Method for establishing a three-dimensional representation of a bone from image data

• US 7,117,027 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2003
• Issued: 10/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AO Technology AG
• Original Assignee: Synthes USA LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Zheng, Guoyan, Nolte, Lutz-Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Casler, Brian L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Roy, Baisakhi
• Application Number:
  US10/629,589
• Publication Number:
  US 20040111024A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,161 Days
• Field of Search: 600/427, 600/426, 600/410, 600/415, 600/424, 600/425, 600/443, 600/407, 378/4, 378/5, 378/8, 378/9, 378/92, 378/196
• US Class Current: 600/426
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/102 Modelling of surgical devices, implants or prosthesis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/105 Modelling of the patient, e.g. for ligaments or bones
• 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 2090/365 augmented reality, i.e. correlating a live optical image with another image
• 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 34/25 User interfaces for surgical systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1114 Tracking parts of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4441 the rigid structure being a C-arm or U-arm
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/463 characterised by displaying multiple images or images and diagnostic data on one display
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/466 adapted to display 3D data
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/505 for diagnosis of bone
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/547 involving tracking of position of the device or parts of the device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/36 Image-producing devices or illumination devices not otherwise provided for

Abstract

A system and method for preparing a virtual three-dimensional representation of a first portion of a bone. The method may comprise obtaining, from a first orientation with respect to the first portion of the bone, first image data of the first portion of the bone and obtaining, from a second, different orientation with respect to the first portion of the bone, second image data of the first portion of the bone. A three-dimensional (3D) virtual representation of the first portion of the bone may be generated. The 3D virtual representation of the first portion of the bone may be displayed. The displayed 3D virtual representation may have an orientation, determined using at least the difference between the first and second orientations from which the first and second image data were obtained.

Claims

1. A method for preparing a virtual three-dimensional representation of a first portion of a bone comprising the steps of:

obtaining, from a first orientation with respect to the first portion of the bone, first image data of the first portion of the bone;

obtaining, from a second, different orientation with respect to the first portion of the bone, second image data of the first portion of the bone;

generating a three-dimensional (3D) virtual representation of the first portion of the bone; and

displaying the 3D virtual representation of the first portion of the bone, the displayed 3D virtual representation having an orientation, the orientation of the displayed 3D virtual representation being determined using at least the difference between the first and second orientations from which the first and second image data were obtained,

wherein the displayed 3D virtual representation has a lower symmetry than the first portion of the bone.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second images is a two-dimensional image.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein both the first and second images are two-dimensional images.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein at least one of the first and second images is a fluoroscope image.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising:

displaying an image of the first portion of the bone; and

overlaying the displayed 3D virtual representation of the first portion of the bone and the image of the first portion of the bone.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the displayed image of the first portion of the bone comprises at least some data from at least one of the first and second image data.

7. The method of claim 5, comprising:

determining an intraoperative orientation of the bone; and

wherein the orientation of the displayed 3D virtual representation of the first portion of the bone is indicative of the intraoperative orientation of the first portion of the bone.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of determining the intraoperative position of the first portion of the bone comprises:

securing at least one of (a) a set of energy emitters or (b) a set of energy detectors to the first portion of the bone; and

detecting, using the set of energy detectors, energy emitted by the energy emitters of the set of energy emitters.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein, if the intraoperative orientation of the first portion of the bone changes, updating the orientation of the displayed 3D virtual representation of the first portion of the bone so that the orientation of the displayed 3D virtual representation remains indicative of the intraoperative orientation of the first portion of the bone.

10. The method of claim 5, comprising using an input device to adjust a dimension of the 3D virtual representation to correspond with a dimension of the first portion of the bone.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the dimension of the first portion of the bone is a diameter.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the dimension of the first portion of the bone is a length.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the displayed 3D virtual representation comprises a cylindrical portion.

14. The method of claim 1, comprising the steps of:

obtaining, from a third orientation with respect to a second portion of the bone, third image data of the second portion of the bone;

obtaining, from a fourth, different orientation with respect to the second portion of the bone, fourth image data of the first portion of the bone;

generating a three-dimensional (3D) virtual representation of the second portion of the bone; and

displaying the 3D virtual representation of the second portion of the bone, the displayed 3D virtual representation of the second portion of the bone having an orientation, the orientation of the displayed 3D virtual representation of the second portion of the bone being determined using the difference between the third and fourth orientations from which the third and fourth image data were obtained.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first and second orientations are the same as, respectively, the third and fourth orientations.

