Surgical Instrument Guidance via 3D Model Overlay
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional surgical navigation systems cannot display quantitative information from medical images in real time during surgical procedures, forcing medical professionals to rely on personal experience when determining the movement path for surgical instruments.
Innovation Solution
A system that selects and displays a target medical image with a marked surgical site, builds a 3D image model, performs real-time image registration to superimpose the 3D model on a live image, and generates a guiding path from a virtual entry site to the surgical site, using a processor with modules for model-building, image-registration, and guiding-line-generation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If conventional surgical navigation systems are used, then real-time display capability is improved, but quantitative information from medical images cannot be displayed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms 2D medical images into a 3D virtual anatomical model, adding a spatial dimension that enables both real-time display and preservation of quantitative information. The 3D model integrates multiple imaging modalities (CT, MRI, ultrasound) to maintain comprehensive data while providing real-time visualization during surgery.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a guiding line as an intermediary element that connects the virtual anatomical model with the actual surgical field. This guiding line serves as a mediator that translates quantitative image data into actionable surgical guidance, enabling real-time navigation while preserving information integrity.
2Device complexity
If medical professionals determine movement path based on personal experience, then device complexity is reduced, but surgical precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-processing medical images to create a 3D virtual anatomical model before surgery begins. The system pre-calculates optimal guiding lines and entry sites based on the target lesion position, so that during surgery, the system only needs to display pre-computed guidance information, maintaining precision without requiring complex real-time computation.
3Measurement precision
If 3D image model and real-time image registration are implemented, then surgical guidance accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the image processing system into distinct functional modules: a model-building module that creates 3D virtual anatomical models from medical images, and an image-registration module that aligns the virtual model with real-time surgical images. This segmentation allows each module to specialize in specific tasks, improving accuracy while managing complexity through modular design.
Data Source
AI summary
A method includes providing medical images of a subject for selecting a target image from thereamong, building a 3D image model based on the medical images and the target image with a surgical target site assigned, performing image registration to superimpose the 3D image model on a real-time image of the subject so as to result in a combined image, determining a virtual entry site located on the combined image, connecting the surgical target site and the virtual entry site with a straight line, generating a guiding path extending from the virtual entry site, in a direction away from the surgical target site and along the straight line, and displaying the guiding path for guiding a surgical instrument.