Mount for multi-dimensional scanner and methods for using the same

Abstract

A system according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a base connectable to a patient; a telescopic handle including a first end connectable to the base and a second end opposite the first end; and an imaging device connectable to the second end of the telescopic handle, the imaging device including an alignment mechanism to position the imaging device a target distance away from an anatomical structure of the patient, where the first end of the telescopic handle is movable relative to a portion of the base to enable the imaging device to move along a predefined path relative to the base to scan the anatomical structure of the patient.

Description

A0010960MOUNT FOR MULTI-DIMENSIONAL SCANNER AND METHODS FOR USING THE SAME

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No.63 / 721,824, filed 18 November 2024, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND

[0002] The present disclosure is generally directed to surgical imaging, and relates more particularly to mounts for use in surgical imaging.

[0003] Surgical robots may assist a surgeon or other medical provider in carrying out a surgical procedure, or may complete one or more surgical procedures autonomously. Imaging may be used by a medical provider for diagnostic and / or therapeutic purposes. Patient anatomy can change over time, particularly following placement of a medical implant in the patient anatomy.BRIEF SUMMARY

[0004] Example aspects of the present disclosure include:

[0005] A system according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises: a base connectable to a patient; a telescopic handle including a first end connectable to the base and a second end opposite the first end; and an imaging device connectable to the second end of the telescopic handle, the imaging device including an alignment mechanism to position the imaging device a target distance away from an anatomical structure of the patient, wherein the first end of the telescopic handle is movable relative to a portion of the base to enable the imaging device to move along a predefined path relative to the base to scan the anatomical structure of the patient.

[0006] An apparatus according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises: a base connectable to a patient; a telescopic handle including a first end connectable to the base and a second end opposite the first end; and a three-dimensional (3D) scanner connectable to the second end of the telescopic handle, the 3D scanner including at least two light sources that facilitate positioning the 3D scanner a target distance away from an anatomical structure of the patient, wherein the first end of the telescopic handle is movable relative to a portion of the base to enable the 3D scanner to move along a predefined path relative to the base to generate a scan of the anatomical structure of the patient.

[0007] An apparatus according to at least one embodiment to the present disclosure comprises: a telescopic handle including a first end connectable to a base and a second end opposite the first end; and a scanner connectable to the second end of the telescopic handle, the scanner including an alignment mechanism to position the scanner a target distance away from an anatomical structure ofA0010960a patient, wherein the first end of the telescopic handle is at least pivotable relative to a portion of the base to enable the scanner to move along a predefined arc path relative to the base to scan the anatomical structure of the patient, and wherein the scanner remains the target distance away from the anatomical structure as the scanner moves along the predefined arc path.

[0008] Any aspect in combination with any one or more other aspects.

[0009] Any one or more of the features disclosed herein.

[0010] Any one or more of the features as substantially disclosed herein.

[0011] Any one or more of the features as substantially disclosed herein in combination with any one or more other features as substantially disclosed herein.

[0012] Any one of the aspects / features / embodiments in combination with any one or more other aspects / features / embodiments .

[0013] Use of any one or more of the aspects or features as disclosed herein.

[0014] It is to be appreciated that any feature described herein can be claimed in combination with any other feature(s) as described herein, regardless of whether the features come from the same described embodiment.

[0015] The details of one or more aspects of the disclosure are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the techniques described in this disclosure will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.

[0016] The phrases “at least one”, “one or more”, and “and / or” are open-ended expressions that are both conjunctive and disjunctive in operation. For example, each of the expressions “at least one of A, B and C”, “at least one of A, B, or C”, “one or more of A, B, and C”, “one or more of A, B, or C” and “A, B, and / or C” means A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, or A, B and C together. When each one of A, B, and C in the above expressions refers to an element, such as X, Y, and Z, or class of elements, such as XI -Xn, Yl-Ym, and Zl-Zo, the phrase is intended to refer to a single element selected from X, Y, and Z, a combination of elements selected from the same class (e.g., XI and X2) as well as a combination of elements selected from two or more classes (e.g., Y1 and Zo).

[0017] The term “a” or “an” entity refers to one or more of that entity. As such, the terms “a” (or “an”), “one or more” and “at least one” can be used interchangeably herein. It is also to be noted that the terms “comprising”, “including”, and “having” can be used interchangeably.

[0018] The preceding is a simplified summary of the disclosure to provide an understanding of some aspects of the disclosure. This summary is neither an extensive nor exhaustive overview of the disclosure and its various aspects, embodiments, and configurations. It is intended neither to identifyA0010960key or critical elements of the disclosure nor to delineate the scope of the disclosure but to present selected concepts of the disclosure in a simplified form as an introduction to the more detailed description presented below. As will be appreciated, other aspects, embodiments, and configurations of the disclosure are possible utilizing, alone or in combination, one or more of the features set forth above or described in detail below.

[0019] Numerous additional features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the embodiment descriptions provided hereinbelow.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] The accompanying drawings are incorporated into and form a part of the specification to illustrate several examples of the present disclosure. These drawings, together with the description, explain the principles of the disclosure. The drawings simply illustrate preferred and alternative examples of how the disclosure can be made and used and are not to be construed as limiting the disclosure to only the illustrated and described examples. Further features and advantages will become apparent from the following, more detailed, description of the various aspects, embodiments, and configurations of the disclosure, as illustrated by the drawings referenced below.

[0021] Fig. 1A is a block diagram of a system according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0022] Fig. IB is a schematic depicting a patient being scanned by a three-dimensional (3D) scanner according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0023] Fig. 2A is a depiction of the 3D scanner according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0024] Fig. 2B is a depiction of the 3D scanner positioned relative to a patient according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0025] Fig. 2C depicts alternative views of the 3D scanner positioned relative to the patient according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0026] Fig. 2D depicts an alternative view of the 3D scanner positioned relative to the patient according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0027] Fig. 2E depicts examples of the 3D scanner positioned relative to an image plane according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0028] Fig. 3 is a flowchart according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.DETAILED DESCRIPTIONA0010960

[0029] It should be understood that various aspects disclosed herein may be combined in different combinations than the combinations specifically presented in the description and accompanying drawings. It should also be understood that, depending on the example or embodiment, certain acts or events of any of the processes or methods described herein may be performed in a different sequence, and / or may be added, merged, or left out altogether (e.g., all described acts or events may not be necessary to carry out the disclosed techniques according to different embodiments of the present disclosure). In addition, while certain aspects of this disclosure are described as being performed by a single module or unit for purposes of clarity, it should be understood that the techniques of this disclosure may be performed by a combination of units or modules associated with, for example, a computing device and / or a medical device.

