Graphical User Interface for Anatomical Marker Placement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current image-guided surgical navigation systems lack an efficient method for accurately marking tubular anatomic structures, such as blood vessels, during pre-operative planning and intra-operative procedures, which can lead to difficulties in precise instrument placement and guidance.
Innovation Solution
A graphical user interface that allows users to place and fix graphical markers on anatomical structures using spatial coordinates, ensuring consistent and accurate visualization across different views, utilizing geometric knots along the centerline of tubular structures for precise marker placement and visualization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional image-guided surgical navigation systems are used without specialized marking tools, then the system can display anatomical structures, but accurate and efficient marking of tubular structures like blood vessels becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a specialized marker tool as an intermediary interface between the user and the anatomical structures. This tool provides guided interaction mechanisms (such as centerline alignment and cross-section visualization) that mediate the complex task of accurate marker placement on tubular structures, making the process both more accurate and easier to operate
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a graphical representation (copy) of the tubular anatomical structure that can be manipulated and marked independently. By working with this visual copy rather than the actual physical structure, the system enables precise marker placement through digital interaction while maintaining accuracy relative to the real anatomy
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple views of anatomical structures are displayed for comprehensive visualization, then complete anatomical information is provided, but maintaining consistent marker positions across all views becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal marker positioning system that functions consistently across multiple views. The marker tool and its associated data structure are designed to be view-independent, allowing the same marker placement operation to maintain accuracy whether viewed from axial, sagittal, coronal, or other perspectives, thereby providing multi-functionality without increasing complexity
3Ease of operation
If flexible marker placement along the centerline is allowed, then user customization and precision are improved, but maintaining geometric consistency becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary calculation of geometric knots along the centerline before the user places markers. By pre-computing these reference points and storing them in the data structure, the system enables flexible user placement while automatically maintaining geometric consistency through the pre-established knot framework
Data Source
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AI summary
In an example, a graphical user interface can be used to display a graphical representation of a virtual reference structure for an anatomic structure, the reference structure being determined from geometry of the anatomic structure. A location parameter along the reference structure is determined in response to a first user input from a user input device. A graphical proxy marker is displayed on the graphical representation of the reference structure based on the location parameter. A fixed location is selected along the reference structure for a final graphical marker in response to a second user input from the from the user input device. An output visualization is generated to include at least one view of the anatomic structure and a graphical representation of the final graphical marker at the fixed location.