Neuronavigation Registration Fixture with Tracking Markers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current neuronavigation systems for robot-assisted surgeries face challenges in accurately registering anatomical features and guiding robotic trajectories in real-time, especially when initial registrations are compromised due to movement of registration fixtures during surgery.
Innovation Solution
A system that uses a processor circuit and memory with machine-readable instructions to determine the position and orientation of fiducial markers, tracking markers, and registration fixtures relative to anatomical features and robot arms, enabling precise control of robotic arms based on these determinations, supporting various registration methods and hardware, including CT and fluoroscopy techniques.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a registration fixture is used to register anatomical features with the robot arm, then the initial neuronavigation registration can be achieved, but the registration may be compromised due to movement of the registration fixture during surgery
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a tracking fixture with tracking markers as an intermediary between the registration fixture and the robot arm. This tracking fixture remains attached to the patient's anatomy and provides continuous position feedback to the navigation system, allowing the system to compensate for any movement of the registration fixture and maintain accurate neuronavigation throughout the procedure.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous feedback by tracking the position of the tracking fixture using optical or electromagnetic tracking markers. The navigation system constantly monitors the relative position between the tracking fixture and the robot arm, and uses this feedback information to dynamically update and maintain accurate registration even when the registration fixture moves during surgery.
2Measurement precision
If the registration is re-established after movement occurs, then registration accuracy can be restored, but the surgery must be suspended
Solution Approach 1:
The tracking fixture enables continuous and uninterrupted neuronavigation throughout the surgery. Since the tracking markers remain attached to the patient's anatomy and are continuously monitored by the tracking system, the navigation system can maintain accurate registration without requiring suspension of the surgery to re-establish registration after any movement occurs.
3Measurement precision
If multiple tracking markers are used on the registration fixture, then the position and orientation can be determined more accurately, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tracking fixture serves multiple functions: it acts as both a registration reference and a continuous tracking target. The same set of tracking markers on the tracking fixture is used for both initial registration and ongoing position tracking, eliminating the need for separate registration markers and tracking markers, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining high positioning accuracy.
Data Source
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AI summary
A position is determined for each fiducial marker of a plurality of fiducial markers in an image volume. Based on the determined positions, a position and orientation of the registration fixture with respect to the anatomical feature is determined. A position is determined for each tracked marker of a first plurality of tracked markers on the registration fixture and a second plurality of tracked markers on the robot arm in a tracking data frame. Based on the determined positions of tracked markers, a position and orientation of the registration fixture and the robot arm of a surgical robot with respect to the tracking space are determined.