Medical Imaging Apparatus Position Tracking for Surgery Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for determining the position of anatomical structures in medical images, such as those used in image-guided surgery, are prone to errors and involve high radiation exposure, making them inefficient and unreliable.
Innovation Solution
A method that tracks the position of a medical imaging apparatus, like a CT scanner, using markers and a navigation system to establish a relationship between the apparatus' movement and image acquisition, allowing for precise identification of anatomical structures through a pointer device, thereby correlating image features with real-world anatomy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual counting of vertebrae using radioopaque structures is used to determine anatomical structure position, then the position can be determined, but counting errors occur and radiation dose is high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical counting method with an automated optical tracking system. Markers are attached to the imaging apparatus and patient, and a navigation system automatically tracks their positions and calculates anatomical structure locations, eliminating manual counting errors and reducing radiation exposure by enabling accurate positioning with fewer imaging steps.
2Measurement precision
If manual counting of vertebrae is used, then position determination is possible, but the process is cumbersome and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the cumbersome manual counting process with an automated navigation system that continuously tracks marker positions. The system automatically calculates the position of anatomical structures based on the tracked coordinates of markers attached to the imaging apparatus and patient, dramatically improving procedural efficiency while maintaining or enhancing accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The navigation system performs self-service by automatically tracking its own position relative to the patient and calculating anatomical structure locations without requiring manual intervention. The system autonomously processes the positioning data and provides real-time guidance, eliminating the need for manual counting and significantly speeding up the procedure.
3Measurement precision
If repeated X-ray imaging is performed to verify vertebrae position, then positioning accuracy can be checked, but radiation exposure to medical personnel and patient increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces repeated X-ray imaging with optical tracking of markers. The navigation system continuously monitors the positions of markers attached to the imaging apparatus and patient using optical sensors, providing real-time verification of anatomical structure positions without additional radiation exposure. This substitution eliminates the need for repeated ionizing radiation while maintaining positioning accuracy.
Data Source
Figure 1a~2b
AI summary
The invention relates to a method of relating a position (pos(selected)) of an anatomical structure (3) and a position of an image feature representing the anatomical structure in a medical image (11), the method being constituted to be executed by a computer and comprising: a) acquiring, by tracking, with a medical navigation system, a marker device (4) having a fixed spatial relationship relative to a medical imaging apparatus (1) being a CT scanner or a single x-ray tube, information about the position of the medical imaging apparatus (1) at the beginning (pos(start)) and at the end (pos(end)) of acquiring medical image information describing a medical image (11) of at least a part of a patient's body (2) comprising the anatomical structure (3), wherein the medical imaging apparatus (1) is moved while it is used for acquiring the medical image information; b) acquiring imaging information about a relationship between the movement of the medical imaging apparatus and the acquisition of the medical image information; c) acquiring, based on the position of the medical imaging apparatus at the beginning (pos(start)) and at the end (pos(end)) of acquiring the medical image information, information about a predominant direction of movement (z) of the medical imaging apparatus (1); d) acquiring, by tracking, with the medical navigation system, a marker device (13) having a predetermined spatial relationship relative to a pointer (12), information about the position (pos(selected)) of the pointer (12) in the predominant direction of movement (z), wherein the pointer (12) is pointed at the anatomical structure (3); e) determining, based on the information about the position of the medical imaging apparatus (1) at the beginning (pos(start)) and at the end (pos(end)) of acquiring the medical image information and based on the information about the position (pos(selected)) of the pointer means (12) and based on the imaging information, information about a transformation between the position (ns) in the medical image (11) of an image feature representing the anatomical structure (3) and the position of the anatomical structure (3) in a navigation reference system (17), wherein the transformation is defined by the following relations: zselected=ns/nx−1⋅zend−zstart where: z(selected) is the value of the coordinate component of the position of the marker device (4) having a predetermined spatial relationship relative to the medical imaging apparatus (1) in the predominant direction of movement; ns is the number of the set of image units (representing the image information taken at the point in time at which the z-position of the medical imaging apparatus is z = z(selected), wherein ns defines the position in the medical image (11) of the image feature representing the anatomical structure (3); nx is the total number of sets of image units along the predominant image direction; z(start) is the value of the coordinate component of the position of the medical imaging apparatus (1) in the predominant direction of movement which it has at the beginning of taking the medical image information; and z(end) is the value of the coordinate component of the position of the medical imaging apparatus (1) in the predominant direction of movement which it has at the end of taking the medical image information; and posselected=posend+zselected−zend/zend−zstart⋅posend−posstart/‖posend−posstart‖ where: pos(selected) is the position of the pointer (12) at which its coordinate component in the predominant direction of movement is z(selected); pos(start) is the position of the medical imaging apparatus (1) which it has at the beginning of taking the medical image information; pos(end) is the position of the medical imaging apparatus (1) which it has at the end of taking the medical image information; and ∥ ∥ is a norm operator which is applicable to the navigation reference system (17).