Surgical positioning system

• US 6,662,036 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2002
• Issued: 12/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Integra Burlington MA, Inc. (Integra LifeSciences Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sherwood Services AG
• Inventors: Cosman, Eric R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Ruth S.
• Application Number:
  US10/208,283
• Publication Number:
  US 20020188194A1
• Time in Patent Office: 498 Days
• Field of Search: 600/425-427, 600/429, 600/414, 600/417, 600/411, 606/130
• US Class Current: 600/411
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/102 Modelling of surgical devices, implants or prosthesis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2055 Optical tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2065 Tracking using image or pattern recognition
• 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 2090/371 with simultaneous use of two cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/378 using ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3937 Visible markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/395 with marking agent for marking skin or other tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3966 Radiopaque markers visible in an X-ray image
• 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 5/1127 using markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/0421 with immobilising means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/0492 using markers or indicia for aiding patient positioning
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/08 Auxiliary means for directing the radiation beam to a particular spot, e.g. using light beams
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/5247 combining images from an ionising-radiation diagnostic technique and a non-ionising radiation diagnostic technique, e.g. X-ray and ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/10 : for stereotaxic surgery, e.g. frame-based stereotaxis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/14 : Fixators for body parts, e.g. skull clamps; Constructional details of fixators, e.g. pins
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/16 : Bite blocks
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/20 : Surgical microscopes characterised by non-optical aspects
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/105 : using a laser alignment system
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1051 : using an active marker markers in general A61B90/39
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1052 : using positron emission tomography [PET] single photon emission computer tomography [SPECT] imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1059 : using cameras imaging the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1061 : using an x-ray imaging system having a separate imaging source
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1049 : for verifying the position of the patient with respect to the radiation beam
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1064 : for adjusting radiation treatment in response to monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/107 : in real time, i.e. during treatment
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10081 : Computed x-ray tomography [CT]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30204 : Marker
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/73 : using feature-based methods

Abstract

A system for positioning and repositioning a portion of a patient'"'"'s body with respect to a treatment or imaging machine includes multiple cameras to view the body and the machine. Index markers are identified and located by the cameras in 3D space. In one embodiment, such index markers are in a determinable relationship to analogous markers used during previous image scanning of the patient. Anatomical targets determined from image scanning can be located relative to reference positions associated with the treatment of diagnostic machine. Several forms of camera, index markers, methods and systems accommodate different clinical uses. X-ray imaging of the patient further refines anatomical target positioning relative to the treatment of diagnostic imaging reference point. Movements of the patient based on comparative analysis of imaging determined anatomical targets relative to reference points on treatment or diagnostic apparatus are controlled by the system and process of the invention.

Claims

1. A system for determining a location of an anatomical target with reference to a medical apparatus, which comprises:

a computer for storing and processing image scan data representing a patient'"'"'s anatomy including an anatomical target, and referenced in image scan coordinates;

a camera system for obtaining camera data of the patient'"'"'s anatomy and the medical apparatus, and referenced in camera coordinates;

a plurality of indexing elements mountable to the patient'"'"'s anatomy and the medical apparatus, each indexing element detectable by the camera system to provide the camera data;

means associated with the computer for correlating the image scan data and the camera data and for determining a location of the anatomical target with respect to the medical apparatus; and

imaging means mounted in known relation to the camera system for providing image data of the patient'"'"'s anatomy, and having comparative means associated with the computer for comparing image data with reconstructed image data derived from the image scan data to thereby facilitate the positioning of the anatomical target with the apparatus.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the comparative means is adapted to provide comparative images derived from the image data and the reconstructed image data, and including a display for displaying the comparative images.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the imaging means includes an x-ray apparatus.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the imaging means includes an ultrasound apparatus.

5. The system of claim 2 wherein the imaging means includes an MRI apparatus.

6. The system of claim 2 wherein the imaging means includes a video camera apparatus.

7. The system of claim 1 including means for automatically adjusting a position of the patient'"'"'s anatomy to generally align the location of the anatomical target with a location of a treatment apparatus.