Pathway Planning System for Bronchial Orientation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Clinicians face difficulties in planning effective pathways through anatomical luminal networks, particularly in small bronchial branches, due to insufficient resolution in CT images, which can result in the medical device being oriented incorrectly, making it challenging to access targets.
Innovation Solution
A pathway planning system and method that utilizes a computing device with a pathway planning module to guide clinicians through phases of selecting patient data, adding targets, creating pathways, and reviewing plans, incorporating 3D modeling and rotation of CT images to ensure the medical device is oriented correctly towards the target, allowing for accurate navigation through small airways.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a fully automated pathway planning system is used, then the pathway generation is efficient and consistent, but the medical device may reach the end of the pathway in an incorrect orientation where the working end is not oriented toward the target
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by automatically generating the pathway and then subsequently adjusting the device orientation at the target location. The pathway is first established from entry point to target, then the device is reoriented at the target end to ensure the working end faces the correct direction, allowing for both efficient automated planning and precise final orientation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces dynamic adaptability by allowing the device orientation to be adjusted independently from the pathway trajectory. The pathway remains fixed as generated by the automated system, but the device orientation at the target can be dynamically changed to ensure the working end is properly aligned, combining automated efficiency with manual precision where needed.
2Device complexity
If CT images are used for pathway planning, then the overall planning process is simplified, but the resolution is insufficient for accurate navigation in smaller branches of the bronchial tree
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an intermediary computational model that bridges the gap between low-resolution CT images and the need for high-precision navigation. This intermediary model processes the CT data to create enhanced representations of the bronchial tree, allowing accurate navigation in small branches while maintaining the simplicity of using CT images as the primary data source.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a digital copy or representation of the patient's bronchial tree from the CT images. This virtual model serves as an enhanced intermediate that preserves the overall structure from the CT scan while enabling detailed navigation and visualization of small branches that would be difficult to interpret directly from the original low-resolution images.
3Ease of operation
If the medical device is inserted through small airways, then access to deep targets is achieved, but the working end cannot be flexed or turned towards the target when it is located perpendicular to the path of travel
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary orientation adjustment by establishing the correct device orientation at the target location before final insertion. The pathway is first planned and established, then the device is pre-oriented at the target end to ensure the working end faces the correct direction, allowing the device to reach perpendicular targets without requiring flexible bending during insertion.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces dynamic orientation control that allows the device to maintain a straight path through the small airways while independently controlling the orientation of the working end at the target. This dynamic adjustment capability enables the device to access targets in any direction relative to the path of travel without requiring the device to be flexible or bendable during insertion.
Data Source
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AI summary
A system and method for planning a pathway through an anatomical luminal network of a patient including memory storing a computer program configured to analyze and manipulate CT images, a processor configured to execute the computer program, and a display device configured to display a user interface of the computer program. The user interface includes a CT image window configured to display a slice of CT image data, a localizer window configured to display an image of at least one lung, the localizer window including a localizer configured to identify a location of the displayed slice relative to the at least one lung, and a target selection element configured to select a target from a displayed slice of CT image data in response to a user input.