Bronchoscopy Navigation via Virtual Tree Model
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for performing and documenting bronchoscopy procedures face challenges in navigating the bronchial tree due to its narrow passages and difficulty in accurately recording the endoscope's position and the areas examined, leading to inefficient examinations and documentation.
Innovation Solution
An image processing device connected to the endoscope's image capturing device, which creates a model of the bronchial tree and continuously estimates the endoscope's location to generate a report documenting the procedure, allowing for effective documentation and navigation through the bronchial tree.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If magnetic tracking system or CT imaging is used to determine endoscope position, then position determination capability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a digital model (copy) of the bronchial tree structure based on pre-acquired CT or MRI data. This virtual model allows the system to track endoscope position by comparing real-time endoscope images with the pre-created 3D model, eliminating the need for complex magnetic tracking systems while maintaining position determination accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by acquiring patient-specific anatomical data via CT or MRI scanning before the bronchoscopy procedure. This pre-acquired data is processed into a 3D model that guides real-time navigation, separating the complex imaging task from the actual procedure and simplifying the real-time system requirements.
2Ease of operation
If continuous position tracking is implemented, then navigation capability is improved, but loss of time for data processing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary processing of anatomical data to create a ready-to-use 3D model before the procedure. During the actual bronchoscopy, the system only needs to compare real-time images with this pre-created model, significantly reducing real-time processing requirements and enabling continuous tracking without substantial time loss.
3Loss of information
If detailed documentation of all examined areas is provided, then completeness of examination is improved, but device complexity and documentation burden increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates a visual copy or map of the bronchial tree showing examined versus unexamined areas. This graphical representation provides comprehensive documentation of all examined locations without requiring complex text-based records, as the visual map intuitively displays procedural completeness and can be easily generated and stored.
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed is an image processing device for documenting a bronchoscopy procedure performed using an endoscope. The endoscope comprising an image captur-ing device, the image processing device comprising a processing unit operationally connectable to the image capturing device.The processing unit is configured to: obtain a model of the bronchial tree; obtain a stream of images captured by the image capturing device of the endoscope; continuously obtain estimates of the location of the endoscope in the model of the bronchial tree during the bronchoscopy; based on at least three estimates of the location of the endoscope in the model of the bronchial tree generate a report documenting the bronchoscopy procedure.