Manual C-Arm Shim Stabilization for Accurate 3D Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional medical imaging systems, such as manually-operated C-arm apparatuses, lack the stability and pose tracking necessary for high-resolution 3D reconstructions due to manual rotation instability and lack of sensors, limiting their use in procedures like bronchoscopic lung biopsies.
Innovation Solution
The use of shim structures and motion sensors to stabilize the imaging arm and track its pose during manual rotation, combined with calibration techniques to correct image distortion, enables high-quality CBCT imaging using low-cost, accessible equipment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional manually-operated C-arm apparatuses are used, then equipment cost is reduced and accessibility is improved, but imaging stability and pose tracking accuracy deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces shim structures as intermediary components between the C-arm apparatus and the patient table. These shims act as mediators to reduce unwanted movements and vibrations, thereby improving imaging stability without requiring modification to the entire apparatus. This allows conventional low-cost equipment to achieve stability comparable to expensive specialized systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical positioning with sensor-based pose tracking systems. Motion sensors and tracking systems substitute for manual mechanical stability, providing automated compensation and tracking that improves reliability while maintaining compatibility with conventional equipment.
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional manually-operated C-arm apparatuses are used, then equipment cost is reduced, but pose tracking accuracy and image resolution deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback loops using motion sensors that continuously monitor the position and orientation of the C-arm apparatus. This feedback is used to adjust and compensate for deviations in real-time, enabling accurate pose tracking even with manual operation. The feedback mechanism transforms imprecise manual positioning into accurate tracked data.
Solution Approach 2:
Manual mechanical positioning is supplemented and partially replaced by electronic sensor-based tracking systems. These sensors provide precise measurement of pose parameters, replacing the need for purely mechanical precision with electronic measurement and computational correction.
3Device complexity
If manual rotation is used without stabilization, then device complexity is reduced, but image quality and reconstruction accuracy deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
Shim structures serve as simple intermediary components that physically dampen unwanted movements during manual rotation. These passive mechanical shims add minimal complexity while significantly improving image quality by reducing motion-induced artifacts and enhancing reconstruction accuracy.
4Manufacturing precision
If conventional CBCT systems are used, then imaging quality is improved, but equipment cost and accessibility worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and isolates the critical stabilization and tracking functions from expensive conventional CBCT systems. By separating these essential functions into independent, add-on components (shims and sensors), the solution enables high-quality imaging with accessible conventional equipment, removing the requirement for expensive integrated systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs relatively inexpensive shim structures and motion sensors that can be added to conventional equipment. These cost-effective components enable CBCT-quality imaging without requiring investment in expensive specialized systems, making the technology accessible to a broader range of medical facilities.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach allows for high-resolution 3D reconstructions, improving diagnostic accuracy in medical procedures by reducing image artifacts and registration errors, making CBCT imaging more accessible and cost-effective.
Implementation Method 1
receiving sensor data indicative of a plurality of poses of the imaging arm during the manual rotation from at least one motion sensor coupled to the imaging arm
Implementation Method 2
receiving a plurality of 2D projection images from an x-ray imaging apparatus
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, methods, and devices for medical imaging are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a method for imaging an anatomic region includes receiving, from a detector carried by an imaging arm of an x-ray imaging apparatus, a plurality of images of the anatomic region. The images can be obtained during manual rotation of the imaging arm. The imaging arm can be stabilized by a shim structure during the manual rotation. The method can also include receiving, from at least one sensor coupled to the imaging arm, pose data of the imaging arm during the manual rotation. The method can further include generating, based on the images and the pose data, a 3D representation of the anatomic region.