[0030] Before any embodiments of the disclosure are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The disclosure is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. Further, the present disclosure may use examples to illustrate one or more aspects thereof. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, the use or listing of one or more examples (which may be denoted by “for example,” “by way of example,” “e.g.,” “such as,” or similar language) is not intended to and does not limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0031] Related art techniques may use touch and trace registration to enable surgical navigation. Touch and trace may include a user (e.g., a physician, a member of surgical staff, etc.) touching an instrument tip to human skin, fiducials, and / or critical anatomy. The instrument includes a fiducial that is optically and electromagnetically tracked, such that a relation between the trackers, the human anatomy, and surgical images of the patient can be determined.

[0032] Embodiments of the present disclosure enable point cloud registration in addition to or as an alternative to touch and trace registration. The embodiments of the present disclosure may incorporate a 3D scanner that scans a patient to generate a cloud of points correlating to patient geometry and trackers attached to the patient that can be registered to surgical images of the patient. The point cloud registration may beneficially avoid contacting patient skin or other anatomy, which contact may push on soft tissues and potentially create registration errors.A0010960

[0033] According to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, a stereo vision 3D scanner is provided. The 3D scanner may be connected to a stable mount or base and may be maneuvered by a user (e.g., a physician). The stable mount may include a base positioned on the patient (e.g., on the chest of the patient) at a fixed point. The base may include one or more gears or dampers to stabilize movement of the 3D scanner. The 3D scanner may be pivotable or otherwise moveable relative to the mount along a predefined arc path relative to the fixed point to scan patient anatomy.

[0034] According to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, the 3D scanner may comprise an alignment mechanism to position the scanner relative to the patient. For example, the 3D scanner may comprise two or more lasers or other visual indicators that enable a user to visually verify that the 3D scanner is a target distance away from the patient. In this example, the two or more lasers may converge to a same location when the 3D scanner is a target distance from the patient, and may not converge (e.g., each laser illuminates a different portion of the patient) when the 3D scanner is either too close or too far away from the patient.

[0035] According to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, the 3D scanner may be connected to the base via a telescopic handle. The telescopic handle may be adjustable to change the distance between the 3D scanner and the base and / or to change the distance between the 3D scanner and the patient. Additionally or alternatively, an enclosure angle of the 3D scanner may be adjustable on the telescopic handle.

[0036] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide technical solutions to one or more of the problems of (1) inaccurate patient scanning and (2) inaccurate registration.

[0037] Turning first to Fig. 1A, a block diagram of a system 100 according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. The system 100 may be used to position a three-dimensional (3D) scanner 132 relative to a patient 140; scan the patient 140 with the 3D scanner 132; control, pose, and / or otherwise manipulate a surgical mount system, a surgical arm, and / or surgical tools attached thereto; and / or carry out one or more other aspects of one or more of the methods disclosed herein. The system 100 comprises a computing device 102, one or more imaging devices 112 including the 3D scanner 132, a robot 114, a navigation system 118, a database 130, and / or a cloud or other network 134. Systems according to other embodiments of the present disclosure may comprise more or fewer components than the system 100. For example, the system 100 may not include the robot 114, the navigation system 118, one or more components of the computing device 102, the database 130, and / or the cloud 134.A0010960

[0038] The computing device 102 comprises a processor 104, a memory 106, a communication interface 108, and a user interface 110. Computing devices according to other embodiments of the present disclosure may comprise more or fewer components than the computing device 102.

[0039] The processor 104 of the computing device 102 may be any processor described herein or any similar processor. For example, the processor 104 may be or comprise one or more one or more digital signal processors (DSPs), general purpose microprocessors (e.g., Intel Core i3, i5, i7, or i9 processors; Intel Celeron processors; Intel Xeon processors; Intel Pentium processors; AMD Ryzen processors; AMD Athlon processors; AMD Phenom processors; Apple A10 or 10X Fusion processors; Apple All, A12, A12X, A12Z, or A13 Bionic processors; or any other general purpose microprocessors), graphics processing units (e.g., Nvidia GeForce RTX 2000-series processors, Nvidia GeForce RTX 3000-series processors, AMD Radeon RX 5000-series processors, AMD Radeon RX 6000-series processors, or any other graphics processing units), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field programmable logic arrays (FPGAs), or other equivalent integrated or discrete logic circuitry. Accordingly, the term “processor” as used herein may refer to any of the foregoing structure or any other physical structure suitable for implementation of the described techniques. Also, the techniques could be fully implemented in one or more circuits or logic elements.

[0040] The processor 104 may be configured to execute instructions stored in the memory 106, which instructions may cause the processor 104 to carry out one or more computing steps utilizing or based on data received from the imaging device 112, the robot 114, the navigation system 118, the database 130, and / or the cloud 134.

[0041] The memory 106 may be or comprise RAM, DRAM, SDRAM, other solid-state memory, any memory described herein, or any other tangible, non-transitory memory for storing computer-readable data and / or instructions. Computer-readable media may include non-transitory computer-readable media, which corresponds to a tangible medium such as data storage media (e.g., RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory, or any other medium that can be used to store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by a computer). The memory 106 may store information or data useful for completing, for example, any step of the method 300 described herein, or of any other methods.

[0042] The content of the memory 106, if provided as in instruction, may, in some embodiments, be organized into one or more applications, modules, packages, layers, or engines. Alternatively or additionally, the memory 106 may store other types of content or data (e.g., machine learning models, artificial neural networks, deep neural networks, etc.) that can be processed by the processorA0010960104 to carry out the various method and features described herein. Thus, although various contents of memory 106 may be described as instructions, it should be appreciated that functionality described herein can be achieved through use of instructions, algorithms, and / or machine learning models. The data, algorithms, and / or instructions may cause the processor 104 to manipulate data stored in the memory 106 and / or received from or via the imaging device 112, the robot 114, the database 130, and / or the cloud 134.

