Method and system to facilitate image guided surgery

• US 6,317,616 B1
• Filed: 09/15/1999
• Issued: 11/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Philips Electronics Limited (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Neil David Glossop
• Inventors: Glossop, Neil David
• Primary Examiner(s): Lateef, Marvin M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): QADERI, RUNA S
• Application Number:
  US09/396,472
• Time in Patent Office: 790 Days
• Field of Search: 600/407, 600/429, 600/426, 600/427, 606/130, 356/248, 356/247, 378/206
• US Class Current: 600/407
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/2025 with a pilot laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2055 Optical tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2072 Reference field transducer attached to an instrument or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/256 having a database of accessory information, e.g. including context sensitive help or scientific articles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/366 using projection of images directly onto the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3937 Visible markers
• 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 90/10 for stereotaxic surgery, e.g. frame-based stereotaxis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/13 guided by light, e.g. laser pointers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/361 Image-producing devices, e.g. surgical cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/37 Surgical systems with images on a monitor during operation

Abstract

A method and system to facilitate image guided surgery by projecting onto the patient an image corresponding to markings made on pre-acquired images of the patient is disclosed. The image is projected by an imaging projecting device such as a laser which emits coherent visible light. The position of the patient and the image are determined in the same frame of reference. The markings made on the pre-acquired images are then mapped onto the corresponding locations of the patient. The image projecting device then projects images onto the patient corresponding to the markings made on the pre-acquired images. The images projected by the image projecting device can be temporarily or permanently marked onto the patient so that they are visible after the image projecting device stops emitting radiation. Use of a photodynamic substance can also be used in conjunction with the light emitted from the laser to treat tumors and other abnormalities in the patient.

Claims

1. A system for projecting onto an anatomical body markings made on a data-base body of pre-acquired images of the anatomical body, said system comprising:

a spatial determinator for determining spatial positional information of the anatomical body in a frame of reference and generating first positional signals indicative of the spatial positional information of the anatomical body in the frame of reference;

a mapping unit for receiving first positional signals indicative of the spatial positional information of the anatomical body in the frame of reference, mapping the markings made on the data-base body of pre-acquired images onto corresponding locations on the anatomical body and generating a mapping signal indicative of the corresponding locations in the frame of reference of the markings on the data-base body; and

an image projecting device for receiving the mapping signal and projecting an image of the markings made on the data-base body onto the corresponding locations of the anatomical body.

2. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein the image projecting device emits a coherent beam of light which can mark the anatomical body such that the image of the markings projected by the image projecting device will appear on the anatomical body after the image projecting device ceases projecting the image.

3. The system as defined in claim 1 further comprising:

a substance which reacts to a specific type of radiation by changing in a perceptible manner;

wherein the image projecting device emits the type of radiation to which the substance reacts; and

wherein the substance can be applied to the anatomical body such that projecting the image in the type of radiation to which the substance reacts onto the anatomical body will mark the anatomical body with the image projected by the image projection device.

4. The system as defined in claim 1 further comprising:

a substance which reacts to a specific type of radiation by changing cells of the anatomical body to which the substance has been applied; and

wherein projecting the image in the type of radiation to which the substance reacts onto the anatomical body changes the cells of a portion of the anatomical body to which the substance is applied and the type of radiation is projected.

5. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein the spatial determinator comprises an optical tracking system to track objects in the frame of reference;

and

wherein the optical tracking system optically tracks the anatomical body in the frame of reference and generates the first positional signals indicative of the spatial positional information of the anatomical body in the frame of reference.

6. The system as defined in claim 5 wherein the image projected by the image projecting device can be tracked by the optical tracking system;

and

wherein the optical tracking system tracks the image projected by the image projection device and generates second positional signals indicative of the spatial positional information of the image in the frame of reference; and

wherein the mapping unit receives the first positional signals and second positional signals and determines whether the image being projected by the image projecting device corresponds to the markings made on the data-base body of pre-acquired images.

7. The system as defined in claim 6 wherein if the mapping unit determines that the image being projected by the image projecting device does not correspond to the markings made on the data-base body, the mapping unit regenerates the mapping signal to cause the projecting device to project a more accurate image of the markings made on the data-base body.

8. The system as defined in claim 5 wherein the optical tracking system is proximate the image projecting device in the frame of reference.

