Fluoroscope Registration Fixture for 2D-3D Navigation Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge lies in accurately co-registering two-dimensional medical images, such as fluoroscopic images, with a three-dimensional tracking space due to imaging artifacts and the difficulty in constructing a three-dimensional image volume from these images, which is essential for surgical navigation systems.
Innovation Solution
A registration fixture is used with a surgical navigation system that includes a first and second ring with tracking markers, and optical markers, mounted to a fluoroscope instead of the patient, to facilitate co-registration by eliminating the need for fluoroscopic images at exactly 90 degrees and providing distortion correction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If two-dimensional fluoroscopic images are used for surgical navigation, then radiation exposure is reduced and procedural flexibility is improved, but accurate co-registration with three-dimensional tracking space becomes difficult due to imaging artifacts and volume construction challenges
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a registration fixture as an intermediary object that contains both optical tracking markers and radiopaque fiducial markers. This fixture serves as a mediator between the optical tracking system and the fluoroscopic imaging system, enabling accurate co-registration by providing common reference points that can be detected by both systems. The fixture is mounted to the fluoroscope, creating a stable reference frame that links the 2D image space to the 3D tracking space.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the two-dimensional fluoroscopic image data into a three-dimensional representation by using the registration fixture with fiducial markers at known spatial relationships. The system constructs a 3D image volume from multiple 2D fluoroscopic images taken at different angles, enabling three-dimensional surgical navigation while still using primarily two-dimensional imaging modality.
2Measurement precision
If a registration fixture with both tracking markers and fiducials is used, then co-registration accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines two separate marker systems into a single integrated registration fixture. The fixture contains both optical tracking markers (for the optical tracking system) and radiopaque fiducial markers (for the fluoroscopic system) in a unified structure with known spatial relationships between all markers. This merging eliminates the need for separate fixtures and simplifies the overall system while maintaining high co-registration accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The registration fixture serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a reference object for optical tracking, provides fiducial markers for fluoroscopic image registration, and establishes the geometric transformation between the 2D image space and 3D tracking space. This multi-functionality reduces the need for multiple separate components and simplifies the registration process.
3Measurement precision
If fluoroscopic images at exactly 90 degrees are required for accurate co-registration, then registration precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to the difficulty of achieving precise angular positioning
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the registration system dynamic and adaptive by using the registration fixture mounted to the fluoroscope itself. The fixture moves with the fluoroscope, maintaining its geometric relationship to the imaging system regardless of the fluoroscope's orientation. The system can perform co-registration at any angle, not just fixed 90-degree positions, by using the fixture's known spatial relationships to calculate the appropriate transformation matrices for arbitrary viewing angles.
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 method improves the accuracy and efficiency of co-registering two-dimensional images with a three-dimensional tracking space, enabling precise surgical navigation by overcoming imaging artifacts and simplifying the construction of a three-dimensional image volume.
Implementation Method 1
the positions of tracking markers in the camera space can be detected accurately by stereophotogrammetry
Implementation Method 2
a first ring having at least one tracking marker, a second ring coupled to the first ring having at least one tracking marker and wherein the first ring and the second ring are spaced apart from one another and further include optical markers
Data Source
AI summary
A registration fixture for use with a surgical navigation system for registration of a medical image or images to a three-dimensional tracking space that includes a first ring having at least one tracking marker, a second ring coupled to the first ring having at least one tracking marker and wherein the first ring and the second ring are spaced apart from one another and further include optical markers.