Bronchoscope Probe Alignment Using MIP Rendering
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing navigation systems for guiding catheters through a patient's bronchial tree face challenges in visualizing targets due to obstructed views and misalignment with lesions, particularly when using two-dimensional images or traditional three-dimensional models, as structures like ribs obscure the lesion.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a bronchoscope with a probe and a workstation that employs a maximum intensity projection (MIP) algorithm to highlight structures within a limited range from the catheter's distal tip, providing a user interface for aligning the probe with the target, including a 3D view and local navigation assistance to filter out non-relevant tissue densities and display the target in maximal surface size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If Maximum Intensity Projection (MIP) is used to visualize structures in 3D, then the visibility of dense structures like ribs is improved, but the lesion becomes obscured and misalignment occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different rendering qualities to different regions: MIP rendering is used for distant structures to show density, while the immediate vicinity of the catheter tip uses a different rendering approach that highlights the lesion without obstruction, allowing each region to be visualized with the most appropriate method for its specific needs
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from traditional 2D cross-sectional views to a 3D volumetric view with dynamic rendering that adds depth perception and spatial context, allowing the operator to see both the lesion location and surrounding structures in their proper three-dimensional relationships
2Area of stationary object
If traditional 3D models are used for navigation, then the overall anatomical structure is visualized, but the view is obstructed and objects behind other objects cannot be seen
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and highlights the lesion from the surrounding tissue by applying MIP rendering selectively to emphasize high-density areas, effectively separating the target lesion from obscuring structures and making it visible even when located behind other anatomical features
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses color enhancement and contrast adjustment in the MIP rendering to make the lesion stand out from surrounding structures, applying visual cues that differentiate the target from obscuring anatomy and maintain visibility throughout the navigation process
3Device complexity
If 2D scanned images are used for visualization, then the imaging process is simple, but the ability to guide catheter alignment in 3D space is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system transforms 2D CT scan data into a 3D volumetric representation with MIP rendering, adding the depth dimension while maintaining compatibility with standard CT imaging workflows, thereby providing enhanced 3D guidance capabilities without requiring complex additional imaging hardware
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
Methods and systems for navigating to a target through a patient's bronchial tree are disclosed including a bronchoscope, a probe insertable into a working channel of the bronchoscope including a location sensor, and a workstation in operative communication with the probe and the bronchoscope the workstation including a user interface that guides a user through a navigation plan and is configured to present a three-dimensional (3D) view for displaying a 3D rendering of the patient's airways and a corresponding navigation plan, a local view for assisting the user in navigating the probe through peripheral airways of the patient's bronchial tree to the target, and a target alignment view for assisting the user in aligning a distal tip of the probe with the target.