Endoscopic Navigation Mapping With Position-Linked Interior Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical procedures, such as endoscopy, face challenges in accurately navigating and mapping the interior regions of the body, particularly in complex tubular networks like the ureter, due to the lack of effective systems for tracking and visualizing the instrument's path and anatomical features.
Innovation Solution
A robotic surgical system that generates visual indicia from positional data to create a map of the instrument's path within the body, superimposed on reference images, allowing for enhanced navigation and visualization of anatomical structures, and integrates image data to recall and display images from specific positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a robotically-enabled medical system is used to control the insertion and manipulation of the instrument, then navigation precision and procedural accuracy are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the navigation task into separate functional modules: a robotic arm for instrument positioning, an electromagnetic sensor for detection, and a processor for calculating position and orientation. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while maintaining overall system precision.
Solution Approach 2:
An electromagnetic sensor acts as an intermediary between the instrument and the robotic control system. The sensor detects the instrument's position and transmits this information to the processor, which then calculates navigation parameters. This intermediary enables precise control without requiring direct mechanical coupling throughout the entire system.
2Loss of information
If visual indicia are generated and superimposed on reference images to create a map of the instrument's path, then navigation visualization and anatomical understanding are improved, but information processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates a visual copy or map of the instrument's path by generating visual indicia that represent the instrument's position and orientation. This visual map is superimposed on reference anatomical images, providing a simplified graphical representation that enhances anatomical understanding without requiring the physician to mentally process raw sensor data.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transforms three-dimensional spatial position data into two-dimensional visual indicia that can be displayed on a screen. By projecting the instrument's path onto a two-dimensional reference image, the system makes complex spatial information more easily interpretable while preserving the essential anatomical relationships.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the instrument is manually navigated through complex tubular networks, then procedural flexibility is maintained, but navigation accuracy and path tracking capability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The electromagnetic sensor continuously provides feedback information about the instrument's position and orientation to the processor. This real-time feedback enables the system to track the instrument's path accurately and make precise adjustments, maintaining navigation accuracy while allowing the physician to maintain manual control and procedural flexibility.
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
Enables precise navigation and mapping of interior body regions, facilitating improved procedural accuracy and ease of use by physicians, reducing the need for awkward movements and enhancing the ability to perform minimally invasive procedures.
Implementation Method 1
Vemuri, A et al. 'Inter-Operatrive Biopsy Site Relocalization in Endoluminal Surgery' IEEE Transaction on Biomedical Engineering, vol. 63, no. 9, December 2015, pages 1862-1873 discusses an approach to provide guided navigation and relocalization of the biopsy sites using an electromagnetic tracking system. This approach utilizes the integration of an electromagnetic sensor at the flexible endoscope tip
Implementation Method 2
The methods and techniques may also be configured to receive image data from an image sensor positioned on the instrument
Data Source
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AI summary
Certain aspects relate to systems and techniques for mapping and/or navigation of an interior region of a body with a robotically-enabled medical instrument. The instrument may include a position sensor that provides positional information as the instrument navigates within the interior region. Visual indicia derived from the positional information may be superimposed on a reference image of the interior region. The visual indicia may characterize historical positions of the instrument. The instrument may include an imaging device. Images of the interior region captured with the imaging device can be linked to the position within the interior region where the images were captured.