9. The system as defined in claim 1 further comprising:

radiation detecting device for detecting radiation from the anatomical body;

wherein the image projecting device projects the image of the markings made on the data-base body onto the corresponding locations of the anatomical body using types of radiation which can be reflected from the anatomical body towards the radiation detecting device; and

wherein the radiation detecting device analyzes the radiation detected from the anatomical body to determine a characteristic of the anatomical body being irradiated by the image projecting device.

10. The system as defined in claim 9 wherein the spatial determinator comprises an optical tracking system to track objects in the frame of reference;

wherein the optical tracking system optically tracks the anatomical body in the frame of reference and generates the first positional signals indicative of the spatial positional information of the anatomical body in the frame of reference; and

wherein the optical tracking system and the radiation detecting device share a common radiation detector.

11. The system as defined in claim 1 further comprising:

storage unit for storing said data-base body of pre-acquired images, said storage unit being connected to the mapping unit;

an input unit connected to said storage unit for inputting information, said information comprising markings made onto the data-base body of pre-acquired images;

wherein information corresponding to markings made on the data-base body of pre-acquired images can be inputted at all times; and

wherein the image projected by the image projecting device can comprise the markings made on the data-base body by information inputted through the input unit.

12. The system as defined in claim 11 wherein the image projecting device emits a first coherent beam of visible light;

and

wherein information inputted in the input unit determines which of the markings made on the data-base body are projected by the image projecting device.

13. The system as defined in claim 12 wherein the image projecting device emits a second coherent beam of visible light of a different wavelength from the first coherent beam of visible light;

and

wherein the information inputted into the input unit selects which markings made on the data-base body are projected by the first coherent beam of visible light and the second coherent beam of visible light.

14. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein the image projecting device emits a coherent beam of visible light;

and

wherein the image projected onto the anatomical body comprises a visible beam of coherent light having a position and orientation corresponding to the markings made on the data-base body of pre-acquired images.

15. A method for projecting onto an anatomical body markings made on a data-base body of pre-acquired images of the anatomical body, said method comprising the steps of:

obtaining spatial positional information of the anatomical body in a frame of reference;

mapping the markings made on the data-base body of pre-acquired images onto corresponding locations on the anatomical body; and

projecting an image of the markings made on the data-base body onto the corresponding locations on the anatomical body in the frame of reference.

16. The method as defined in claim 15 further comprising the step of:

marking the anatomical body with the image projected by the projection device such that the image projected by the image projecting device will appear on the anatomical body after the image projecting device ceases projecting the image.

17. The method as defined in claim 16 wherein the image projecting device emits a coherent beam of light which can mark the anatomical body;

wherein the step of marking the anatomical body comprises the step of projecting the image of the markings onto the anatomical body such that the markings are marked on the anatomical body.

18. The method as defined in claim 15 further comprising the step of:

temporarily marking the anatomical body with the image projected by the projection device.

19. The method as defined in claim 18 further comprising the steps of:

applying a substance to the anatomical body which reacts to a specific type of radiation by changing in a perceptible manner; and

projecting the type of radiation to which the substance reacts onto the anatomical body corresponding to the markings made to the data-base body of pre-acquired images so that the anatomical body is temporarily marked with the image projected by the image projection device.

20. The method as defined in claim 15 further comprising the steps of:

applying a substance to the anatomical body which reacts to a specific type of radiation by changing cells of the anatomical body to which the substance has been applied; and

wherein projecting the image in the type of radiation to which the substance reacts onto the anatomical body changes the cells of a portion of the anatomical body to which the substance is applied and the type of radiation is projected.

21. The method as defined in claim 15 wherein the image projecting device emits visible light;

and

wherein the step of projecting an image of the markings onto the anatomical body comprises the step of projecting a visible image of the markings onto the anatomical body.

22. The method as defined in claim 15 wherein the image projecting device emits a first coherent beam of visible light;

and

wherein the step of projecting an image of the markings onto the anatomical body comprises the step of projecting a visible beam of light having a position and orientation corresponding to the markings made on the data-base body.

23. The method as defined in claim 22 wherein the image projecting device emits a second coherent beam of visible light at a different wavelength from the first coherent beam of visible light;

and

wherein the first and second coherent beams of visible light project images of different markings onto the anatomical body corresponding to the markings made on the data-base body of pre-acquired images.