Method for volumetric image navigation

• US 6,167,296 A
• Filed: 09/30/1999
• Issued: 12/26/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: CICAS IP LLC
• Original Assignee: Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University (Stanford Management Co.)
• Inventors: Shahidi, Ramin
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Ruth S.
• Application Number:
  US09/411,363
• Time in Patent Office: 453 Days
• Field of Search: 606/130, 600/407, 600/411, 600/417, 600/424, 600/425, 600/427, 600/429, 600/439, 600/109, 600/117
• US Class Current: 600/427
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/105 Modelling of the patient, e.g. for ligaments or bones
• 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 2034/2068 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 2090/364 Correlation of different images or relation of image positions in respect to the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/365 augmented reality, i.e. correlating a live optical image with another image
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/367 creating a 3D dataset from 2D images using position information
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/378 using ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3782 transmitter or receiver in catheter or minimal invasive instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/10 Computer-aided planning, simulation or modelling of surgical operations
• 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 5/06 Devices, other than using radiation, for detecting or locating foreign bodies for removing same A61B17/50 ; determining position of probes within or on the body of the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/064 using markers A61B5/062 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4504 Bones A61B5/4547 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/36 Image-producing devices or illumination devices not otherwise provided for

Abstract

A surgical navigation system has a computer with a memory and display connected to a surgical instrument or pointer and position tracking system, so that the location and orientation of the pointer are tracked in real time and conveyed to the computer. The computer memory is loaded with data from an MRI, CT, or other volumetric scan of a patient, and this data is utilized to dynamically display 3-dimensional perspective images in real time of the patient'"'"'s anatomy from the viewpoint of the pointer. The images are segmented and displayed in color to highlight selected anatomical features and to allow the viewer to see beyond obscuring surfaces and structures. The displayed image tracks the movement of the instrument during surgical procedures. The instrument may include an imaging device such as an endoscope or ultrasound transducer, and the system displays also the image for this device from the same viewpoint, and enables the two images to be fused so that a combined image is displayed. The system is adapted for easy and convenient operating room use during surgical procedures.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating a diagnostic or surgical procedure involving a subsurface target site in a patient, comprising

(a) acquiring volumetric scan data of the target site,

(b) moving a medical instrument to a selected orientation with respect to the patient target site;

(c) determining the orientation of the medical instrument with respect to the patient target site;

(d) selecting a field-of-view angle,

(e) constructing from the volumetric scan data, a volumetric perspective image of the target site, as seen from the orientation of the medical instrument, at the selected field-of-view angle, and

(f) displaying said perspective image to a person manipulating the instrument, in real time, allowing the person to visualize subsurface target structure at the selected field-of-view angle, as the medical instrument is moved with respect to the patient target site.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said medical instrument is an endoscope operable to generate a visual image from the perspective of a distal-end lens.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said displaying includes simultaneously displaying the image produced by the endoscope and the perspective image generated by said constructing.