System and method for endoscopic path planning

• US 20050107679A1
• Filed: 07/09/2004
• Published: 05/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Novak, Carol L., Geiger, Bernhard, Kiraly, Atilla Peter, Naidich, David P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,822,461 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/407
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/374 NMR or MRI
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/10 Computer-aided planning, simulation or modelling of surgical operations
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/36 Image-producing devices or illumination devices not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/003 Navigation within 3D models or images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2210/41 Medical

Abstract

A system and method for endoscopic path planning is provided. The method comprises: identifying a target in a lung, wherein the target is located in a peripheral airway of the lung; generating an endoscopic path to the target, wherein a peripheral artery is used as a surrogate for the peripheral airway; and viewing the endoscopic path.

Claims

1. A method for endoscopic path planning, comprising:

identifying a target in a lung, wherein the target is located in a peripheral airway of the lung; and

generating an endoscopic path to the target, wherein a peripheral artery is used as a surrogate for the peripheral airway.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the target is one of a nodule, cancerous protrusion, non-cancerous protrusion, lesion, tumor, and stenosis.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

acquiring data associated with the lung.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the data is acquired by one of a computed tomographic (CT), helical CT, x-ray, positron emission tomographic, fluoroscopic, ultrasound, and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging technique.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of identifying the target comprises one of manually selecting the target from the lung, and automatically selecting the target from the lung.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of generating an endoscopic path to the target comprises:

segmenting data associated with the lung, wherein airways and arteries of the lung are segmented;

computing an airway tree of the segmented airways and an artery tree of the segmented arteries;

matching the computed airway and artery trees;

determining the endoscopic path to the target; and

selecting a jump location where the endoscopic path switches to the peripheral artery.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the jump location is near an end of a detectable peripheral airway and a corresponding location along the peripheral artery.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the jump location is at a midpoint of a branch in a detectable peripheral airway and a corresponding location along the peripheral artery.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of generating an endoscopic path to the target comprises:

segmenting data associated with the lung, wherein airways and arteries of the lung are segmented;

computing an airway tree of the segmented airways and an artery tree of the segmented arteries;

selecting an artery path that leads to the target;

selecting an airway path that matches the artery path; and

selecting a jump location where the endoscopic path switches to the peripheral artery.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

viewing the endoscopic path.

11. A method for endoscopic path planning, comprising:

manually selecting a target in a lung, wherein the target is located in or near a peripheral airway of the lung;

manually selecting a location inside an artery leading to the target, and a location inside an airway leading to the target, wherein the two locations form a jump point;

automatically determining which of the two locations corresponds to the inside of the artery and the inside of the airway;

manually selecting a target point within an artery that is near the target;

automatically generating a retrograde angioscopic path from the target point to the jump point; and

automatically generating a retrograde bronchoscopic path from the jump point to a trachea.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

manually navigating along the retrograde angioscopic path from the target to the jump point.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

automatically determining that the retrograde angioscopic path has reached the jump point when a virtual endoscope traveling along the retrograde angioscopic path is within a threshold distance of the jump point.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

automatically generating a forward path from the trachea to the target by reversing the retrograde angioscopic and bronchoscopic paths.

15. A method for endoscopic path planning, comprising:

manually selecting a target in a lung;

manually selecting a location inside an artery leading to the target, and a location inside an airway parallel to the selected artery, wherein the two locations form a jump point;

manually selecting a point within an artery that is near the target;

manually generating a retrograde angioscopic path from the artery near the target to the jump point; and

manually generating a retrograde bronchoscopic path from the jump point to a trachea.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

automatically generating a forward path from the trachea to the target by reversing the retrograde angioscopic and bronchoscopic paths.

17. A method for performing a bronchoscopy using a planned endoscopic path, comprising:

inserting a bronchoscope into a lung;

acquiring a first image, wherein the first image includes a location of a tip of the bronchoscope in the lung;

registering the first image with a corresponding image from the planned endoscopic path; and

determining where the tip of the bronchoscope is located in relation to where it is located in the planned endoscopic path.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

adjusting the location of the tip of the bronchoscope to match its location in the planned endoscopic path.

19. A system for endoscopic path planning, comprising:

a memory device for storing a program;

a processor in communication with the memory device, the processor operative with the program to;

identify a target in a lung, wherein the target is located in or near a peripheral airway of the lung; and

generate an endoscopic path to the target, wherein a peripheral artery is used as a surrogate for the peripheral airway.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the target is one of a nodule, cancerous protrusion, non-cancerous protrusion, lesion, tumor, and stenosis.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the processor is further operative with the program code to:

acquire data associated with the lung.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the data is acquired by one of a computed tomographic (CT), helical CT, x-ray, positron emission tomographic, fluoroscopic, ultrasound, and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging technique.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the processor is further operative with the program code when identifying the target to:

select the target from the lung.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein the processor is further operative with the program code when generating an endoscopic path to the target to:

segment data associated with the lung, wherein airways and arteries of the lung are segmented;

compute an airway tree of the segmented airways and an artery tree of the segmented arteries;

match the computed airway and artery trees;

determine the endoscopic path to the target; and

select a jump location where the endoscopic path switches to the peripheral artery.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the jump location is near an end of a detectable peripheral airway and a corresponding location along the peripheral artery.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the jump location is at a midpoint of a branch in a detectable peripheral airway and a corresponding location along the peripheral artery.

27. The system of claim 19, wherein the processor is further operative with the program code when generating an endoscopic path to the target to:

segment data associated with the lung, wherein airways and arteries of the lung are segmented;

compute an airway tree of the segmented airways and an artery tree of the segmented arteries;

select an artery path that leads to the target;

select a matching bronchial path; and

select a jump location where the endoscopic path switches to the peripheral artery.

28. The system of claim 19, wherein the processor is further operative with the program code to:

display the endoscopic path.

29. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having computer program logic recorded thereon for endoscopic path planning, the computer program logic comprising:

program code for identifying a target in a lung, wherein the target is located in a peripheral airway of the lung; and

program code for generating an endoscopic path to the target, wherein a peripheral artery is used as a surrogate for the peripheral airway.

30. A system for endoscopic path planning, comprising:

means for identifying a target in a lung, wherein the target is located in a peripheral airway of the lung; and

means for generating an endoscopic path to the target, wherein a peripheral artery is used as a surrogate for the peripheral airway.

31. A method for method for automatically deriving computer-generated virtual endoscopic pathways leading from airways to peripheral nodules using arteries as substitute markers for the location of peripheral airways when the peripheral airways are not detectable by computed tomographic (CT) scans, comprising:

identifying a nodule in a lung, wherein the nodule is located in or near one of the peripheral airways;

generating a virtual endoscopic path to the nodule, wherein one of the peripheral arteries is used as a substitute for one of the peripheral airways leading to the nodule, the step of generating the virtual endoscopic path comprises;

segmenting data associated with the lung, wherein airways and arteries of the lung are segmented;

computing an airway tree of the segmented airways and an artery tree of the segmented arteries;

matching the computed airway and artery trees;

determining the virtual endoscopic path to the target; and

selecting a jump location where the virtual endoscopic path switches to the peripheral artery which is the substitute for one of the peripheral airways; and

viewing the virtual endoscopic path.