OCT-assisted surgical microscope with multi-coordinate manipulator

• US 5,795,295 A
• Filed: 06/25/1996
• Issued: 08/18/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Carl Zeiss Inc (Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung)
• Original Assignee: Carl Zeiss Inc (Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung)
• Inventors: Moore, John C., Unold, Gerhard, Hellmuth, Thomas, Kaschke, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Lateef, Marvin M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHAW, SHAWNA JEANNINE
• Application Number:
  US08/669,948
• Time in Patent Office: 784 Days
• Field of Search: 128/653.1, 128/633, 128/664, 128/665, 128/920, 128/922, 351/212, 351/221, 250/201.3, 250/330, 250/358.1, 250/370.08, 606/130, 359/376, 359/368, 356/141.1, 382/133, 600/407, 600/310, 600/473, 600/476
• US Class Current: 600/407
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0059 using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence A61B5/0093, A61B5/1455, A61B5/02416 and A61B5/0261 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0066 Optical coherence imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/506 for diagnosis of nerves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/20 Surgical microscopes characterised by non-optical aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/0012 Surgical microscopes counterbalanced structures for surgical microscopes G02B7/001

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide method and apparatus for use during a neurosurgical procedure to enable a multi-coordinate manipulator ("MCM") to locate blood vessels and nerves in a patient'"'"'s brain with submillimeter resolution. In addition, embodiments of the present invention provide method and apparatus for mapping oxygenation of brain tissue in three dimensions to differentiate tumor tissue from normal brain tissue with submillimeter resolution.

Claims

1. A surgical apparatus for use in performing a surgical procedure on an object which comprises:

a surgical microscope;

a multi-coordinate manipulator ("MCM") system which;

(a) translates the surgical microscope and orients an optic axis of the surgical microscope, (b) stores diagnostic image data, and (c) autofocuses the surgical microscope; and

an optical coherence tomography ("OCT") apparatus which includes;

(a) a scanner which scans the object with optical output from the OCT apparatus in response to input from the MCM system, (b) a receiver which produces OCT scan data in response to reflections of the optical output from the object, and (c) a transmitter which transmits the OCT scan data to the MCM system for analysis.

2. The surgical apparatus of claim 1 wherein the MCM system further comprises:

an analyzer which analyzes the OCT scan data to obtain OCT scan data in planes and which combines the OCT scan data in the planes to provide OCT scan data in a three dimensional volume.

3. The surgical apparatus of claim 2 wherein the MCM system further comprises a display which displays OCT images of the OCT scan data in planes having various orientations through the three dimensional volume.

4. The surgical apparatus of claim 3 wherein the display further displays diagnostic images of the diagnostic image data in planes having the various orientations through the three dimensional volume.

5. The surgical apparatus of claim 4 wherein the display further displays the OCT images and the diagnostic images at the same time.

6. The surgical apparatus of claim 5 wherein the display further displays overlays of the OCT images and the diagnostic images.

7. The surgical apparatus of claim 4 wherein the MCM system further comprises an identifier which identifies features in the diagnostic image data and in the OCT scan data in corresponding planes.

8. The surgical apparatus of claim 7 wherein the identifier further comprises an associater which associates features in the diagnostic image data with features in the OCT scan data.

9. The surgical apparatus of claim 8 wherein the MCM system comprises a correlator which correlates associated features in the diagnostic image data and the OCT scan data and a transformer which transforms the diagnostic image data in response to output from the correlator.

10. The surgical apparatus of claim 9 wherein the display further displays the transformed diagnostic image data in planes having various orientations through the three dimensional volume.

11. The surgical apparatus of claim 10 wherein the display further displays combined images of the OCT scan data and the transformed diagnostic image data in the planes.

12. The surgical apparatus of claim 1 wherein the optical output from the OCT apparatus comprises first radiation having substantially a first wavelength from a first source, second radiation having substantially a second wavelength from a second source and third radiation having substantially a third wavelength from a third source.

13. The surgical apparatus of claim 1 wherein the optical output from the OCT apparatus comprises first radiation having substantially a first wavelength, second radiation having substantiallv a second wavelength and third radiation having substantially a third wavelength and wherein the OCT scan data comprises first OCT scan data produced by the first radiation, second OCT scan data produced by the second radiation, and third OCT scan data produced by the third radiation.

