Flexible Instrument Registration Compensation in Image-Guided Surgery

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing image-guided surgical systems face challenges in accurately registering the proximal end of minimally invasive medical instruments with pre-operative or intra-operative images due to errors in registration, leading to inaccuracies in estimating the pose of the instrument's distal end.

Innovation Solution

A method that involves receiving shape information from a medical instrument with a reference portion coupled to a fixture having a known pose in a surgical reference frame, determining a correction factor by comparing the estimated constraint structure location to the known location, and modifying the shape information to improve registration accuracy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If registration is performed using pre-operative or intra-operative images, then the location and movement of medical instruments can be tracked, but errors in registration lead to inaccuracies in estimating the pose of the instrument's distal end

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveregistration accuracyVSAvoidpose estimation accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses a constraint structure with known location to provide feedback on registration accuracy. The computing system compares the known constraint structure location with the estimated location derived from shape information and reference portion position, generating correction factors that are applied to improve subsequent pose estimations. This closed-loop feedback mechanism continuously refines registration accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The constraint structure serves as an intermediary element with a known location in the surgical reference frame. It acts as a mediator between the image-guided system and the actual instrument position, allowing the system to verify and correct registration errors by comparing the constraint's known position with its estimated position from shape sensor data.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If the proximal end of the instrument is registered with pre-operative images, then navigation guidance can be provided, but errors accumulate along the length of the flexible instrument

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenavigation capabilityVSAvoiddistal end pose accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback by using the constraint structure's known location to validate and correct the registration. The correction factor derived from comparing known and estimated constraint locations is applied to the shape information, thereby correcting accumulated errors along the flexible instrument's length and improving distal end pose accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The constraint structure is positioned in advance with a known location in the surgical reference frame. This preliminary setup allows the system to establish a reference point before instrument navigation begins, enabling pre-correction of registration errors that would otherwise accumulate during flexible instrument insertion and manipulation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If shape information is used to determine instrument pose, then flexible instrument navigation is enabled, but registration errors affect the accuracy of the pose estimation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflexible instrument capabilityVSAvoidpose estimation accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses feedback from the constraint structure's known location to correct registration errors in shape information. By comparing the estimated constraint location (derived from shape information and reference portion position) with the known constraint location, the system generates correction factors that are applied to the shape information, thereby maintaining pose estimation accuracy despite the flexibility of the instrument.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the parameters of the shape information by applying correction factors derived from constraint structure comparison. This parameter adjustment compensates for registration errors and maintains accurate pose estimation, allowing the flexible instrument to navigate complex anatomical paths while preserving measurement precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS12551297B2Systems and methods of registration compensation in image guided surgery

Publication Date: 2026.02.17 INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS INC

AI summary

A method performed by a computing system comprises receiving shape information for an elongate flexible portion of a medical instrument. The medical instrument includes a reference portion movably coupled to a fixture having a known pose in a surgical reference frame. The fixture includes a constraint structure having a known constraint structure location in the surgical reference frame. The elongate flexible portion is coupled to the reference portion and is sized to pass through the constraint structure. The method further includes receiving reference portion position information in the surgical reference frame; determining an estimated constraint structure location in the surgical reference frame from the reference portion position information and the shape information; determining a correction factor by comparing the estimated constraint structure location to the known constraint structure location; and modifying the shape information based upon the correction factor.