[0043] The memory 106 in Fig. 1A is illustrated to comprise image processing 120, segmentation 122, transformation 124, registration 128, and image data 136. It is to be understood, however, that additional or alternative components or contents of the memory 106 may be present.

[0044] The image processing 120 enables the processor 104 to process image data 136 of an image received, for example, from the imaging device 112 and / or components thereof for the purpose of, for example, identifying information about a patient and / or an object such as an implanted device depicted in the image. “Image data” as used herein refers to the data generated or captured by the imaging device 112 or other imaging device (e.g., a 3D scanner 132), including in a machine-readable form, a graphical / visual form, and in any other form. The image data 136 may be or comprise a preoperative image, an intraoperative image, a postoperative image, or an image taken independently of any surgical procedure.

[0045] The segmentation 122 enables the processor 104 to segment image data 136 so as to identify the patient and / or one or more objects such as, for example, an implanted device in the image data 136. The segmentation 122 may enable the processor 104 to identify patient features using, for example, feature recognition. For example, the segmentation 122 may enable the processor 104 to identify one or more anatomical elements (e.g., vertebrae, ribs, etc.) of the patient and / or one or more devices (e.g., surgical screws) implanted into the anatomical elements. In other examples, the segmentation 122 may enable the processor 104 to identify a boundary of an object (e.g., a boundary of a rib, a boundary of a vertebra, etc.) by determining a difference in or contrast between colors or grayscales of image pixels.

[0046] The transformation 124 enables the processor 104 to transform one coordinate system into another coordinate system. In other words, the transformation 124 enables the processor 104 to transform a first coordinate system (e.g., a patient coordinate system) into a second coordinate system (e.g., a reference frame coordinate system) based on, for example, the registration between the first coordinate system and a third coordinate system and the registration between the second coordinate system and the third coordinate system.A0010960

[0047] The registration 128 enables the processor 104 to correlate one coordinate system with another coordinate system. For example, the registration 128 may enable the processor 104 to correlate or map a first coordinate system (e.g., a patient coordinate system) with a third coordinate system (e.g., an imaging device coordinate system) and a second coordinate system (e.g., a radiation source coordinate system) with the third coordinate system (e.g., the imaging device coordinate system).

[0048] The communication interface 108 may be used for receiving image data 136 or other information from an external source (such as the imaging device 112, the robot 114, the navigation system 118, the database 130, the cloud 134, and / or any other system or component not part of the system 100), and / or for transmitting instructions, images, or other information to an external system or device (e.g., another computing device 102, the imaging device 112, the robot 114, the navigation system 118, the database 130, the cloud 134, and / or any other system or component not part of the system 100). The communication interface 108 may comprise one or more wired interfaces (e.g., a USB port, an Ethernet port, a Firewire port) and / or one or more wireless transceivers or interfaces (configured, for example, to transmit and / or receive information via one or more wireless communication protocols such as 802.11a / b / g / n, Bluetooth, NFC, ZigBee, and so forth). In some embodiments, the communication interface 108 may be useful for enabling the device 102 to communicate with one or more other processors 104 or computing devices 102, whether to reduce the time needed to accomplish a computing-intensive task or for any other reason.

[0049] The computing device 102 may also comprise one or more user interfaces 110. The user interface 110 may be or comprise a keyboard, mouse, trackball, monitor, television, screen, touchscreen, and / or any other device for receiving information from a user and / or for providing information to a user. The user interface 110 may be used, for example, to receive a user selection or other user input regarding any step of any method described herein. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any required input for any step of any method described herein may be generated automatically by the system 100 (e.g., by the processor 104 or another component of the system 100) or received by the system 100 from a source external to the system 100. In some embodiments, the user interface 110 may be useful to allow a surgeon or other user to modify instructions to be executed by the processor 104 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, and / or to modify or adjust a setting of other information displayed on the user interface 110 or corresponding thereto.

[0050] Although the user interface 110 is shown as part of the computing device 102, in some embodiments, the computing device 102 may utilize a user interface 110 that is housed separately from one or more remaining components of the computing device 102. In some embodiments, theA0010960user interface 110 may be located proximate one or more other components of the computing device 102, while in other embodiments, the user interface 110 may be located remotely from one or more other components of the computing device 102.

[0051] The imaging device 112 may be operable to image anatomical feature(s) (e.g., a bone, veins, tissue, etc.) and / or other aspects of patient anatomy to yield the image data 136 (e.g., image data depicting or corresponding to a bone, veins, tissue, etc.). In some embodiments, a first imaging device 112 may be used to obtain first image data (e.g., a first image) at a first time, and a second imaging device 112 may be used to obtain second image data (e.g., a second image) at a second time after the first time. The imaging device 112 may be capable of taking a 2D image or a 3D image to yield the image data 136. The imaging device 112 may be or comprise, for example, an ultrasound scanner (which may comprise, for example, a physically separate transducer and receiver, or a single ultrasound transceiver), an 0-arm, a C-arm, a G-arm, or any other device utilizing X-ray-based imaging (e.g., a fluoroscope, a CT scanner, or other X-ray machine), a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner, an optical coherence tomography (OCT) scanner, an endoscope, a microscope, an optical camera, a thermographic camera (e.g., an infrared camera), a radar system (which may comprise, for example, a transmitter, a receiver, a processor, and one or more antennae), or any other imaging device 112 suitable for obtaining images of an anatomical feature of a patient. The imaging device 112 may be contained entirely within a single housing, or may comprise a transmitter / emitter and a receiver / detector that are in separate housings or are otherwise physically separated.

[0052] In some embodiments, the imaging device 112 may comprise more than one imaging device 112. For example, a first imaging device may provide first image data and / or a first image, and a second imaging device may provide second image data and / or a second image. In still other embodiments, the same imaging device may be used to provide both the first image data and the second image data, and / or any other image data described herein. The imaging device 112 may be operable to generate a stream of image data 136. For example, the imaging device 112 may be configured to operate with an open shutter, or with a shutter that continuously alternates between open and shut so as to capture successive images. For purposes of the present disclosure, unless specified otherwise, image data 136 may be considered to be continuous and / or provided as an image data stream if the image data 136 represents two or more frames per second.