14. The surgical apparatus of claim 13 wherein the MCM system further comprises:

a comparison analyzer which analyzes the first, second and the third OCT scan data to identify one type of tissue from another type of tissue.

15. The surgical apparatus of claim 14 wherein the comparison analyzer comprises a measurer which measures oxygen saturation data for a three dimensional volume from which the OCT scan data is produced by the first radiation, the second radiation, and the third radiation.

16. The surgical apparatus of claim 14 wherein the comparison analyzer comprises a property measurer which measures a property of tissue contained in a three dimensional volume from which the OCT scan data is produced by the first radiation, the second radiation, and the third radiation.

17. The surgical apparatus of claim 16 wherein the MCM system further comprises an identifier responsive to output from the property measurer which identifies a first type of tissue from at least another type of tissue by grouping OCT scan data having predetermined values of the property.

18. The surgical apparatus of claim 16 wherein the MCM system further comprises a display which displays OCT images of the OCT scan data showing the property in planes having various orientations through the three dimensional volume.

19. The surgical apparatus of claim 18 wherein the MCM system further comprises an MCM operator interface which receives user input and wherein the display comprises an identifier which identifies one type of tissue from another type of tissue in response to the user input.

20. The surgical apparatus of claim 17 wherein the MCM system further comprises a correlator which correlates the first type of tissue identified in the OCT scan data with diagnostic image data and a transformer which transforms the diagnostic image data in response to output from the correlator.

21. The surgical apparatus of claim 20 wherein the MCM system further comprises a display which displays diagnostic image data in planes having various orientations throughout the three dimensional volume and which displays a representation of the first type of tissue identified in the OCT scan data.

22. The surgical apparatus of claim 21 wherein the display further displays the representation of the first type of tissue identified in the OCT scan data as an overlay.

23. The surgical apparatus of claim 22 wherein the overlay is a false color pattern.

27. The surgical apparatus of claim 7 wherein the MCM system further comprises an MCM operator interface which receives user input and wherein the identifier operates in response to the user input.

28. The surgical apparatus of claim 8 wherein the MCM system further comprises an MCM operator interface which receives user input and wherein the associater operates in response to the user input.

29. The surgical apparatus of claim 9 wherein the MCM autofocuses the surgical microscope in response to the transformed diagnostic image data.

30. The surgical apparatus of claim 11 wherein the combined images are presented in a single display.

31. The surgical apparatus of claim 11 wherein the identifier further identifies sensitive features.

32. The surgical apparatus of claim 31 wherein the MCM system further comprises an MCM operator interface which receives user input and wherein the identifier identifies the sensitive features in response to the user input.

33. The surgical apparatus of claim 32 wherein the MCM system further moves surgical tools to avoid the identified sensitive features.

34. The surgical apparatus of claim 18 wherein the MCM system further comprises an MCM operator interface which receives user input and an identifier which identifies one type of tissue from another type of tissue in response to output from the property measurer and to the user input.

35. The surgical apparatus of claim 19 wherein the MCM system further comprises a correlator which correlates the first type of tissue identified in the OCT scan data with diagnostic image data and a transformer which transforms the diagnostic image data in response to output from the correlator.

36. The surgical apparatus of claim 34 wherein the MCM system further comprises a correlator which correlates the first type of tissue identified in the OCT scan data with diagnostic image data and a transformer which transforms the diagnostic image data in response to output from the correlator.

24. A method of performing a surgical procedure on an object which comprises the steps of:

translating a surgical microscope, orienting an optic axis of the surgical microscope and autofocusing the surgical microscope;

scanning the object with optical output from an optical coherence tomography apparatus and producing OCT scan data in response to reflections of the optical output from the object; and

analyzing the OCT scan data to transform diagnostic image data.

25. The method of claim 24 which further comprises the steps of:

displaying OCT images of the OCT scan data in planes having various orientations throughout a three dimensional volume from which the reflections are obtained.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein the optical output comprises first radiation having substantially a first wavelength, second radiation having substantially a second wavelength and third radiation having substantially a third wavelength;

wherein the OCT scan data comprises first OCT scan data produced by the first radiation, second OCT scan data produced by the second radiation, and third OCT scan data produced by the third radiation; and

analyzing the first, second and third OCT scan data to measure a property of tissue contained in a three dimensional volume from which the OCT scan data is produced by the first radiation, the second radiation, and the third radiation.