Prostate Puncture Support With Marker-Based Optical Guidance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing prostate biopsy systems face limitations in puncture position and angle freedom and are complicated by cable management of sensors, particularly in MRI-US fusion and magnetic sensor type systems.

Innovation Solution

A prostate puncture support device that utilizes a processor to integrate reference volume, surgical field, and ultrasound images, employing markers on instruments and body surfaces to provide real-time puncture guidance, reducing the need for templates and sensor cable management.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a template is used to fix the puncture path in an encoder type fusion prostate biopsy system, then the puncture position and puncture angle are limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepuncture position accuracyVSAvoidpuncture position and angle freedom

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical template-based guidance system with an optical image processing system. A camera captures images of the puncture needle and prostate, and a processor analyzes these images to determine puncture position and angle, eliminating the need for physical templates that constrain puncture paths.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a visual copy of the puncture needle by attaching an image marker to it, which can be captured by the camera. This allows the system to track and analyze the needle's position and orientation through image processing rather than mechanical constraints.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Measurement precision

If sensors are attached to each surgical instrument in a magnetic sensor type fusion biopsy system, then the management of cables becomes complicated

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepuncture position detection accuracyVSAvoidcable management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces magnetic sensors and their associated cable systems with a visual imaging system. A camera captures images of image markers attached to surgical instruments, and a processor analyzes these images to determine instrument positions, eliminating the need for magnetic sensors and their complex cable management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces image markers as intermediaries between the surgical instruments and the detection system. These markers serve as visual mediators that can be easily captured by the camera, replacing the need for direct sensor attachment and complex cable connections.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS20250241628A1Prostate puncture support device, method of operating prostate puncture support device, and non-transitory computer readable medium

Publication Date: 2025.07.31 FUJIFILM CORP

AI summary

A prostate puncture system includes a puncture support device that supports puncture during a prostate biopsy. A surgical field image acquisition unit acquires a surgical field image that is captured by a camera positioned outside a body and includes a puncture needle image marker attached to a puncture needle; and a position/posture information acquisition unit analyzes the image marker to obtain position/posture information. A puncture information output unit outputs puncture support information of the puncture needle that is based on the position/posture information obtained by the position/posture information acquisition unit, and a display control unit superimposes the puncture support information on an image to generate a superimposed image and displays the superimposed image on a display.