[0053] The robot 114 may be any surgical robot or surgical robotic system. The robot 114 may be or comprise, for example, the Mazor X™ Stealth Edition robotic guidance system. The robot 114 may be configured to position the imaging device 112 at one or more precise position(s) and orientation(s), and / or to return the imaging device 112 to the same position(s) and orientation(s) at aA0010960later point in time. The robot 114 may additionally or alternatively be configured to manipulate a surgical tool (whether based on guidance from the navigation system 118 or not) to accomplish or to assist with a surgical task. In some embodiments, the robot 114 may be configured to hold and / or manipulate an anatomical element during or in connection with a surgical procedure. The robot 114 may comprise one or more robotic arms 116. In some embodiments, the robotic arm 116 may comprise a first robotic arm and a second robotic arm, though the robot 114 may comprise more than two robotic arms. In some embodiments, one or more of the robotic arms 116 may be used to hold and / or maneuver the imaging device 112. In embodiments where the imaging device 112 comprises two or more physically separate components (e.g., a transmitter and receiver), one robotic arm 116 may hold one such component, and another robotic arm 116 may hold another such component. Each robotic arm 116 may be positionable independently of the other robotic arm. The robotic arms 116 may be controlled in a single, shared coordinate space, or in separate coordinate spaces.

[0054] The robot 114, together with the robotic arm 116, may have, for example, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, or more degrees of freedom. Further, the robotic arm 116 may be positioned or positionable in any pose, plane, and / or focal point. The pose includes a position and an orientation. As a result, an imaging device 112, surgical tool, or other object held by the robot 114 (or, more specifically, by the robotic arm 116) may be precisely positionable in one or more needed and specific positions and orientations.

[0055] The robotic arm(s) 116 may comprise one or more sensors that enable the processor 104 (or a processor of the robot 114) to determine a precise pose in space of the robotic arm (as well as any object or element held by or secured to the robotic arm).

[0056] In some embodiments, reference markers (e.g., navigation markers) may be placed on the robot 114 (including, e.g., on the robotic arm 116), the imaging device 112, or any other object in the surgical space. The reference markers may be tracked by the navigation system 118, and the results of the tracking may be used by the robot 114 and / or by an operator of the system 100 or any component thereof. In some embodiments, the navigation system 118 can be used to track other components of the system (e.g., imaging device 112) and the system can operate without the use of the robot 114 (e.g., with the surgeon manually manipulating the imaging device 112 and / or one or more surgical tools, based on information and / or instructions generated by the navigation system 118, for example).

[0057] The navigation system 118 may provide navigation for a surgeon and / or a surgical robot during an operation. The navigation system 118 may be any now-known or future-developed navigation system, including, for example, the Medtronic StealthStation™ S8 surgical navigationA0010960system or any successor thereof. The navigation system 118 may include one or more cameras or other sensor(s) for tracking one or more reference markers, navigated trackers, or other objects within the operating room or other room in which some or all of the system 100 is located. The one or more cameras may be optical cameras, infrared cameras, or other cameras. In some embodiments, the navigation system 118 may comprise one or more electromagnetic sensors. In various embodiments, the navigation system 118 may be used to track a position and orientation (e.g., a pose) of the imaging device 112, the robot 114 and / or robotic arm 116, and / or one or more surgical tools (or, more particularly, to track a pose of a navigated tracker attached, directly or indirectly, in fixed relation to the one or more of the foregoing). The navigation system 118 may include a display for displaying one or more images from an external source (e.g., the computing device 102, imaging device 112, or other source) or for displaying an image and / or video stream from the one or more cameras or other sensors of the navigation system 118. In some embodiments, the system 100 can operate without the use of the navigation system 118. The navigation system 118 may be configured to provide guidance to a surgeon or other user of the system 100 or a component thereof, to the robot 114, or to any other element of the system 100 regarding, for example, a pose of one or more anatomical elements, whether or not a tool is in the proper trajectory, and / or how to move a tool into the proper trajectory to carry out a surgical task according to a preoperative or other surgical plan.

[0058] The database 130 may store information that correlates one coordinate system to another (e.g., one or more robotic coordinate systems to a patient coordinate system and / or to a navigation coordinate system). The database 130 may additionally or alternatively store, for example, one or more surgical plans (including, for example, pose information about a target and / or image information about a patient’s anatomy at and / or proximate the surgical site, for use by the robot 114, the navigation system 118, and / or a user of the computing device 102 or of the system 100); one or more images useful in connection with a surgery to be completed by or with the assistance of one or more other components of the system 100; and / or any other useful information. The database 130 may be configured to provide any such information to the computing device 102 or to any other device of the system 100 or external to the system 100, whether directly or via the cloud 134. In some embodiments, the database 130 may be or comprise part of a hospital image storage system, such as a picture archiving and communication system (PACS), a health information system (HIS), and / or another system for collecting, storing, managing, and / or transmitting electronic medical records including image data 136.

[0059] The cloud 134 may be or represent the Internet or any other wide area network. The computing device 102 may be connected to the cloud 134 via the communication interface 108,A0010960using a wired connection, a wireless connection, or both. In some embodiments, the computing device 102 may communicate with the database 130 and / or an external device (e.g., a computing device) via the cloud 134.

[0060] With reference to Fig. IB, a schematic of a patient undergoing a scan according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. The schematic illustrates a patient 140 positioned on a table 144, as well as a 3D scanner 132 with a field of view 156 of the patient 140. In some cases, the schematic represents a patient undergoing a registration process during a surgery or surgical procedure, where the 3D scanner 132 is used to generate a scan of one or more portions of the patient 140 to register the patient 140 to a known coordinate system. It is to be understood that, in some cases, one or more other surgical components (e.g., the robot 114) may be present in, or alternatively omitted from, the surgical environment.

[0061] While undergoing the surgery or surgical procedure, the patient 140 may be positioned on a table 144. The table 144 may be any table 144 configured to support a patient during a surgical procedure. The table 144 may include any accessories mounted to or otherwise coupled to the table 144 such as, for example, a bed rail, a bed rail adaptor, an arm rest, an extender, or the like. In some embodiments, the table 144 may comprise a bed mount that enables one or more components to be connected to the table 144. The table 144 may be stationary or may be operable to maneuver a patient (e.g., the table 144 may be able to move).

