Optical object tracking system

• US 6,675,040 B1
• Filed: 01/26/2000
• Issued: 01/06/2004
• 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:
  US09/491,502
• Time in Patent Office: 1,441 Days
• Field of Search: 600/429, 600/417, 600/473, 600/427, 606/130
• US Class Current: 600/427
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/107 Visualisation of planned trajectories or target regions
• 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 2090/365 augmented reality, i.e. correlating a live optical image with another image
• 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 2090/378 using ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3937 Visible markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3945 Active visible markers, e.g. light emitting diodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3979 infrared
• 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: A61N 2005/105 using a laser alignment system
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/00 Geometric image transformations in the plane of the image

Abstract

Camera systems in combination with data processors, image scan data, and computers and associated graphic display provide tracking of instruments, objects, patients, and apparatus in a surgical, diagnostic, or treatment setting. Optically detectable objects are connected to instrumentation, a patient, or a clinician to track their position in space by optical detection systems and methods. The recognition of instruments by patterns of optically detectable structures provides data on three-dimensional position, orientation, and instrument type. Passive or active optical detection is possible via various light sources, reflectors, and pattern structures applicable in various clinical contexts.

Claims

1. A system for optically tracking an instrument relative to the anatomy of a patient in a clinical field of view, comprising:

a camera system including at least two spatially separated cameras, capable of viewing the clinical field of view to provide camera data in a first coordinate system defined by the camera system;

an instrument comprising an optically detectable object that is detectable by the camera system to provide instrument data representative of the position of the instrument in the first coordinate system;

a headband positionable on the head of a surgeon, the headband including a display viewable by the surgeon and an optically detectable array that is detectable by the camera system to provide headband data representative of the position of the headband in the first coordinate system;

data storage comprising one of CT and MRI image data representative of the anatomy of the patient received from one of a CT and MRI imaging machine; and

a computer to accept the camera data, the instrument data, the headband data, and the image data, and being programmed to transform the image data, the camera data, the headband data, and the instrument data into a second coordinate system, thereby generating tracking data representative of the position of the instrument and the headband in relation to the anatomy of the patient.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first coordinate system is identical to the second coordinate system.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein:

each camera in the camera system has a filter passing the infrared optical spectrum; and

the optically detectable object is visible in the infrared spectrum.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said optically detectable object comprises an emitter of infrared light.

5. The system of claim 3, further comprising at least one infrared light source, and wherein the optically detectable object comprises a reflective object;

whereby infrared light emitted from the infrared light source is reflected from the optically detectable object toward the camera system.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein said optically detectable array includes light-emitting indicators.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said headband includes at least one video camera.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the camera system comprises at least two two-dimensional CCD cameras.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the camera system comprises at least three linear CCD cameras.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the optically detectable object comprises an arrangement of geometric objects identifiable by said camera system to yield position data representative of the position of the optically detectable object.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the arrangement of geometric objects comprises a pattern of light-emitting diodes (LEDs).

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the arrangement of geometric objects comprises at least one optically detectable rod.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the arrangement of geometric objects comprises at least one optically detectable rod and at least one optically detectable sphere.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the arrangement of geometric objects comprises a pattern of optically detectable geometric forms disposed on a surface.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the surface comprises a substantially planar plate and the geometric forms comprise a plurality of linear shapes defining an orientation of the optically detectable object.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the geometric forms comprise at least one circular shape.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the arrangement of geometric objects comprises at least one sphere.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the arrangement of geometric objects comprises three spheres.

19. The system of claim 10, wherein the arrangement of geometric objects comprises a plurality of surfaces bearing reflective material.

20. The system of claim 10, wherein the arrangement of geometric objects comprises a plurality of surfaces bearing brightly colored material.

21. The system of claim 10, wherein the arrangement of geometric objects comprises a plurality of illuminated surfaces.

22. A method for providing a reconstructed view of a surgical field, comprising the steps of:

tracking the position and orientation of a surgical instrument with a camera system;

tracking the position and orientation of a patient with the camera system;

tracking the position and orientation of a surgeon with the camera system and a headband including an optically detectable array and a video camera;

transforming the position and orientation of the surgical instrument into a desired coordinate system;

transforming the position and orientation of the patient into the desired coordinate system;

transforming the position and orientation of the surgeon into the desired coordinate system;

retrieving stored image data representative of the patient'"'"'s anatomy;

transforming said stored image data into the desired coordinate system;

generating a video view of the surgical field using the video camera;

generating the reconstructed view of the surgical field in relation to the surgeon using the transformed stored image data in the desired coordinate system; and

displaying a representation of the surgical instrument with respect to a representation of the patient and the surgeon in the desired coordinate system.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of overlaying the reconstructed view of the surgical field with the video view received from the video camera.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein a second video camera is mounted to the camera system.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the video camera is mounted to the surgeon.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the displaying step delivers the reconstructed view of the surgical field to a video monitor.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein the displaying step delivers the reconstructed view to a headset worn by a surgeon.

