Endoscopic Target Mapping for Distortion-Resilient Scope Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional endoscopic tracking systems struggle with image distortion and deformation, leading to inaccurate localization and tracking of endoscope positions and orientations, which can prolong procedures and compromise patient safety.
Innovation Solution
An imaging system captures endoscopic images with an aiming beam footprint, and a video processor identifies landmarks to generate a target map, integrating multiple images for robust tracking and navigation, resilient to image rotation, magnification, and endoscope orientation changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional endoscopic tracking systems are used, then the system is simple to operate, but image distortion and deformation lead to inaccurate localization and tracking
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by capturing multiple endoscopic images and generating a target map before the actual tracking procedure. This pre-processing includes identifying landmarks and creating a reference coordinate system, which enables accurate localization during the procedure without real-time complex processing
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a virtual copy of the target region through image integration to form a target map. This digital replica serves as a reference for tracking the endoscope's position and orientation, allowing accurate localization without directly measuring the physical endoscope position
2Measurement precision
If multiple endoscopic images are integrated to generate a target map, then tracking precision is improved, but processing time and computational resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The target map generation is performed as a preliminary action before the actual endoscopic procedure or during setup time. This allows computationally intensive image integration and landmark identification to be completed in advance, so that real-time tracking during the procedure can rely on this pre-processed reference data
Solution Approach 2:
The image processing is segmented into distinct phases: capturing multiple images, identifying landmarks in each image, integrating images based on landmark correspondence, and generating the target map. This segmentation allows optimization of each step and enables parallel processing where applicable
3Reliability
If the system compensates for image rotation, magnification, and orientation changes, then tracking reliability is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates a virtual model of the target region with defined coordinate system and landmark positions. This digital copy serves as a stable reference that can be compared against real-time images, automatically compensating for rotations, magnifications, and orientation changes through coordinate transformation algorithms
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously compares the current endoscopic image with the pre-generated target map, using landmark correspondence as feedback. This feedback mechanism enables automatic detection and compensation of image distortion, rotation, and orientation changes by calculating the transformation needed to align the current view with the reference map
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, devices, and methods for endoscopic mapping of a target and tracking of endoscope locations inside a subject's body during a procedure are disclosed. An exemplary system comprises an imaging system configured to capture an endoscopic image of the target that includes a footprint of an aiming beam directed at the target, and a video processor configured to identifying one or more landmarks from the captured endoscopic image and determine their respective locations relative to the aiming beam footprint, and generate a target map by integrating a plurality of endoscopic images based on landmarks identified from one or more of the plurality of endoscopic images. The target map can be used to track endoscope location during an endoscopic procedure.