[0062] In some embodiments, the table 144 has two positioning degrees of freedom and one rotational degree of freedom, which allows positioning of the specific anatomy of the patient anywhere in space (within a volume defined by the limits of movement of the table 144). For example, the table 144 can slide forward and backward and from side to side, and can tilt (e.g., around an axis positioned between the head and foot of the table 144 and extending from one side of the table 144 to the other) and / or roll (e.g., around an axis positioned between the two sides of the table 144 and extending from the head of the table 144 to the foot thereof). In other embodiments, the table 144 can bend at one or more areas (which bending may be possible due to, for example, the use of a flexible surface for the table 144, or by physically separating one portion of the table 144 from another portion of the table 144 and moving the two portions independently). In at least some embodiments, the table 144 may be manually moved or manipulated by, for example, a surgeon or other user, or the table 144 may comprise one or more motors, actuators, and / or other mechanisms configured to enable movement and / or manipulation of the table 144 by a processor (e.g., the processor 104).A0010960

[0063] The 3D scanner 132 may be connected to the patient 140 via a telescopic handle 152 and a base 148. The base 148 may be positioned on or otherwise connectable to one or more portions of the patient 140 (e.g., the chest of the patient, a hip of the patient, a back of the patient, an arm of the patient, a leg of the patient, etc.). The base 148 may comprise one or more connecting mechanisms (e.g., straps, bands, adhesives, etc.) that enable the base 148 to be connected to the patient 140. In one example, the connecting mechanism comprises an adjustable band that enables the base 148 to be releasably secured to the patient 140, such that the base 148 (and by extension the 3D scanner 132) can be positioned and then repositioned relative to the patient 140 (e.g., to enable scanning of multiple portions of the patient 140 using the 3D scanner 132).

[0064] The telescopic handle 152 may be or comprise an elongated rod that connects the base 148 to the 3D scanner 132. In one example, the telescopic handle 152 may be pivotable relative to the base 148, such that the 3D scanner 132 can move along a predetermined or predefined path to generate a scan of the patient 140, as discussed in further detail below. The use of the base 148 and the telescopic handle 152 to position the 3D scanner 132 may beneficially enable a user (e.g., a physician) to move the 3D scanner 132 relative to the patient 140 to generate a scan of the portions of the patient 140 within the field of view 156 of the 3D scanner 132 while reducing error associated with the user manually handling the 3D scanner 132 (e.g., small tremors in the user’s hands from holding the 3D scanner 132, inaccurate tracking of the 3D scanner 132 by the navigation system 118, etc.).

[0065] The telescopic handle 152 may in some cases be adjustable in length. In such examples, the telescopic handle 152 may comprise push buttons, twist locks, and / or the like that enable the length of the telescopic handle 152 to be increased or decreased. In some cases, the telescopic handle 152 may be collapsable when not in use, enabling the size of the overall assembly or apparatus of the 3D scanner 132, the telescopic handle 152, and the base 148 to be reduced when not in use.

[0066] The system 100 or similar systems may be used, for example, to carry out one or more aspects of the method 300 described herein. The system 100 or similar systems may also be used for other purposes.

[0067] Turning next to Figs. 2A-2E, additional aspects of positioning a 3D scanner according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure are shown. It is to be understood that, in some examples, additional or alternative components may be present or omitted.

[0068] An example 3D scanner 132 is shown in Fig. 2A. The 3D scanner 132 may comprise a housing 204 and may extend from a first end 212 to a second end 216 opposite the first end 212. The 3D scanner 132 is illustrated to comprise a first light source 206A, a second light source 206B,A0010960imaging components 232, and a slot 244. However, the 3D scanner 132 may in other examples comprise additional or alternative components.

[0069] The 3D scanner 132 may comprise an alignment mechanism, such as the first light source 206A and the second light source 206B. The first light source 206A may be positioned at the first end 212 of the 3D scanner 132 and the second light source 206B may be positioned at the second end 216 of the 3D scanner 132 opposite the first end 212. In other words, the first light source 206A and the second light source 206B may be separated by a first distance 220. In one embodiment, the first light source 206A and the second light source 206B are both angled inward toward a centerline of the 3D scanner 132 and calibrated such that light emitted from the first light source 206A and light emitted from the first light source 206A converge to a common point in 3D space a predetermined distance from the 3D scanner 132.

[0070] The first light source 206A and the second light source 206B may function as an alignment mechanism for the 3D scanner 132 by emitting lasers or other light that converge at the common point in 3D space at the predetermined distance from the 3D scanner 132 to assist in aligning the 3D scanner 132 with one or more portions of the patient 140 to capture a scan of the patient 140. In one example, the first light source 206A emits a first laser 208A and the second light source 206B emits a second laser 208B. The 3D scanner 132 may be configured such that the location of convergence of the first laser 208A and the second laser 208B corresponds to the image plane that is imaged using the imaging components 232 of the 3D scanner 132. In other words, the first laser 208A and the second laser 208B may be used to align the 3D scanner 132 with the object to be imaged by the 3D scanner 132. In an example where the 3D scanner 132 is used to scan the patient 140, the first laser 208A and the second laser 208B may converge to a location 236 on the patient 140 when the 3D scanner 132 is a target distance away from the patient 140 (e.g., a distance at which the 3D scanner 132 can capture a point cloud scan of the patient anatomy located at the location 236).

[0071] The convergence of the first laser 208A and the second laser 208B may enable a user to manually adjust the 3D scanner 132 until the 3D scanner 132 is positioned at a desired distance from the patient 140 (e.g., a target distance away from the patient 140). An example of the visual indicators provided by the alignment mechanism is depicted in Fig. 2E. In a first example 252, the 3D scanner 132 may be positioned too far from an image plane 250 (which may correspond to a portion of the patient 140 such as an anatomical structure). In other words, the 3D scanner 132 is too far away from the scan target to capture an image of the target. In this first example 252, the first laser 208A may illuminate the image plane 250 at a location 254 and the second laser 208B may illuminate the image plane 250 at a second location 258 different than the location 254. Since the 3DA0010960scanner 132 is too far away from the image plane 250, the first laser 208A and the second laser 208B may converge or cross at a point in front of the image plane 250. Based on this visual cue, the user may determine that the 3D scanner 132 is too far away from the image plane 250, and may adjust the position of the 3D scanner 132 to move the 3D scanner 132 closer to the image plane 250.

