On-Board Tracker for Surgical Navigation Line-of-Sight
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional tracking systems in image-guided surgery face limitations due to restricted line-of-sight and field-of-view, leading to diminished tracking accuracy and increased setup time for aligning imaging or treatment devices with respect to the patient and operating table.
Innovation Solution
An on-board 6DOF tracker device is mounted onto the imaging or treatment device, such as a C-arm, with a fiducial marker fixed to the patient to maintain registration, allowing for improved line-of-sight and field-of-view, and potentially eliminating the need for external tracking devices, while also enabling video-based augmentation for enhanced navigation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If an external tracker device is mounted within the room, then the system can track tools and imaging devices, but the line-of-sight is limited and tracking accuracy is diminished
Solution Approach 1:
The tracker device is merged with the imaging or treatment device by mounting it directly on the device body. This integration ensures the tracker moves with the device, maintaining continuous line-of-sight to fiducial markers on the patient regardless of device position or orientation, thereby resolving the line-of-sight limitation of external trackers.
Solution Approach 2:
Fiducial markers are introduced as intermediaries that are attached to the patient's anatomy. The on-board tracker detects these markers to establish and maintain registration between the device coordinate system and the patient coordinate system, enabling accurate tracking without requiring external tracker line-of-sight.
2Productivity
If an external tracker device is used, then tracking can be performed, but setup time for aligning the device with the patient is increased
Solution Approach 1:
By integrating the tracker with the imaging or treatment device, the system eliminates the need for separate alignment procedures between external trackers and device coordinate systems. The tracker and device share a common coordinate system, enabling immediate registration when fiducial markers are detected, thus reducing setup time while maintaining alignment accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The on-board tracker performs self-registration by automatically detecting fiducial markers on the patient and establishing the device-to-patient coordinate transformation. This self-service capability eliminates manual alignment operations required by external tracker systems, reducing setup time without compromising precision.
3Ease of operation
If an on-board tracker is mounted on the imaging device, then line-of-sight and field-of-view are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tracker is merged with the imaging or treatment device as an integrated subsystem. This consolidation allows the tracker to benefit from the device's inherent motion capabilities and positioning system, improving field-of-view and line-of-sight without requiring separate complex tracking infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The on-board tracker serves multiple functions: it tracks the device position, maintains registration with the patient coordinate system, and works with the device's existing imaging and positioning capabilities. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional specialized equipment, offsetting the increased device complexity with operational versatility.
Data Source
AI summary
A tracking and navigation system is provided. The system includes an imaging or treatment device, a tracker device, and a fiducial marker. At least part of the imaging or treatment device is movable relative to a patient. The tracker device is mounted on the imaging or treatment device and is movable therewith relative to the patient. The fiducial marker may be fixed relative to the patient to define a patient coordinate system. The fiducial marker is detectable by the tracker device to substantially maintain registration between the tracker device and the patient coordinate system. A tracking and navigation kit including the tracker device and at least one fiducial marker may also be provided, for example, for retrofitting to existing imaging or treatment devices.