of the exposed tissue; and

(c) an image data processor comprising a computer-readable medium holding computer-executable instructions for;

(i) based on the physical space data collected by the laser scanner, determining point-based registrations used to indicate surgical position in both image space and physical space; and

(ii) using the point-based registrations to map into image space, image data describing the physical space of the ablative instrument, an ablation zone of the instrument, the tissue, and a particular portion of the tissue to be resected or ablated.

6. An article of manufacture for collecting and processing physical space data for use while performing image-guided surgery, the article of manufacture comprising a computer-readable medium holding computer-executable instructions for performing a method comprising:

(a) determining point-based registrations used to indicate surgical position in both image space and physical space by processing physical space data collected by (i) illuminating the surface of surgically exposed tissue of a living patient with laser light, (ii) receiving light reflected from the illuminated surface of the exposed tissue, and (iii) performing an analysis on the reflected light, the physical space data providing three-dimensional (3-D) coordinates for each of the physical surface points; and

(b) using the point-based registrations to map into image space, image data describing the physical space of an ablative instrument used to perform the image-guided surgery, an ablation zone of the ablative instrument, the tissue, and a particular portion of the tissue to be resected or ablated.

7. The article of manufacture of claim 6, wherein the computer-executable instructions perform a method further comprising:

(c) creating a triangularized mesh based on a 3-D reference of tissue of the patient, the 3-D reference being acquired, stored and processed prior to the tissue being surgically exposed;

(d) determining the volumetric center of a particular portion of the tissue to be resected or ablated during the surgery; and

(e) implementing an algorithm using the triangularized mesh and the physical space data to determine the point-based registrations.

8. The article of manufacture of claim 7, wherein the algorithm is an iterative closest point (ICP) registration algorithm.

9. A method of collecting and processing physical space data for use while performing image-guided surgery, the method comprising:

(a) surgically exposing tissue of a living patient;

(b) collecting physical space data by (i) establishing one or more magnetic fields of known shape and size in the proximity of the exposed tissue, (ii) acquiring data associated with the strength of the magnetic fields, and (iii) performing an analysis on the acquired data, the physical space data providing three-dimensional (3-D) coordinates for each of a plurality of scanned surface points;

(c) based on the physical space data collected in step (b), determining point-based registrations used to indicate surgical position in both image space and physical space; and

(d) using the registrations determined in step (c) to map into image space, image data describing the physical space of an ablative instrument used to perform the image-guided surgery, an ablation zone of the instrument, the tissue, and a particular portion of the tissue to be resected or ablated.