Radiographic Image Processing for Surgical Tool Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for detecting and preventing surgical tools from remaining in patients after surgery are inadequate, as they either require moving the patient for CT imaging or struggle with visibility due to blood-stained gauze and obstructed surgical fields, leading to potential complications.
Innovation Solution
A radiographic image processing apparatus that detects surgical tools in real-time fluoroscopic images using a portable radiation detector, highlighting their location for easy identification and removal without relocating the patient, employing a discriminator trained on radiographic images to identify tools like gauze, scalpel, scissors, drain, needle, and forceps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If CT imaging is used to detect foreign materials, then detection capability is improved, but patient burden increases due to requiring patient relocation to imaging room
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical relocation of the patient to a CT imaging room with a portable radiation detector that can be brought to the patient's bedside. This substitution maintains the ability to perform radiographic imaging while eliminating the need to move the patient, thus resolving the contradiction between detection capability and patient burden.
2Productivity
If video camera is used to detect gauze, then real-time monitoring is improved, but detection reliability deteriorates due to blood staining and surgical field obstruction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the video camera system with a radiographic imaging system using a portable radiation detector. Since surgical tools like gauze, needles, and forceps have different radiographic densities compared to human tissue, they appear as distinct high-contrast structures in radiographic images, enabling reliable detection regardless of blood staining or surgical field obstruction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the radiographic density contrast (analogous to color contrast in optical imaging) between surgical tools and human tissue. Surgical tools appear as high-density structures with distinct radiographic characteristics, allowing them to be clearly identified and differentiated from surrounding tissues even in complex surgical environments.
3Device complexity
If visual confirmation is used to check for remaining surgical tools, then simplicity is improved, but detection accuracy deteriorates in exhausted state after surgery
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces subjective visual confirmation with objective radiographic imaging using a portable radiation detector. The imaging system provides clear visual evidence of surgical tools through their radiographic density differences, eliminating the subjectivity and fatigue-related errors inherent in visual inspection while maintaining operational simplicity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables reliable and burden-free detection and removal of surgical tools post-surgery by providing clear visualization of the tools in the surgical field during the procedure, reducing the risk of complications and patient burden.
Implementation Method 1
a portable radiation detector configured to capture a radiographic image of the patient
Data Source
AI summary
A detection unit detects a region of a surgical tool in a radiographic image of a patient. In a case in which the surgical tool is detected, a display control unit displays the radiographic image on a display unit such that the detected region of the surgical tool is highlighted.