16. The method of claim 14, comprising:

displaying an image of the second portion of the bone, the displayed image of the second portion of the bone comprising at least some data from at least one of the third and fourth image data; and

overlaying the displayed 3D virtual representation of the second portion of the bone and the image of the second portion of the bone.

17. The method of claim 16, comprising using an input device to adjust a dimension of the 3D virtual representation of the second portion of the bone to correspond with a dimension of the second portion of the bone.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the dimension of the second portion of the bone is a diameter.

19. The method of claim 16, comprising:

determining an intraoperative orientation of the second portion of the bone; and

wherein the orientation of the displayed 3D virtual representation of the second portion of the bone is indicative of the intraoperative orientation of the second portion of the bone.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of determining the intraoperative position of the second portion of the bone comprises:

securing at least one of (a) a set of energy emitters or (b) a set of energy detectors to the first portion of the bone;

detecting, using the set of energy detectors, energy emitted by the energy emitters of the set of energy emitters.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein, if the intraoperative orientation of the second portion of the bone changes, updating the orientation of the displayed 3D virtual representation of the second portion of the bone so that the orientation of the displayed 3D virtual representation of the second portion of the bone remains indicative of the intraoperative orientation of the second portion of the bone.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the first portion and second portion of the bone are separated by a break and the method further comprises:

manipulating at least one of the first and second portions of the bone with respect to the other; and

observing the respective virtual representations of the first and second bones.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the dimension of the second portion of the bone is a length.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the displayed 3D virtual representation of the second portion of the bone has a lower symmetry than the second portion of the bone.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the displayed 3D virtual representation of the second portion of the bone comprises a cylindrical portion.

26. A method for preparing a virtual three-dimensional representation of a first portion of a bone comprising the steps of:

obtaining, from a first orientation with respect to the first portion of the bone, first two-dimensional image data of the first portion of the bone;

obtaining, from a second, different orientation with respect to the first portion of the bone, second two-dimensional image data of the first portion of the bone;

generating, based on at least the first and second image data, a virtual representation of the first portion of the bone, the virtual representation having a lower symmetry than the first portion of the bone; and

overlaying, on a display device, (i) an image of the virtual representation of the first portion of the bone and (ii) an image of the first portion of the bone, wherein an orientation of the displayed virtual representation is indicative of an intraoperative orientation of the first portion of the bone.

27. The method of claim 26, comprising:

obtaining, from a third orientation with respect to a second portion of the bone, third two-dimensional image data of the second portion of the bone;

obtaining, from a third, different orientation with respect to the first portion of the bone, fourth two-dimensional image data of the second portion of the bone;

generating, based on at least the second and fourth image data, a virtual representation of the second portion of the bone, the virtual representation of the second portion of the bone having a lower symmetry than the second portion of the bone; and

overlaying, on a display device, (i) an image of the virtual representation of the second portion of the bone and (ii) an image of the second portion of the bone, wherein an orientation of the displayed virtual representation of the second portion of the bone is indicative of an intraoperative orientation of the second portion of the bone.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the first and second orientations are the same as, respectively, the third and fourth orientations.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the step of generating comprises identifying a longitudinal axis of the displayed image of the first portion of the bone and wherein the image of the virtual representation of the first portion of the bone extends along the longitudinal axis of the displayed image of the first portion of the bone.

30. A system configured to prepare a virtual three-dimensional representation of a first portion of a bone, the system comprising:

a display device; and

a processor in communication with the display device, the processor configured to;

receive first two-dimensional image data of the first portion of the bone, the first two-dimensional image data having been obtained from a first orientation with respect to the first portion of the bone;

receive second two-dimensional image data of the first portion of the bone, the second two-dimensional image data having been obtained from a second, different orientation with respect to the first portion of the bone;

generate, based on at least the first and second image data, a virtual representation of the first portion of the bone, the virtual representation having a lower symmetry than the first portion of the bone; and

overlay, on the display device, (i) an image of the virtual representation of the first portion of the bone and (ii) an image of the first portion of the bone, wherein an orientation of the displayed virtual representation is indicative of an intraoperative orientation of the first portion of the bone.