Anatomical Feature Extraction for Spatial AR Surgical Guidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Intraoperative imaging in surgical workflows can be inefficient, distracting, and difficult to correlate with patient anatomy, especially when using standalone imaging systems that require surgeons to look away, and existing augmented reality (AR) implementations often present entire ultrasound images without meaningful correlation to the patient's field of view, causing visual noise and distraction.
Innovation Solution
A surgical system that includes an ultrasound probe, a head-mounted display, and a tracking system to extract anatomical features from ultrasound images, update a three-dimensional model, and present relevant features within the wearer's field of view, correlating them to the patient's anatomy in real-time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If entire ultrasound images are displayed in AR HMD, then anatomical information is provided, but visual noise and distraction increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the relevant anatomical features from the entire ultrasound image and displays them in the AR HMD, rather than showing the complete image. This extraction process removes extraneous visual information while preserving the essential anatomical data needed for surgical decision-making.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies different processing to different regions of the ultrasound image by identifying and highlighting only the locally relevant anatomical features (such as vessels, nerves, or structures of interest) while suppressing or excluding irrelevant areas. This creates a differentiated display where important regions are emphasized and unimportant regions are omitted.
2Reliability
If standalone imaging systems are used, then intraoperative imaging capability is provided, but surgical efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the imaging capability with the AR HMD that the surgeon is already wearing, combining these previously separate functions into a single integrated system. This eliminates the need for the surgeon to switch between separate imaging devices and maintains continuous visual contact with the patient.
Solution Approach 2:
The AR HMD acts as an intermediary device that brings the imaging display directly to the surgeon's field of view, eliminating the need to look away at separate monitors. The HMD mediates between the imaging system and the surgeon's vision, delivering anatomical information exactly where it is needed.
3Adaptability or versatility
If medical staff are not trained in radiology, then diverse personnel can work in surgical theater, but medical image interpretation becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and displays only the most relevant anatomical features and structures from the complex medical images, removing the need for users to interpret the entire image. This extraction of essential information makes the images accessible to personnel without specialized radiology training.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transforms complex medical images into simplified visual representations by changing the display parameters - showing only specific anatomical features, using intuitive visual cues, and presenting information in a format that does not require radiological expertise to interpret correctly.
4Productivity
If AR HMD is used to display ultrasound images, then surgeon's eyes remain on patient, but meaningful correlation to anatomy is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality enhancement by displaying anatomical features at their precise spatial locations in the surgeon's field of view. Each anatomical structure is rendered at the correct position relative to the patient's anatomy, maintaining accurate spatial correspondence while enabling continuous visual contact.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from displaying two-dimensional ultrasound images to presenting three-dimensional spatially-accurate anatomical features overlaid on the patient. This dimensional transformation allows anatomical correlation to be maintained in the surgeon's natural field of view rather than requiring mental mapping from flat images.
Data Source
AI summary
An ultrasound probe captures real-time images of patient anatomy, which are analyzed by a processor to extract salient features pertaining to an anatomical structure. By tracking the location and orientation of the ultrasound probe, a model of that anatomical structure can be created. A visual indication of the position of segments of the anatomical structure can be presented holographically to a user of an augmented reality headset to provide information extracted from the ultrasound imaging, such as holographic display of a model of the anatomical structure at the approximate location of the visual field of the headset corresponding to the physical location of the actual anatomy being viewed by a user, without presenting the entirety of the ultrasound image to the user.