Optically coupled frameless stereotactic space probe

• US 6,351,661 B1
• Filed: 12/14/1998
• Issued: 02/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Integra Radionics, Inc. (Integra LifeSciences Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sherwood Services AG
• Inventors: Cosman, Eric R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Ruth S.
• Application Number:
  US09/212,326
• Time in Patent Office: 1,170 Days
• Field of Search: 606/130, 600/411, 600/414, 600/417, 600/426, 600/427, 600/429
• US Class Current: 600/426
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/107 Visualisation of planned trajectories or target regions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2055 Optical tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2057 Details of tracking cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2068 using pointers, e.g. pointers having reference marks for determining coordinates of body points
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2072 Reference field transducer attached to an instrument or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/363 Use of fiducial points
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/364 Correlation of different images or relation of image positions in respect to the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/368 changing the image on a display according to the operator's position
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/371 with simultaneous use of two cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3937 Visible markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3983 Reference marker arrangements for use with image guided surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/502 Headgear, e.g. helmet, spectacles
• 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 90/20 Surgical microscopes characterised by non-optical aspects
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/36 Image-producing devices or illumination devices not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/361 Image-producing devices, e.g. surgical cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/105 using a laser alignment system
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/14 Transformations for image registration, e.g. adjusting or mapping for alignment of images
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/245 by locating a pattern; Special marks for positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 2201/03 : Recognition of patterns in medical or anatomical images
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/144 : using a slot moved over the image; using discrete sensing elements at predetermined points; using automatic curve following means

Abstract

A system for quantitative computer graphic determination of positions on a patient'"'"'s anatomy and positions on associated equipment located near the patient'"'"'s anatomy in relation to anatomical data, as from CT or MR scanning. A first camera produces a quantitative electronic readout of its field-of-view which provides a determination of relative spacial coordinates of uniquely identifiable points in its field-of-view. A second camera produces a quantitative electronic readout of its field-of-view which provides a determination of relative spacial coordinates of uniquely identifiable points in its field-of-view. The two cameras are located with respect to the patient'"'"'s anatomy and the associated equipment so that the fields-of-view of the cameras include both the patient'"'"'s anatomy and the equipment, but are taken from different directions. A body marker is positioned with respect to the patient'"'"'s anatomy at a known position relative to said patient anatomy. The body marker has known coordinates in a stereotactic coordinate system that is established relative to the patient'"'"'s anatomy so that the coordinates of all identifiable points in the fields of view of the two cameras can be determined relative to the stereotactic coordinate system and related to imaging data.

Claims

1. A surgical system, which comprises:

computer memory for storing and providing image data of a patient'"'"'s anatomy referenced in three-dimensional image data coordinates;

a surgical device;

an optical index element mountable in known relation to the surgical device;

an optical sensor mechanism arranged to provide a field of view encompassing the patient'"'"'s anatomy and the surgical device and to detect the optical index element thereby providing location data, referenced in the image data coordinates, of the surgical device with respect to the image data of the patient'"'"'s anatomy; and

a computer display for displaying a composite image representative of the image data and position of the surgical device in relation to the image data of the patient'"'"'s anatomy.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein the optical sensor mechanism includes at least two optical sensors to provide at least two fields of view encompassing the patient'"'"'s anatomy.

3. The system according to claim 1 wherein the optical sensor mechanism includes a camera apparatus having an optical sensor array.

4. The system according to claim 1, including a body index element attachable to the patient'"'"'s anatomy, the body index element being at a known position relative to the patient'"'"'s anatomy and referenced in the image data coordinates.

5. The system according to claim 1, including a mechanical holder adapted for mounting to the patient'"'"'s anatomy, the mechanical holder including a holder index element detectable by the optical sensor.

6. The system according to claim 1 wherein the surgical device is a microscope.

7. The system according to claim 1 wherein the surgical device is a surgical probe.

8. A surgical system, which comprises:

a surgical device;

computer memory means for storing and providing image data of the patient'"'"'s anatomy in scanner data coordinates;

optical index structure including a plurality of optical index elements arranged in known relation to the surgical device;

a camera apparatus having at least two fields of view encompassing the patient'"'"'s anatomy and the optical index elements to provide current position data thereof;

correlation software for correlating the current position data into the scanner data coordinates; and

a display for displaying a composite image representative of the image data and current position data.

9. A surgical system, which comprises:

a surgical device;

memory means for storing and providing image scanned data representative of the patient'"'"'s anatomy in three dimensions;

camera means including at least one camera, the one camera having a field of view containing the patient'"'"'s anatomy and the surgical device, thereby to provide camera image data of the patient'"'"'s anatomy and current location of the surgical device;

a computer graphic processing means for translating, scaling and thereby matching the camera image data of the patient'"'"'s anatomy with respect to the image scanned data provided by the memory means to provide composite graphic image data of the patient'"'"'s anatomy and the surgical device; and

a computer display for displaying a composite graphic image based on the composite graphic image data of the patient'"'"'s anatomy and the surgical device.

10. The system according to claim 9 wherein the computer display includes at least one video monitor for providing the composite graphic image.

11. The system according to claim 9 further including a body index element adapted for attachment to the patient'"'"'s anatomy.

12. The system according to claim 9 further including an equipment index element attached in a known position relative to the surgical device.

13. The system according to claim 12 wherein the equipment index element includes optically detectable objects.

14. The system according to claim 9 further including a mechanical holder adapted for mounting to the patient'"'"'s anatomy, the mechanical holder including optically detectable objects.

15. A process for providing a simultaneous graphic display showing the position of a surgical device with respect to a patient'"'"'s anatomy, which comprises the steps of:

storing scanned image data taken of the patient'"'"'s anatomy in three dimensions;

optically sensing a plurality of fields of view with at least two cameras, each field of view encompassing the patient'"'"'s anatomy and the surgical device, whereby to produce camera image data of the patient'"'"'s anatomy and the surgical device;

graphic processing the scanned image data and the camera image data thereby to produce a combined and matching graphic image indicative of the patient'"'"'s anatomy and the surgical device in three dimensions; and

displaying the combined graphic image simultaneously representative of the patient'"'"'s anatomy and the surgical device.

16. The process according to claim 15 wherein the step of processing includes the steps of translating, scaling, rotating and/or matching the camera image data with respect to the scanned image data.

17. The process according to claim 15 further including the step of scanning the patient'"'"'s anatomy with a scanning device to obtain the scanned image data of the patient'"'"'s anatomy.

18. The process according to claim 17 further including the step of attaching a body index element in a known position to the patient'"'"'s anatomy prior to the steps of scanning and optically sensing.

19. The process according to claim 18 further including the step of computing spatial coordinates of identifiable points of the patient'"'"'s anatomy using positional data of the body index element to provide the combined graphic image of the patient'"'"'s anatomy, the step being performed in association with the step of graphic processing.

20. The process according to claim 17 further including the step of attaching an equipment index element in a known position to the surgical device prior to the steps of scanning and optically sensing.

21. The process according to claim 17 further including the step of mounting a mechanical holder to the patient'"'"'s anatomy, the mechanical holder having a holder index element attached in a known position thereto.

22. The process according to claim 15 further including the step of calibrating the at least two cameras using uniquely identifiable points in the patient'"'"'s anatomy.

23. The process according to claim 22 wherein the step of calibrating is performed using naturally identifiable points in the patient'"'"'s anatomy.

24. The process according to claim 22 further including the step of attaching a body index element in a known position to the patient'"'"'s anatomy, wherein the step of calibrating is performed using positional data of the body index element.