Hybrid registration method

• US 8,452,068 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2011
• Issued: 05/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Averbuch, Dorian, Zur, Oded, Weingarten, Oren
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TU T
• Application Number:
  US13/287,883
• Publication Number:
  US 20120044334A1
• Time in Patent Office: 573 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 382/131
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/2676 Bronchoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00699 correcting for movement caused by respiration, e.g. by triggering
• 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 2090/3762 using computed tomography systems [CT]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2576/00 Medical imaging apparatus involving image processing or analysis A61B1/00009, A61B6/52 and A61B8/52 take precedence; image processing per se G06T; details of algorithms for analysing medical images G06T7/0012
• 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 5/06 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 5/066 Superposing sensor position on an image of the patient, e.g. obtained by ultrasound or x-ray imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7246 using correlation, e.g. template matching or determination of similarity
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/361 Image-producing devices, e.g. surgical cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10068 Endoscopic image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10081 Computed x-ray tomography [CT]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30061 Lung
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0016 involving temporal comparison
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/33 using feature-based methods

Abstract

A registration method whereby a sensor-based approach is used to establish initial registration and whereby upon the commencement of navigating an endoscope, image-based registration methods are used in order to more accurately maintain the registration between the endoscope location and previously-acquired images. A six-degree-of-freedom location sensor is placed on the probe in order to reduce the number of previously-acquired images that must be compared to a real-time image obtained from the endoscope.

Claims

1. A method of navigating a probe through a branched network of lumens of a patient comprising:

compiling a database of images of said branched network of lumens prior to a navigating procedure;

placing a probe containing a sensor at a distal end thereof into said branched network;

receiving probe location data from said sensor; and

,

using at least said probe location data to select an image from said database to display to a user navigating said probe, said image being representative of a location of said probe, by using said probe location data to create a subgroup of images from said database, said subgroup containing only images that correspond to a vicinity of said probe location.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein compiling a database of images of said branched network of lumens prior to a navigating procedure comprises compiling a plurality of CT scans.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein placing a probe containing a sensor at a distal end thereof into said branched network comprises placing a probe containing a six degree of freedom sensor at a distal end thereof into said branched network.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein placing a probe containing a sensor at a distal end thereof into said branched network comprises placing an endoscope containing a sensor at a distal end thereof into said branched network.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving probe location data from said sensor comprises receiving said probe'"'"'s location and orientation from said sensor.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein placing a probe containing a sensor at a distal end thereof into said branched network comprises placing an endoscope containing a sensor at a distal end thereof into said branched network.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein using at least said probe location data to select an image from said database to display to a user navigating said probe, said image being representative of a location of said probe further comprises matching a real-time image from said endoscope to an image from said subgroup.