×

Computer graphic and live video system for enhancing visualization of body structures during surgery

  • US 5,740,802 A
  • Filed: 12/08/1995
  • Issued: 04/21/1998
  • Est. Priority Date: 04/20/1993
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
Patent Images

1. A real-time surgery apparatus for augmenting a surgeon'"'"'s view of a patient comprising:

  • a) a medical imaging system for obtaining three-dimensional (3D) imaging data of internal structures of said patient;

    b) a video camera means for providing real-time video images of exposed surfaces of said patient from a camera viewpoint being a location (x,y,z) and orientation angle (α





    ) with respect to the patient, and being substantially the same as a viewpoint of the patient as viewed by said surgeon;

    c) a workstation for receiving the 3D imaging data creating a segmented model of internal structures of said patient and creating computer images from selected surfaces of the segmented model as viewed from the same location (x,y,z) and orientation (α





    ) as the video camera means;

    d) mixer means for creating a composite image being a desired mixture of the video image of exposed surfaces, and the computer image of the selected surfaces of the internal structures for most of the composite image, with a moveable window being a region of the composite image showing predominantly the video image, or the computer image; and

    e) display means for displaying the composite image resulting in an image of semi-transparent exposed surfaces correctly registered with the internal structures, and a view of the patient as viewed by said surgeon to allow said surgeon to locate internal structures relative to visible external surfaces in surgery.

View all claims
  • 0 Assignments
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×