Bronchial Navigation Confidence Reference for Motion Compensation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing navigation methods for intrathoracic devices in bronchial pathways can be cumbersome for operators due to repetitive cardiovascular and respiratory motions, which affect the accuracy and efficiency of device positioning and biopsy procedures.

Innovation Solution

A device comprising an image data provider, a processor, and an output data provider that tracks intrathoracic devices in 2D X-ray images, assesses repetitive motion, models this motion, and generates navigation information to provide a confidence reference for the operator, enhancing the accuracy and efficiency of navigation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If conventional fluoroscopy and rEBUS are used for navigation, then additive information is provided for coarse navigation and local confirmation, but navigation becomes cumbersome for the operator

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenavigation information completenessVSAvoidoperator effort
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple navigation information sources (fluoroscopy images, rEBUS data, and motion models) into a single integrated navigation display. This merging consolidates the additive information from different modalities into one unified interface, reducing the cognitive load and operational complexity for the operator while maintaining comprehensive navigation guidance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Measurement precision

If 2D fluoroscopy is used for coarse navigation, then localization is improved, but accuracy is reduced due to repetitive cardiovascular and respiratory motions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelesion localization accuracyVSAvoidpositioning accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary tracking of the intrathoracic device across multiple fluoroscopy images to establish a motion pattern before final positioning is required. By assessing repetitive cardiovascular and respiratory motions in advance and generating a motion model, the system compensates for these movements, allowing accurate localization despite the physiological motions occurring during the procedure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The navigation display provides continuous feedback to the operator by overlaying the motion model and confidence reference on the fluoroscopy images. This feedback mechanism allows the operator to see real-time adjustments for cardiovascular and respiratory motions, maintaining positioning accuracy throughout the procedure despite ongoing physiological movements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP4076203B1Navigating bronchial pathways
Publication Date: 2025.02.12 KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS NV
  • EP4076203B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4076203B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4076203B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention relates to navigating in bronchial pathways. In order to provide further improved navigation guidance, a sequence of 2D X-ray images of a region of interest of a bronchial structure with an intrathoracic device (visible in the X-ray images) inserted in a bronchial pathway is provided. The intrathoracic device is tracked in the 2D X- ray images and direction and magnitude of repetitory cardiovascular and respiratory induced motion is assessed based on the tracked intrathoracic device. The assessed motion is modelled and a navigation information indicative of a range of the modelled motion is generated. The navigation information is shown as a confidence reference (310), for example a rEBUS historical trajectory confidence reference, to a user operating the intrathoracic device. As an example, an augmented fluoroscopy 2D image (302) of a thorax region is registered and shown overlaid with segmentation (304) of the bronchial structure and target lesion (312). Further, a confidence reference (314) of the current position of the rEBUS catheter may also be shown.