28. A system for optically tracking an instrument relative to the anatomy of a patient in a clinical field of view, comprising:

a camera system including at least two spatially separated cameras, capable of viewing the clinical field of view to provide camera data in a first coordinate system defined by the camera system;

an instrument comprising an optically detectable object that is detectable by the camera system to provide instrument data representative of the position of the instrument in the first coordinate system;

a headband positionable on the head of a surgeon, the headband including an optically detectable array and at least one video camera, said optically detectable array including light-emitting diodes and being detectable by the camera system to provide headband data representative of the position of the headband in the first coordinate system;

data storage comprising image data representative of the anatomy of the patient received from an imaging machine; and

a computer to accept the camera data, the instrument data, the headband data, and the image data, and being programmed to transform the image data, the camera data, the headband data, and the instrument data into a second coordinate system, the second coordinate system being identical to the first coordinate system, thereby generating tracking data representative of the position of the instrument and the headband in relation to the anatomy of the patient.

29. The system of claim 28, further comprising a display to display the tracking data.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein the camera system comprises at least two two-dimensional CCD cameras.

31. The system of claim 28, wherein the camera system comprises at least three linear CCD cameras.

32. The system of claim 28, wherein each camera in the camera system has a filter passing the infrared optical spectrum and the optically detectable object is visible in the infrared spectrum.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein said optically detectable object comprises an emitter of infrared light.

34. The system of claim 32, further comprising at least one infrared light source, and wherein the optically detectable object comprises a reflective object;

whereby infrared light emitted from the infrared light source is reflected from the optically detectable object toward the camera system.

35. The system of claim 28, wherein the optically detectable object comprises an arrangement of geometric objects identifiable by said camera system to yield position data representative of the position of the optically detectable object.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the arrangement of geometric objects comprises a pattern of light-emitting diodes.

37. The system of claim 35, wherein the arrangement of geometric objects comprises at least one optically detectable rod.

38. The system of claim 35, wherein the arrangement of geometric objects comprises at least one optically detectable rod and at least one optically detectable sphere.

39. The system of claim 35, wherein the arrangement of geometric objects comprises a pattern of optically detectable geometric forms disposed on a surface.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the surface comprises a substantially planar plate and the geometric forms comprise a plurality of linear shapes defining an orientation of the optically detectable object.

41. The system of claim 39, wherein the geometric forms comprise at least one circular shape.

42. The system of claim 35, wherein the arrangement of geometric objects comprises at least one sphere.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein the arrangement of geometric objects comprises three spheres.

44. The system of claim 35, wherein the arrangement of geometric objects comprises a plurality of surfaces bearing brightly colored material.

45. The system of claim 35, wherein the arrangement of geometric objects comprises a plurality of illuminated surfaces.

46. A method for providing a reconstructed view of a surgical field, comprising the steps of:

tracking the position and orientation of a surgical instrument with a camera system;

tracking the position and orientation of a patient with the camera system;

tracking the position and orientation of a surgeon with the camera system;

transforming the position and orientation of the surgical instrument into a desired coordinate system;

transforming the position and orientation of the patient into the desired coordinate system;

transforming the position and orientation of the surgeon into the desired coordinate system;

retrieving stored image data representative of the patient'"'"'s anatomy;

transforming said stored image data into the desired coordinate system;

generating the reconstructed view of the surgical field in relation to the surgeon using the stored image data in the desired coordinate system;

overlaying the reconstructed view of the surgical field with a video view received from a video camera;

displaying a representation of the surgical instrument with respect to a representation of the patient and the surgeon in the desired coordinate system; and

displaying the reconstructed view of the surgical field to a headset worn by the surgeon.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the video camera is mounted to the camera system.

48. The method of claim 46, wherein the video camera is mounted to the surgeon.

49. The method of claim 46, wherein the displaying step delivers the reconstructed view of the surgical field to a video monitor.