[0072] In a second example 262, the 3D scanner 132 may be positioned relative to the image plane 250 at a distance too close to the image plane 250. In other words, the 3D scanner 132 is too close to the scan target to capture an image of the target. In this second example 262, the first laser 208A may illuminate the image plane 250 at a location 266 and the second laser 208B may illuminate the image plane 250 at a second location 270 different than the location 266. Since the 3D scanner 132 is too close to the image plane 250, the first laser 208 A and the second laser 208B may not converge or cross at a point in front of the image plane 250. Based on this visual cue, the user may determine that the 3D scanner 132 is too close to the image plane 250, and may adjust the position of the 3D scanner 132 to move the 3D scanner 132 further away from the image plane 250.

[0073] In a third example 274, the 3D scanner 132 may be positioned a target distance 248 from the image plane 250. While at the target distance 248 from the image plane 250, the 3D scanner 132 may be in an optimal location to capture a scan of the object at the location of the image plane 250 (e.g., a scan of a patient’s head). When at the target distance 248, the first laser 208A and the second laser 208B may converge at a location 280 on the image plane 250. This visual cue of convergence of the first laser 208A and the second laser 208B to a single location on the image plane 250 may enable the user to determine that the 3D scanner 132 is correctly or optimally positioned relative to the image plane 250. In some cases, the 3D scanner 132 may be pivotable relative to a first end 224 of the telescopic handle 152 to position the 3D scanner 132. Additionally or alternatively, the enclosure angle between a second end 228 of the telescopic handle 152 and the 3D scanner 132 may be changeable by the user to help ensure the first laser 208A and the second laser 208B converge at the location 280 on the image plane.

[0074] After the 3D scanner 132 has been positioned at the target distance 248 from the patient 140, the 3D scanner 132 may be used to scan the patient 140. In some examples, the telescopic handle 152 may be movable relative to a portion of the base 148 to enable the 3D scanner 132 to move relative to the base 148 to generate a scan of the patient 140. The telescopic handle 152 may extend from the first end 224 that connects to the base 148 to a second end 228 opposite the first end 224 that connects to the 3D scanner 132. The first end 224 may be coupled with the base 148 via, for example, a hinge or other mechanical bearing such that the 3D scanner 132 can move along an arc path 240 relative to the patient 140. In some cases, the arc path 240 may comprise one or more linearA0010960portions (e.g., the 3D scanner 132 may translate relative to the patient 140). In some cases, the arc path 240 may be defined by a position of a hinge that connects the 3D scanner 132 to the telescopic handle 152. As depicted in Fig. 2D, a distance between the 3D scanner 132 and the patient 140 may be constant along the arc path 240 to ensure that the 3D scanner 132 is correctly aligned with the patient 140 while the 3D scanner 132 scans the patient 140.

[0075] The base 148 may comprise one or more mechanical components such as gears, dampers, etc. that stabilize the movement of the telescopic handle 152 relative to the base 148 as the 3D scanner 132 is moved to scan the patient 140. For example, the base 148 may comprise a rotary damper that decelerates the liner or angular movement of the telescopic handle 152. The use of such mechanical components may result in the 3D scanner 132 moving more consistently while scanning the patient, which may in turn reduce the overall noise of the scan.

[0076] In some cases, the user may guide the 3D scanner 132 along the arc path 240 using a slot 244 provided on the 3D scanner 132. The slot 244 may provide a location for a user to grip the 3D scanner 132 without interfering with the imaging components 232 of the 3D scanner 132 (e.g., without obstructing the imaging components 232 of the 3D scanner 132 from capturing a scan of the patient 140). For instance, the user may grip the 3D scanner 132 via the slot 244 to move the 3D scanner 132 relative to the patient 140 to generate a scan of the patient 140.

[0077] The 3D scanner 132 may comprise one or more imaging components 232. The imaging components 232 may comprise lenses, shutters, sensors, etc. that enable the 3D scanner 132 to generate one or more scans of the patient 140. In one example, the 3D scanner 132 may comprise a stereo vision camera with two image sensors set apart by a predetermined distance that capture image data of the patient 140. The processor 104 may use image processing 120 to generate a multidimensional (e.g., 3D) scan based on 2D images captured by each of the two image sensors.

[0078] Once the scan of the patient 140 has been generated, the processor 104 may use image processing 120 to generate a multi-dimensional image of the patient 140. The multi-dimensional image may be used, along with the known position of the 3D scanner 132 relative to the patient 140, to register the patient 140 to a known coordinate system (e.g., a coordinate system associated with the 3D scanner 132, a coordinate system associated with a surgical tool, etc.). The processor 104 may in some cases use the registration 128 to register the patient 140 to the known coordinate system. After registration, a surgery or surgical procedure may be carried out on the patient 140 based on the registration.

[0079] Fig. 3 depicts a method 300 that may be used, for example, to carry out a surgery or surgical procedure based on a scan of a patient generated by a 3D scanner.A0010960

[0080] The method 300 (and / or one or more steps thereof) may be carried out or otherwise performed, for example, by at least one processor. The at least one processor may be the same as or similar to the processor(s) 104 of the computing device 102 described above. The at least one processor may be part of a robot (such as a robot 114) or part of a navigation system (such as a navigation system 118). A processor other than any processor described herein may also be used to execute the method 300. The at least one processor may perform the method 300 by executing elements stored in a memory such as the memory 106. The elements stored in memory and executed by the processor may cause the processor to execute one or more steps of a function as shown in method 300. One or more portions of a method 300 may be performed by the processor executing any of the contents of memory, such as image processing 120, segmentation 122, transformation 124, and / or registration 128.

[0081] The method 300 comprises positioning a 3D scanner relative to a patient (step 304). The 3D scanner may be similar to or the same as the 3D scanner 132. The 3D scanner 132 may be attached to the base 148 via the telescopic handle 152. The base 148 may be connected to or positioned on the patient 140 (e.g., the chest of the patient, a hip of the patient, a leg of the patient, an arm of the patient, etc.).

