Stereoscopic Endoscope Image Degradation Detection During Surgery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Stereoscopic endoscopes in robotic surgical systems can experience image degradation due to biological material occluding one of the lenses, leading to mismatched stereoscopic image pairs that cause perception issues for surgeons without their awareness, affecting their performance.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for detecting image degradation by comparing characteristics of real-time surgical instrument images with baseline images, using a modulation transfer function to determine image quality, and generating notifications when degradation occurs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a stereoscopic endoscope is used to provide depth perception during surgical procedures, then the surgeon's ability to perceive spatial relationships is improved, but image degradation from lens occlusion causes mismatched stereoscopic image pairs that tax the surgeon's visual and cognitive pathways
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by capturing baseline images of the surgical instrument edge before the actual surgical procedure begins. These baseline images establish expected image characteristics that can be compared against real-time images to detect degradation, allowing the system to prepare reference data in advance without interfering with the surgical workflow
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by continuously comparing real-time surgical images against the baseline images and providing notifications to the surgeon when degradation is detected. This closed-loop feedback mechanism alerts the surgeon to potential lens occlusion or image quality issues, enabling corrective action before the degradation affects surgical performance
2Reliability
If real-time image monitoring is implemented to detect degradation, then the surgeon is alerted to image quality issues, but the system complexity increases with additional image capture devices and processing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The system achieves multi-functionality by using the existing image capture device for both primary surgical imaging and baseline image capture for degradation detection. The same image processing system analyzes both baseline and real-time images, eliminating the need for separate dedicated monitoring hardware and reducing overall system complexity while maintaining reliable image quality monitoring
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a copy of the expected image characteristics through baseline images captured before the procedure. These baseline copies serve as reference data that can be compared against real-time images to detect degradation, allowing the system to monitor image quality without requiring additional complex sensing mechanisms or hardware
3Measurement precision
If baseline images are captured and stored for comparison, then image degradation can be detected by comparing characteristics, but the storage and processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the essential edge information from the surgical instrument and captures baseline images specifically of the edge region rather than the entire surgical field. This extraction approach focuses the comparison on the most critical visual elements for detecting lens occlusion and image degradation, significantly reducing the volume of data that needs to be stored and processed while maintaining high detection accuracy
Data Source
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AI summary
Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for detecting image degradation during a surgical procedure are provided. A method includes receiving images of a surgical instrument; obtaining baseline images of an edge of the surgical instrument; comparing a characteristic of the images of the surgical instrument to a characteristic of the baseline images of the edge of the surgical instrument, the images of the surgical instrument being received subsequent to obtaining the baseline images of the edge of the surgical instrument and being received while the surgical instrument is disposed at a surgical site in a patient; determining whether the images of the surgical instrument are degraded, based on the comparing of the characteristic of the images of the surgical instrument and the characteristic of the baseline images of the surgical instrument; and generating an image degradation notification, in response to a determination that the images of the surgical instrument are degraded.