Bronchus Navigation Using Virtual Endoscopy and Real-Time Position Correction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical devices face challenges in accurately navigating and positioning a treatment instrument within narrow tube cavities, such as bronchus, due to the difficulty in aligning the distal end of the endoscope with the target site in a short period, especially when the diseased area is located at the end of a branched tract.
Innovation Solution
A medical device equipped with an image pickup section, virtual endoscopic image generation, reference-point setting, relative-position calculation, movement detection, and position correction sections, which utilize three-dimensional image data to generate highly similar virtual endoscopic images, set reference points, calculate relative positions, detect movements, and correct positions in real-time to assist precise insertion and treatment within tube cavities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a bronchus endoscope is inserted into the subject to reach the target site at the end of a bronchus, then the distal end of the endoscope can be positioned near the diseased area, but it is hard to reach the target site in a short period of time with accuracy when the tract is branched in multiple steps
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-acquiring three-dimensional image data of the tube cavity and pre-calculating the optimal insertion route before the actual endoscope insertion. The virtual endoscopic images and navigation information are prepared in advance, allowing the operator to plan the insertion path beforehand, thus reducing the time required to reach the target site while maintaining positioning accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously compares the actual endoscope position with the pre-calculated optimal route using image recognition and position detection technologies. Real-time feedback is provided to the operator through display devices, enabling continuous adjustment of the insertion path. This closed-loop control ensures both rapid navigation and accurate positioning at the target site.
2Measurement precision
If navigation systems are used to create three-dimensional images and determine routes, then virtual endoscopic images can be created, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system achieves multi-functionality by integrating multiple capabilities into a single platform: three-dimensional image acquisition, virtual endoscopic image generation, route calculation, real-time position detection, and navigation guidance. This unified system performs diverse functions that would otherwise require separate devices, making the complex navigation system more manageable and clinically practical.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces a computer-based image processing and calculation system as an intermediary between the physical endoscope and the operator. This intermediary handles the complex tasks of three-dimensional reconstruction, route optimization, and real-time position tracking, reducing the cognitive burden on the operator while maintaining high navigation accuracy.
3Ease of operation
If the distal end of the endoscope is manually positioned to the target site, then the treatment instrument can be extended to the diseased area, but the process is time-consuming and lacks precision in branched tracts
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces manual mechanical positioning with automated computer-based navigation. The computer calculates the optimal route and provides real-time guidance, substituting the operator's manual judgment and physical manipulation with algorithmic route planning and electronic position tracking. This maintains operational simplicity while dramatically improving procedure efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The navigation system dynamically adapts to the actual insertion conditions in real-time. As the endoscope moves through the branched tract, the system continuously updates the position detection, recalculates the optimal path, and adjusts the navigation guidance. This dynamic response allows the system to maintain both ease of operation and high productivity despite the complexity of branched tracts.
Data Source
AI summary
A medical device for examination or treatment based on a reference point A1, including: a virtual endoscopic image generation section configured to generate a virtual endoscopic image from a plurality of different sight line positions using three-dimensional image data of a bronchus that is obtained in advance; an image retrieving section configured to retrieve a virtual endoscopic image highly similar to a real image; a reference-point setting section configured to set the reference point A1 based on a line-of-sight position A0 of the highly similar virtual endoscopic image; a relative-position calculation section configured to calculate a relative position of a treatment instrument to the reference point A1; a movement detection section configured to detect a movement of the reference point A1 or the bronchus; and a position correction section configured to correct the relative position in response to the movement of the reference point A1 or the bronchus.