[0082] The 3D scanner 132 may be positioned relative to the patient 140 using an alignment mechanism. In one example, the alignment mechanism comprises the first light source 206A and the second light source 206B which respectively emit the first laser 208A and the second laser 208B to provide visual indicators as to the alignment of the 3D scanner 132 relative to the patient 140.Additionally or alternatively, the alignment mechanism may comprise visual and / or audio alerts when the first laser 208 A and the second laser 208B are aligned with the patient 140. In one example, the imaging components 232 of the 3D scanner 132 may provide a live feed of the image data being captured by the imaging components 232 (e.g., image sensors) to a display. In this example, when the first laser 208A and the second laser 208B converge to a single point on the patient 140, the live feed may be processed by the processor 104 using image processing 120 to determine that the first laser 208A and the second laser 208B are aligned. Once the processor 104 determines that the 3D scanner 132 is aligned with the patient 140, the processor 104 may generate a visual alert (e.g., a message rendered to a display indicating the 3D scanner 132 is aligned with the patient 140), an audio alert (e.g., an alarm sound indicating the 3D scanner 132 is aligned with the patient), combinations thereof, and / or the like.

[0083] The method 300 also comprises scanning, using the 3D scanner, the patient to generate a multi-dimensional image of the patient (step 308). Once the 3D scanner 132 is positioned at a targetA0010960distance relative to the patient 140, the 3D scanner 132 may be used to scan the patient 140. In one example, the 3D scanner 132 may move along a predefined path relative to the patient 140. The predefined path may comprise the 3D scanner 132 moving linearly along the patient 140 (e.g., a linear movement of the 3D scanner 132 to capture a scan of a vertebra of the patient 140 for spinal surgery). Additionally or alternatively, the predefined path may comprise one or more arcs (e.g., the 3D scanner 132 may move along the arc path 240 to scan the head of the patient 140).

[0084] In one example, the 3D scanner 132 may generate the multi-dimensional image of the patient using stereo vision. In other words, the 3D scanner 132 may comprise two image sensors spaced a predetermined distance apart that each generate 2D images of the patient 140. The processor 104 may then use image processing 120 to process the 2D images from the two different image sensors to generate a 3D image reconstruction of the patient 140.

[0085] The method 300 also comprises rending, to a display, the multi-dimensional image of the patient (step 312). The multi-dimensional image of the patient 140 may in some cases be rendered to a display (e.g., a user interface 110) to enable the user to view the multi-dimensional image. The multi-dimensional image may in some cases be saved or stored in the memory 106 and / or the database 130.

[0086] The method 300 also comprises registering, using the multi-dimensional image, a surgical tool and / or a robotic arm to the patient (step 316). After the multi-dimensional image of the patient 140 is captured, the processor 104 may use registration 128 to register the patient to a known coordinate system. As an example, the processor 104 may use the known position of the 3D scanner 132 relative to the patient 140 and the known position of the 3D scanner 132 in a known coordinate system to generate a registration that correlates coordinates associated with the patient 140 with coordinates in a known coordinate system.

[0087] The method 300 also comprises performing, using the surgical tool and / or the robotic arm, a surgery or surgical procedure on the patient (step 320). After the patient 140 is registered to a known coordinate system, the processor 104 may use the registration in a surgery or surgical procedure. For example, the processor 104 may use the registration, along with information from the navigation system 118, to navigate a surgical drill relative to the patient 140 during a spinal surgery (e.g., for implanting pedicle screws). As another example, the processor 104 may navigate a robotic arm relative to the patient 140 such as when the robotic arm holds a surgical guide. In this example, the surgical guide may be positioned relative to the patient 140 based on the determined registration.A0010960

[0088] The present disclosure encompasses embodiments of the method 300 that comprise more or fewer steps than those described above, and / or one or more steps that are different than the steps described above.

[0089] As noted above, the present disclosure encompasses methods with fewer than all of the steps identified in Fig. 3 (and the corresponding description of the method 300), as well as methods that include additional steps beyond those identified in Fig. 3 (and the corresponding description of the method 300). The present disclosure also encompasses methods that comprise one or more steps from one method described herein, and one or more steps from another method described herein. Any correlation described herein may be or comprise a registration or any other correlation.

[0090] The foregoing is not intended to limit the disclosure to the form or forms disclosed herein. In the foregoing Detailed Description, for example, various features of the disclosure are grouped together in one or more aspects, embodiments, and / or configurations for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. The features of the aspects, embodiments, and / or configurations of the disclosure may be combined in alternate aspects, embodiments, and / or configurations other than those discussed above. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claims require more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects he in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed aspect, embodiment, and / or configuration. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into this Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate preferred embodiment of the disclosure.

[0091] Moreover, though the foregoing has included description of one or more aspects, embodiments, and / or configurations and certain variations and modifications, other variations, combinations, and modifications are within the scope of the disclosure, e.g., as may be within the skill and knowledge of those in the art, after understanding the present disclosure. It is intended to obtain rights which include alternative aspects, embodiments, and / or configurations to the extent permitted, including alternate, interchangeable and / or equivalent structures, functions, ranges or steps to those claimed, whether or not such alternate, interchangeable and / or equivalent structures, functions, ranges or steps are disclosed herein, and without intending to publicly dedicate any patentable subject matter.

[0092] The techniques of this disclosure may also be described in the following examples.:

[0093] Example 1: A system, comprising: a base (148) connectable to a patient (140); a telescopic handle (152) including a first end (224) connectable to the base (148) and a second end (228) opposite the first end (224); and an imaging device (112) connectable to the second end (228) of theA0010960telescopic handle (152), the imaging device (112) including an alignment mechanism (206) to position the imaging device (112) a target distance away from an anatomical structure of the patient (140), wherein the first end (224) of the telescopic handle (152) is movable relative to a portion of the base (148) to enable the imaging device (112) to move along a predefined path relative to the base (148) to scan the anatomical structure of the patient (140).

[0094] Example 2: The system of Example 1, wherein the predefined path comprises an arc.

[0095] Example 3: The system of Example 2, wherein a distance between the imaging device (112) and the anatomical structure remains constant along the arc.

[0096] Example 4: The system of any of Examples 1-3, wherein the predefined path comprises a linear portion.

[0097] Example 5: The system of any of Examples 1-4, wherein the alignment mechanism (206) comprises at least two lasers (208A, 208B).

[0098] Example 6: The system of Example 5, wherein a first laser (208A) of the at least two lasers (208A, 208B) is positioned on a first end (212) of the imaging device (112), and wherein a second laser (208B) of the at least two lasers (208A, 208B) is positioned on a second end (216) of the imaging device (112) opposite the first end (212).

[0099] Example 7: The system of Example 6, wherein the first laser (208 A) and the second laser (208B) converge at a location on the anatomical structure when the imaging device (112) is the target distance away from the anatomical structure.

