Instrument Visualization in Extracorporeal Imaging via Tracking Overlay
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Solution Overview
Problem
In medical interventions, continuous fluoroscopy exposes patients and staff to ionizing x-ray radiation, posing health risks due to the need for real-time visualization of moving instruments within the body.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method for visualizing instruments in extracorporeal images without actualizing the images, by determining the instrument's position and orientation using a tracking arrangement and transforming this data into an extracorporeal image frame, allowing intuitive navigation and reducing the need for continuous x-ray exposure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If continuous fluoroscopy is used to track instrument position in real-time, then real-time visualization of instruments is improved, but patient and staff exposure to ionizing x-ray radiation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by acquiring extracorporeal images (e.g., ultrasound, MRI, CT) before the medical intervention and storing them for later use. These pre-acquired images serve as the basis for visualizing instrument positions without requiring continuous x-ray exposure during the procedure, thus resolving the contradiction between real-time visualization and radiation exposure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a copy of the instrument's position information derived from tracking data and overlays it onto the pre-acquired extracorporeal images. This copying approach allows visualization of instrument positions without repeatedly exposing patients to x-ray radiation, as the same pre-acquired image is reused with different instrument position overlays.
2Measurement precision
If extracorporeal images are acquired continuously for tracking, then real-time instrument position tracking is improved, but the need for continuous x-ray exposure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary image acquisition using alternative modalities (ultrasound, MRI, CT) that do not require continuous x-ray exposure. These pre-acquired images are then used for the entire duration of the intervention, eliminating the need for continuous x-ray imaging while maintaining measurement precision through tracking data overlay.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary approach by using pre-acquired extracorporeal images as a substrate and overlaying tracking information on top of them. This intermediary method allows precise instrument position tracking without requiring continuous x-ray exposure, as the tracking data is superimposed on the pre-acquired non-x-ray images.
3Measurement precision
If fluoroscopic images are actualized to show current instrument position, then accurate visualization is improved, but the time required for image acquisition and processing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs the time-consuming image acquisition action in advance, before the intervention begins. By pre-acquiring high-quality extracorporeal images, the system eliminates the need for repeated real-time x-ray imaging during the procedure, thus reducing time loss while maintaining position accuracy through tracking data overlay on the pre-acquired images.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an apparatus and a system for visualizing an image object relating to an instrument (3), particularly a medical instrument, in an extracorporeal image. The image object may comprise a representation of the instrument (3) or an intracorporeal image (40) acquired using the instrument (3). The system comprises an extracorporeal image acquisition device (1) for acquiring extracorporeal images with respect to an extracorporeal image frame and a tracking arrangement (2) for tracking the instrument (3) independent of the extracorporeal images with respect to a tracking frame. Further, the invention relates to a method carried out in the system.