Systems and methods for automated tracker-driven image selection

• US 8,682,413 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2006
• Issued: 03/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stryker European Operations Holdings, LLC (Stryker Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Lloyd, Charles Frederick
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Tse
• Assistant Examiner(s): REARDON, ROCHELLE D
• Application Number:
  US11/599,958
• Publication Number:
  US 20080114238A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,687 Days
• Field of Search: 600/407, 600/410, 600/424, 600/436, 600/437, 600/463, 600/473, 128/897
• US Class Current: 600/424
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/102 Modelling of surgical devices, implants or prosthesis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/108 Computer aided selection or customisation of medical implants or cutting guides
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2051 Electromagnetic tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2068 using pointers, e.g. pointers having reference marks for determining coordinates of body points
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/256 having a database of accessory information, e.g. including context sensitive help or scientific articles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/364 Correlation of different images or relation of image positions in respect to the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/376 using X-rays, e.g. fluoroscopy
• 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 6/4405 the apparatus being movable or portable, e.g. handheld or mounted on a trolley
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4441 the rigid structure being a C-arm or U-arm
• 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

Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a method for automated tracker-driven image selection. The method includes determining a location of a tracked device and automatically sorting an image set based at least in part on the location of the tracked device.

Claims

1. A method for automated tracker-driven image selection, the method including:

determining a location of a tracked device;

using a processor to determine proximity of the location of the tracked device to a plurality of images in a stored image set by comparing the tracked device location to location information associated with each of the plurality of stored images;

using the processor to sort the stored image set such that the plurality of images is arranged in an order based at least in part on the determined proximity of each image to the location of the tracked device;

identifying the image that is closest to the location of the tracked device; and

displaying the identified image that is closest to the location of the tracked device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the tracked device includes a medical instrument.

3. The method of claim 1, further including acquiring the image set using an interoperative imaging system.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the interoperative imaging system is a mobile fluoroscopy system with surgical navigation.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein proximity of each stored image to the location of the tracked device is determined based at least in part on a comparison of the location information associated with each stored image and a distance between the tracked device and an imaging device used to acquire the image set.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one image in the stored image set is associated with a type of view, the type of view including at least one of anteroposterior, lateral or mediolateral, and wherein the method further includes using the processor to sort the stored image set.

7. The method of claim 1, further including displaying the tracked device.

8. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium including a set of instructions for execution on a computer, the set of instructions including:

a tracking routine configured to determine a location of a tracked device;

a routine configured to determine proximity of the location of the tracked device to a plurality of images in a stored image set by comparing the tracked device location to location information associated with each of the plurality of stored images;

a routine configured to sort the stored image set such that the plurality of images is arranged in an order based at least in part on the determined proximity of each image to the location of the tracked device;

a routine configured to identify an image that is closest to the location of the tracked device; and

a routine configured to display the identified image that is closest to the location of the tracked device.

9. The computer readable storage medium including the set of instructions for execution on a computer of claim 8, wherein the tracked device includes a medical instrument.

10. The computer readable storage medium including the set of instructions for execution on a computer of claim 8, further including a routine configured to acquire the image set using an interoperative imaging system.

11. The computer readable storage medium including the set of instructions for execution on a computer of claim 10, wherein the interoperative imaging system is a mobile fluoroscopy system with surgical navigation.

12. The computer readable storage medium including the set of instructions for execution on a computer of claim 8, wherein proximity of each stored image to the location of the tracked device is determined based at least in part on a comparison of the location information associated with each stored image and a distance between the tracked device and an imaging device used to acquire the image set.

13. The computer readable storage medium including the set of instructions for execution on a computer of claim 8, wherein at least one image in the stored image set is associated with a type of view, the type of view including at least one of anteroposterior, lateral or mediolateral, and further including a routine configured to sort the stored image set based at least in part on the type of view.

14. The computer readable storage medium including the set of instructions for execution on a computer of claim 8, further including a routine configured to display the tracked device.

15. A system for automated tracker-driven image selection, the system including:

a processor configured to receive a location of a tracked device, the processor configured to determine proximity of the location of the tracked device to a plurality of images in a stored image set by comparing the tracked device location to location information associated with each of the plurality of stored images, the processor configured to sort the stored image set such that the plurality of images is arranged in an order based at least in part on the determnined proximity of each image to the location of the tracked device, the processor configured to identify an image that is closest to the location of the tracked device; and

a display configured to display the identified image that is closest to the location of the tracked device.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is in operable communication with a fluoroscopy system that acquired the images in the image set.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein proximity of each stored image to the location of the tracked device is determined based at least in part on a comparison of the location information associated with each stored image and a distance between the tracked device and an imaging device used to acquire the image set.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one image in the stored image set is associated with a type of view, the type of view including at least one of anteroposterior, lateral or mediolateral, and wherein the processor is configured to sort the stored image set based at least in part on the type of view.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the display is configured to display the tracked device.