[0100] Example 8: The system of any of Examples 1-7, wherein a distance between the first end (224) and the second end (228) of the telescopic handle (152) is adjustable.

[0101] Example 9: The system of any of Examples 1-8, wherein the base (148) comprises at least one gear and at least one damper.

[0102] Example 10: The system of any of Examples 1-9, wherein the base (148) is connectable to a chest of the patient (140), a hip of the patient (140), a back of the patient (140), an arm of the patient (140), or a leg of the patient (140).

[0103] Example 11: The system of any of Examples 1-10, wherein the imaging device (112) comprises a three-dimensional scanner (132).

[0104] Example 12: The system of any of Examples 1-11, wherein the alignment mechanism (206) comprises at least one of a visual alert rendered to a display (110) and an audio alert.

[0105] Example 13: An apparatus, comprising: a base (148) connectable to a patient (140); a telescopic handle (152) including a first end (224) connectable to the base (148) and a second end (228) opposite the first end (224); and a three-dimensional (3D) scanner (132) connectable to theA0010960second end (228) of the telescopic handle (152), the 3D scanner (132) including at least two light sources (206A, 206B) that facilitate positioning the 3D scanner (132) a target distance away from an anatomical structure of the patient (140), wherein the first end (224) of the telescopic handle (152) is movable relative to a portion of the base (148) to enable the 3D scanner (132) to move along a predefined path relative to the base (148) to generate a scan of the anatomical structure of the patient (140).

[0106] Example 14: The apparatus of Example 13, wherein the at least two light sources (206A, 206B) comprise a first laser (208A) positioned on a first end (212) of the 3D scanner (132) and a second laser (208B) positioned on a second end (216) of the 3D scanner (132) opposite the first end (212).

[0107] Example 15: The apparatus of Example 14, wherein the first laser (208A) and the second laser (208B) converge at a position on the anatomical structure when the 3D scanner (132) is the target distance away from the anatomical structure.

[0108] Example 16: The apparatus of any of Examples 13-15, wherein the scan of the anatomical structure of the patient (140) is rendered to a display.

[0109] Example 17: The apparatus of any of Examples 13-16, wherein a distance between the first end (224) and the second end (228) of the telescopic handle (152) is adjustable.

[0110] Example 18: The apparatus of any of Examples 13-17, wherein the predefined path comprises an arc path.

[0111] Example 19: The apparatus of Example 18, wherein a distance between the 3D scanner (132) and the anatomical structure remains constant as the 3D scanner (132) moves along the arc path.

[0112] Example 20: An apparatus, comprising: a telescopic handle (152) including a first end (224) connectable to a base (148) and a second end (228) opposite the first end (224); and a scanner (132) connectable to the second end (228) of the telescopic handle (152), the scanner (132) including an alignment mechanism (206) to position the scanner (132) a target distance away from an anatomical structure of a patient (140), wherein the first end (224) of the telescopic handle (152) is at least pivotable relative to a portion of the base (148) to enable the scanner (132) to move along a predefined arc path relative to the base (148) to scan the anatomical structure of the patient (140), and wherein the scanner (132) remains the target distance away from the anatomical structure as the scanner (132) moves along the predefined arc path.

Claims

A0010960CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:a base (148) connectable to a patient (140);a telescopic handle (152) including a first end (224) connectable to the base (148) and a second end (228) opposite the first end (224); andan imaging device connectable to the second end (228) of the telescopic handle (152), the imaging device including an alignment mechanism to position the imaging device a target distance away from an anatomical structure of the patient (140),wherein the first end (224) of the telescopic handle (152) is movable relative to a portion of the base (148) to enable the imaging device to move along a predefined path relative to the base (148) to scan the anatomical structure of the patient (140).

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the predefined path comprises an arc.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein a distance between the imaging device and the anatomical structure remains constant along the arc.

4. The system of any of claims 1-3, wherein the predefined path comprises a linear portion.

5. The system of any of claims 1-4, wherein the alignment mechanism comprises at least two lasers.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein a first laser of the at least two lasers is positioned on a first end of the imaging device, and wherein a second laser of the at least two lasers is positioned on a second end of the imaging device opposite the first end.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein light emitted from the first laser and light emitted from the second laser converge at a location on the anatomical structure when the imaging device is the target distance away from the anatomical structure.A00109608. The system of any of claims 1-7, wherein a distance between the first end (224) and the second end (228) of the telescopic handle (152) is adjustable.

9. The system of any of claims 1-8, wherein the base (148) comprises at least one gear and at least one damper.

10. The system of any of claims 1-9, wherein the base (148) is connectable to a chest of the patient (140), a hip of the patient (140), a back of the patient (140), an arm of the patient (140), or a leg of the patient (140).

11. The system of any of claims 1-10, wherein the imaging device comprises a three-dimensional scanner.

12. The system of any of claims 1-11, wherein the alignment mechanism comprises at least one of a visual alert rendered to a display and an audio alert.

13. An apparatus, comprising:a base (148) connectable to a patient (140);a telescopic handle (152) including a first end (224) connectable to the base (148) and a second end (228) opposite the first end (224); anda three-dimensional (3D) scanner connectable to the second end (228) of the telescopic handle (152), the 3D scanner including at least two light sources that facilitate positioning the 3D scanner a target distance away from an anatomical structure of the patient (140),wherein the first end (224) of the telescopic handle (152) is movable relative to a portion of the base (148) to enable the 3D scanner to move along a predefined path relative to the base (148) to generate a scan of the anatomical structure of the patient (140).

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the at least two light sources comprise a first laser positioned on a first end of the 3D scanner and a second laser positioned on a second end of the 3D scanner opposite the first end.A001096015. An apparatus, comprising:a telescopic handle (152) including a first end (224) connectable to a base (148) and a second end (228) opposite the first end (224); anda scanner connectable to the second end (228) of the telescopic handle (152), the scanner including an alignment mechanism to position the scanner a target distance away from an anatomical structure of a patient (140),wherein the first end (224) of the telescopic handle (152) is at least pivotable relative to a portion of the base (148) to enable the scanner to move along a predefined arc path relative to the base (148) to scan the anatomical structure of the patient (140), and wherein the scanner remains the target distance away from the anatomical structure as the scanner moves along the predefined arc path.

Images