Manual C-Arm Pose Tracking for Stable 3D X-Ray Reconstruction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional medical imaging systems, such as manually-operated C-arm apparatuses, lack the stability and pose tracking necessary for high-quality CBCT reconstructions due to manual rotation instability and lack of sensors, leading to inaccurate 3D representations during medical procedures.
Innovation Solution
The use of shim structures and motion sensors to stabilize the imaging arm and track its pose during manual rotation, combined with calibration techniques to correct image distortion, enabling high-resolution CBCT reconstructions using low-cost, accessible imaging systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional CBCT imaging systems are used to generate high resolution 3D volumetric reconstructions, then imaging quality is improved, but system cost and complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a mobile C-arm fluoroscope to capture multiple 2D projection images of the patient's anatomy from different angles during the procedure. These 2D images are then computationally reconstructed into a 3D volumetric representation using image processing algorithms, effectively copying the function of expensive CBCT systems through a lower-cost alternative approach
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the complex mechanical CBCT scanning system with a simpler mobile C-arm fluoroscope that performs manual rotation. The mechanical complexity of CBCT is substituted with computational reconstruction methods that process 2D images to generate 3D models, reducing hardware requirements while maintaining imaging quality
2Ease of manufacture
If manually-operated C-arm apparatus is used, then device cost is reduced, but rotation stability and pose tracking accuracy deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates sensors (such as optical tracking sensors, magnetic sensors, or inertial measurement units) that continuously monitor the position and orientation of the C-arm during manual rotation. This feedback information is used to accurately track the pose of the imaging apparatus and compensate for manual rotation instability, enabling precise 3D reconstruction despite the manually-operated nature of the system
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediate calibration objects or fiducial markers that serve as reference points between the manually-operated C-arm and the image processing system. These intermediaries help establish accurate spatial relationships and enable precise pose determination without requiring direct mechanical control of the C-arm positioning
3Loss of time
If preprocedural image data is used to generate 3D models, then imaging is available before procedure, but model accuracy reflects anatomy at previous time rather than current anatomy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs 3D reconstruction imaging during the actual medical procedure rather than relying on preprocedural scans. By capturing multiple 2D projection images at the time of the procedure and immediately reconstructing them into 3D volumetric representations, the system provides up-to-date anatomical information that reflects the patient's current anatomy, eliminating time-related inaccuracies while maintaining procedural efficiency
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, methods, and devices for medical imaging are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a method for imaging an anatomic region includes receiving, from a detector carried by an imaging arm of an x-ray imaging apparatus, a plurality of images of the anatomic region. The images can be obtained during manual rotation of the imaging arm. The imaging arm can be stabilized by a shim structure during the manual rotation. The method can also include receiving, from at least one sensor coupled to the imaging arm, pose data of the imaging arm during the manual rotation. The method can further include generating, based on the images and the pose data, a 3D representation of the anatomic region.