Intraoperative Surface-Based Image Registration for Surgical Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional surgical navigation methods require time-consuming preoperative volumetric-to-volumetric image registration and fusion, leading to inaccuracies and increased computational time, and often necessitate preoperative fiducial markers, which can limit navigational accuracy and require additional imaging procedures.
Innovation Solution
The method involves intraoperative surface-based registration of volumetric image datasets with intraoperatively acquired surface data, eliminating the need for preoperative registration and using fiducial points to transform the datasets into a common frame of reference for real-time surgical navigation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If preoperative volumetric-to-volumetric image registration and fusion is performed, then image datasets can be integrated into a common frame of reference, but the process becomes time-consuming and inaccurate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intraoperative surface map as an intermediary element that mediates between multiple volumetric image datasets. Instead of directly registering volumetric datasets to each other, the system projects each volumetric dataset onto the intraoperative surface map, creating a common reference framework. This intermediary surface map simplifies the registration process by providing a unified 2D projection space where all volumetric datasets can be integrated accurately and efficiently.
2Measurement precision
If preoperative fiducial markers are used for registration, then navigational reference can be established, but navigational accuracy is limited and additional imaging procedures are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the requirement for preoperative fiducial markers from the surgical navigation system. By using intraoperatively acquired surface maps and projecting volumetric datasets onto these maps, the system removes the need for separate fiducial marker placement and imaging procedures. This extraction of the fiducial marker requirement simplifies the overall process while maintaining or improving navigational accuracy through direct surface-based registration.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are provided for performing intraoperative fusion of two or more volumetric image datasets via surface-based image registration. The volumetric image datasets are separately registered with intraoperatively acquired surface data, thereby fusing the two volumetric image datasets into a common frame of reference while avoiding the need for complex and time-consuming preoperative volumetric-to-volumetric image registration and fusion. The resulting fused image data may be processed to generate one or more images for use during surgical navigation.