Automatic Landmark Determination for Surgical Planning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current surgical planning software requires manual entry of anatomical landmarks, which is time-consuming and inefficient, especially for complex anatomical structures like cranial and facial bones, hindering the acceleration of surgical intervention planning.

Innovation Solution

An automatic landmark determination device and method that uses pattern storage, input, and transformation means to align anatomical patient images with pre-stored templates, applying image adaptation transformations to identify and display anatomical landmarks, facilitating their automatic detection and analysis.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If manual entry of anatomical landmarks is used, then accuracy of landmark identification is maintained, but time consumption increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelandmark identification accuracyVSAvoidsurgical planning time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-storing anatomical pattern images with known landmark positions in a database before the actual surgical planning process. When a patient image is acquired, the system automatically matches it against the pre-stored patterns to identify landmarks, eliminating the need for manual entry and significantly reducing time consumption while maintaining accuracy through the use of pre-validated anatomical patterns.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates and uses copies of anatomical structures in the form of stored pattern images that represent typical anatomical variations. These pattern copies are matched against the patient's actual image to automatically identify landmark positions, replacing manual measurement and entry processes while preserving the precision of landmark identification through pattern recognition algorithms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

2Productivity

If automatic landmark determination is implemented, then surgical planning time is reduced, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesurgical planning efficiencyVSAvoidsoftware system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system achieves universality by creating a multi-functional software platform that integrates pattern storage, image acquisition, automatic pattern matching, landmark identification, and surgical planning assessment into a single unified system. This universal approach handles various anatomical structures and imaging modalities (CT, MRI, X-ray) through the same core methodology, improving productivity while managing complexity through functional integration rather than separate specialized systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements self-service by enabling automatic landmark determination without requiring manual intervention. The software autonomously acquires patient images, matches them against stored patterns, identifies landmarks, and provides assessment results, thereby increasing surgical planning efficiency while the modular architecture manages system complexity through automated self-processing capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Speed

If pattern matching transformation is used, then landmark detection speed increases, but transformation accuracy may vary

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelandmark detection speedVSAvoidlandmark position accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies parameter changes by performing image adaptation transformations that adjust the stored anatomical pattern images to match the patient's specific anatomy. The transformation means modifies parameters such as scale, rotation, and spatial positioning of the pattern images during matching, enabling fast landmark detection through automated parameter adjustment while maintaining position accuracy through optimization of the transformation parameters based on the specific patient case.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP1930832B1Automatic landmark determination of anatomic structures
Publication Date: 2016.11.23 BRAINLAB AG
  • EP1930832B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP1930832B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP1930832B1 patent drawingFigure 3a~3b

AI summary

The automatic landmark operating device has a sample memory unit, which storing an anatomical sample sketch with its assigned anatomical landmarks. An input unit for entering an anatomical patient sketch. A transformation unit is to apply a sketch adjustment transformation on the stored landmarks of the sample image. The sketch adjustment transformation is formed to transfer the sample sketch into the patient sketch. Independent claims are also included for the following: (1) a method for analysis of patient sketch, which involves making an anatomical sample sketch with its anatomical landmarks (2) a program that is stored in a computer.