INTEGRATED MEDICAL IMAGING AND SURGICAL ROBOTIC SYSTEM

• US 20160302871A1
• Filed: 04/15/2016
• Published: 10/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mobius Imaging, LLC (Stryker Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mobius Imaging, LLC (Stryker Corporation)
• Inventors: HARRIS, Adeline, FURLONG, Todd, BAKER, Jeff, GREGERSON, Eugene A., SEBRING, Paul, STANTON, Russell, COPPEN, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 10,959,783 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2055 Optical tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/376 using X-rays, e.g. fluoroscopy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3762 using computed tomography systems [CT]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3937 Visible markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2505/05 Surgical care
• 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 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 46/10 specially adapted for instruments, e.g. microscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0033 Features or image-related aspects of imaging apparatus classified in A61B5/00, e.g. for MRI, optical tomography or impedance tomography apparatus; arrangements of imaging apparatus in a room image data processing or generation G06T
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0036 including treatment, e.g., using an implantable medical device, ablating, ventilating
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/055 involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/064 using markers A61B5/062 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1114 Tracking parts of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1127 using markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/032 Transmission computed tomography [CT]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/037 Emission tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/04 Positioning of patients; Tiltable beds or the like operating tables A61G13/00; operating chairs A61G15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/12 Arrangements for detecting or locating foreign bodies
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4441 the rigid structure being a C-arm or U-arm
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4447 Tiltable gantries
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/5264 : due to motion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/547 : involving tracking of position of the device or parts of the device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0841 : for locating instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/37 : Surgical systems with images on a monitor during operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/39 : Markers, e.g. radio-opaque or breast lesions markers

Abstract

Methods and systems for performing robotically-assisted surgery in conjunction with intra-operative imaging. A method includes moving a robotic arm with respect to a patient and an imaging device to move an end effector of the robotic arm to a pre-determined position and orientation with respect to the patient based on imaging data of the patient obtained by the imaging device. The robotic arm maintains the end effector in the pre-determined position and orientation with respect to the patient and does not collide with the imaging device or with the patient when the imaging device moves with respect to the patient.

Claims

1. A method of performing robotically-assisted surgery, comprising:

moving a robotic arm with respect to a patient and an imaging device to move an end effector of the robotic arm to a pre-determined position and orientation with respect to the patient based on imaging data of the patient obtained by the imaging device, wherein the robotic arm maintains the end effector in the pre-determined position and orientation with respect to the patient and does not collide with the imaging device or with the patient when the imaging device moves with respect to the patient.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the imaging device is moving with respect to the patient; and

moving the robotic arm to maintain the end effector in the pre-determined position and orientation with respect to the patient while preventing the robotic arm from colliding with the imaging device or with the patient while the imaging device moves with respect to the patient.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the robotic arm is moved using inverse kinematics.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the robotic arm comprises a multijoint arm.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the end effector comprises a hollow tube or cannula for defining a trajectory between an entrance point on the exterior of the patient and a target point inside the patient.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the end effector is configured to receive and guide an invasive surgical tool.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the end effector comprises a radiolucent material.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the pre-determined position and orientation of the end effector with respect to the patient is determined based on a user selection of an entrance point and a target point in a display of the imaging data of the patient obtained by the imaging device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the imaging device comprises a gantry containing at least one imaging component and defining a bore.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the imaging device comprises an x-ray computed tomography (CT) scanning device.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the imaging device comprises a base, a support column extending above the base and a patient support mounted to the support column, wherein the gantry is located above the base.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the gantry translates relative to the base.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the gantry tilts relative to the base.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the patient support translates and/or rotates with respect to the base.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

tracking the position of at least one of the robotic arm and the imaging device using a motion tracking apparatus.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the motion tracking apparatus comprises at least one marker fixed to the robotic arm and/or the imaging device and a sensing device that detects radiation emitted or reflected by the at least one marker.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the at least one marker comprises an active or passive optical marker and the sensing device comprises a camera.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the camera is attached to the imaging device.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the camera moves independently of the movement of the imaging device to maintain a surgical area of the patient within the field of view of the camera.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the camera is attached to a patient support.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein at least one marker is fixed to at least one surgical tool, and the motion tracking apparatus tracks the position of the at least one surgical tool within the surgical area.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the motion tracking apparatus tracks the depth of insertion of a surgical tool into the patient.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising displaying the depth of insertion of the surgical tool overlaying a display of the imaging data obtained by the imaging device.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein the motion tracking apparatus is configured to detect a movement of the end effector from the pre-determined position and orientation with respect to the patient.

25. The method of claim 16, wherein the motion tracking apparatus is configured to detect a movement of the end effector from the pre-determined position and orientation with respect to the patient.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising at least one of notifying a user and stopping the motion of the imaging device in response to detecting a movement of the end effector from the pre-determined position and orientation with respect to the patient.

27. The method of claim 16, wherein at least one marker is fixed to the patient, and the motion tracking apparatus tracks the motion of the patient.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

moving the end effector of the robotic arm to compensate for a detected movement of the patient.

29. The method of claim 15, wherein the position of the robotic arm with respect to the patient and the imaging device is determined based on position data received from at least one of the motion tracking apparatus and the imaging device.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the robotic arm, the imaging device and the motion tracking apparatus operate in a common coordinate system.

31. The method of claim 15, further comprising generating a boundary surface encompassing at least a portion of the patient, wherein the movements of the robotic arm are controlled such that no portion of the robotic arm may enter the boundary surface.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the boundary surface is generated based on a freehand tracing of the at least a portion of the patient using the robotic arm.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the boundary surface is generated by tracking a plurality of markers on the patient using the motion tracking apparatus.

34. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining that it is not possible to move the robotic arm without either changing the position or orientation of the end effector with respect to the patient or colliding with the imaging device or the patient, and based on this determination, performing operations comprising at least one of;

issuing an alert to a user; and

stopping the motion of the imaging device with respect to the patient.

35. The method of claim 1, wherein the robotic arm is attached to the imaging device.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein a first end of the robotic arm is attached to a gantry of the imaging device that moves with respect to the patient, and the end effector is located at a second end of the robotic arm.

37. The method of claim 1, wherein the robotic arm is attached to a patient support.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the robotic arm is attached to a surgical rail of a patient support.

39. The method of claim 1, wherein the robotic arm is removably attached to at least one of the imaging device and a patient support.

40. The method of claim 1, wherein the robotic arm comprises a first robotic arm having a first end effector that is moved to a first position and orientation with respect to the patient, the method further comprising moving a second robotic arm with respect to the patient and the imaging device to move a second end effector of the second robotic arm to a second pre-determined position and orientation with respect to the patient based on imaging data of the patient obtained by the imaging device, wherein the second robotic arm does not collide with the imaging device or with the patient when the imaging device moves with respect to the patient.

41. A system for performing robotically-assisted surgery, comprising:

a robotic arm having an end effector that is movable with respect to a patient and an imaging device, wherein the imaging device is configured to move with respect to the patient and obtain imaging data of the patient; and

a processor coupled to the at least one robotic arm and configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations comprising;

controlling the robotic arm to move the end effector to a pre-determined position and orientation with respect to the patient based on imaging data of the patient obtained by the imaging device, wherein the robotic arm is controlled such that it does not collide with the imaging device or with the patient when the imaging device moves with respect to the patient.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising:

determining that the imaging device is moving with respect to the patient; and

moving the robotic arm to maintain the end effector in the pre-determined position and orientation with respect to the patient while preventing the robotic arm from colliding with the imaging device or with the patient while the imaging device moves with respect to the patient.

43. A system for performing robotically-assisted surgery, comprising:

a patient support;

an imaging device that is movable with respect to the patient support to obtain imaging data of a patient positioned on the patient support;

a robotic arm configured to move an end effector of the robotic arm to a pre-determined position and orientation with respect to the patient positioned on the patient support based on imaging data obtained by the imaging device; and

a motion tracking apparatus comprising a camera attached to the imaging device or the patient support that is configured to track the position of one or more objects in a surgical area.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein the camera moves independently of the imaging device and the patient support to maintain the surgical area in the field of view of the camera.

45. A system for performing robotically-assisted surgery, comprising:

an x-ray imaging device comprising an x-ray source and an x-ray detector mounted to a support structure such that at least one of the x-ray source and the x-ray detector is configured to rotate with respect to the support structure to obtain x-ray images from different projection angles relative to an object being imaged; and

a robotic arm having a first end configured to extend into an imaging area between the source and the detector and a second end attached to the support structure.

46. The system of claim 45, wherein the at least one of the x-ray source and the x-ray detector is configured to rotate around two mutually perpendicular axes with respect to the support structure and the second end of the robotic arm.

47. The system of claim 45, wherein the at least one of the x-ray source and the x-ray detector is configured to translate in at least one direction with respect to a first portion of the support structure, and the second end of the robotic arm is attached to a second portion of the support structure that translates with the at least one of the x-ray source and the x-ray detector relative to the first portion of the support structure.

48. The system of claim 45, wherein the imaging device comprises a generally O-shaped imaging gantry containing the x-ray source and the x-ray detector and the imaging gantry is configured to tilt with respect to the support structure and the second end of the robotic arm.

49. The system of claim 48, wherein the support structure comprises a gimbal having a pair of arms that connect to the imaging gantry on opposite sides of the gantry, and the second end of the robotic arm is attached to the gimbal.

50. The system of claim 49, wherein the second end of the robotic arm is attached to a support member that extends from an end of an arm of the gimbal and above at least a portion of an outer circumference of the generally O-shaped imaging gantry.

51. The system of claim 50, wherein the support member comprises a semicircular arc that extends between the ends of the arms of the gimbal.

52. The system of claim 50, wherein the position of the second end of the robotic arm on the support member is adjustable by a user of the system.

53. The system of claim 48, wherein the support structure attaches to one side of the imaging gantry and supports the imaging gantry in a cantilevered fashion, and the second end of the robotic arm is attached to a support member that extends from the support structure and above at least a portion of an outer circumference of the generally O-shaped imaging gantry.

54. The system of claim 47, further comprising:

a first support member extending from the support structure over at least a portion of an outer circumference of the imaging gantry, wherein the second end of the robotic arm is mounted to the first support member and is movable to multiple positions on the first support member; and

a second support member attached to the imaging gantry, wherein at least one camera for a motion tracking system is mounted to the second support member and is movable to multiple positions on the second support member.

55. The system of claim 45, wherein the imaging device comprises a C-arm device comprising the x-ray source and the x-ray detector mounted to a generally C-shaped connecting member that is configured to rotate with respect to the support structure and the second end of the robotic aim.

56. The system of claim 53, wherein the second end of the robotic arm is attached to a support member that extends from the support structure at least partially above the x-ray source, the x-ray detector and the generally C-shaped connecting member such that the x-ray source, the x-ray detector the generally C-shaped connecting member may freely rotate without contacting the support member.

57. The system of claim 56, wherein the position of the second end of the robotic arm on the support member is adjustable by a user of the system.

58. The system of claim 55, further comprising a second support member that extends from the support structure at least partially above the x-ray source, the x-ray detector and the generally C-shaped connecting member, wherein at least one camera for a motion tracking system is mounted to the second support member.