CT-Enhanced Fluoroscopy for Real-Time Surgical Instrument Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fluoroscopic imaging during medical procedures, such as microwave ablation, struggles to clearly visualize three-dimensional positions of medical instruments within the body due to the transparency of soft tissues and blood vessels, making it difficult for clinicians to accurately place instruments relative to the target tissue.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that utilize computed tomography (CT) images to plan navigation paths, place markers, and register fluoroscopic data with CT images, allowing for the generation of combined images that overlay CT and fluoroscopic data to enhance visualization and ensure accurate instrument positioning within the body.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If conventional fluoroscopy is used to visualize medical instruments during procedures, then real-time imaging is achieved, but soft tissues and blood vessels remain transparent and hard to identify
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines fluoroscopic images with CT images to create a composite image that displays both the real-time position of medical instruments (from fluoroscopy) and the anatomical structures including soft tissues and blood vessels (from CT). This merging allows clinicians to see both instrument location and tissue visibility simultaneously, resolving the contradiction between real-time imaging capability and soft tissue visibility.
2Measurement precision
If fluoroscopy is used to guide medical instruments, then instrument placement can be monitored, but three-dimensional position assessment is challenging due to flat 2D images
Solution Approach 1:
The patent overlays three-dimensional CT image data onto the two-dimensional fluoroscopic images, effectively adding a third dimension to the flat fluoroscopy display. The composite image incorporates depth information and spatial relationships from the CT scan, allowing clinicians to assess three-dimensional instrument positioning while maintaining the real-time monitoring capability of fluoroscopy.
3Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If CT images are used alone for navigation planning, then detailed anatomical visualization is achieved, but real-time instrument positioning guidance is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges pre-procedure CT images (providing detailed anatomical structure) with real-time fluoroscopic images (providing current instrument position) into a single composite display. This combination preserves the detailed anatomical visualization from CT while adding the real-time instrument positioning guidance from fluoroscopy, allowing clinicians to navigate accurately with up-to-date positional information.
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 provides real-time, three-dimensional visualization of medical instrument placement relative to the target tissue, enabling precise positioning and adjustment, thereby improving the accuracy and effectiveness of procedures like microwave ablation.
Implementation Method 1
conventional fluoroscopy is widely used during medical procedures as a visualization imaging tool
Implementation Method 2
utilize computed tomography (CT) images to plan navigation paths
Data Source
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AI summary
A system and method for enhanced navigation for use during a surgical procedure including planning a navigation path to a target using a first data set of computed tomography images previously acquired; navigating a marker placement device to the target using the navigation path; placing a plurality of markers in tissue proximate the target; acquiring a second data set of computed tomography images including the plurality of markers; planning a second navigation path to a second target using the second data set of computed tomography images; navigating a medical instrument to a second target; capturing fluoroscopic data of tissue proximate the target; and registering the fluoroscopic data to the second data set of computed tomography images based on marker position and orientation within the real-time fluoroscopic data and the second data set of computed tomography images.