3D Image Annotation in Medical Procedures
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current image-guided surgery systems lack effective mechanisms for annotating images, making the process difficult and time-consuming for surgeons during medical procedures.
Innovation Solution
The system determines pose information for medical devices and visualizable medical data over time, generating annotations in 3D space and displaying image guidance information to facilitate efficient image annotation during medical procedures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual annotation methods are used in current image-guided surgery systems, then annotation capability is provided, but the process becomes difficult and extremely time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical annotation operations with an automated computer-based system that tracks medical devices and automatically generates annotations. The system substitutes the surgeon's manual drawing actions with automated image processing and device tracking algorithms, eliminating the time-consuming manual annotation process while maintaining annotation capability
Solution Approach 2:
The annotation system performs self-service by automatically generating annotations based on tracked device positions and pre-defined annotation rules. The system autonomously identifies anatomical features and creates annotations without requiring continuous surgeon intervention, thereby significantly reducing the time and effort required for the annotation process
2Ease of operation
If annotation is performed during medical procedure, then real-time annotation capability is achieved, but it becomes disruptive and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-defining annotation parameters, device tracking configurations, and annotation rules before the medical procedure begins. This preparation allows the annotation system to operate automatically during the procedure without requiring surgeon intervention or causing disruptions, as all annotation logic is pre-configured and ready to execute based on real-time device tracking
3Loss of information
If automated device tracking is implemented, then real-time device position information is provided, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal tracking system that serves multiple functions: it tracks medical device positions, provides real-time spatial information for annotation, and supports various imaging modalities. This multi-functional approach consolidates what could be multiple separate systems into a single integrated platform, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining comprehensive device position information
Data Source
AI summary
Presented herein are methods, systems, devices, and computer-readable media for image annotation in image-guided medical procedures. Some embodiments herein allow physicians or other operators to use one or more medical devices in order to define annotations in 3D space. These annotations may later be displayed to the physician or operator in 3D space in the position in which they were first drawn or otherwise generated. In some embodiments, the operator may use various available medical devices, such as needles, scalpels, or even a finger in order to define the annotation. Embodiments herein may allow an operator to more conveniently and efficiently annotate visualizable medical data.