Multi-Modality Surgical Image Display for Anatomical Focus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image guided surgical systems struggle to effectively integrate and display multiple imaging modalities simultaneously, limiting the surgeon's ability to perceive the relationship between surgical instruments and critical anatomical structures during minimally invasive procedures.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for producing a composite image of a surgical scene using multiple display modalities, incorporating first and second modality images based on anatomic structural information, user eye focus, or surgical stage, to simultaneously display portions of each modality image.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If multiple imaging modalities are integrated and displayed simultaneously, then the surgeon's perception and visualization of the surgical site is enhanced, but the device complexity and difficulty of integrating multiple systems increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple imaging modalities (e.g., endoscopic video, fluorescence imaging, OCT, ultrasound) into a single composite display that is simultaneously presented to the surgeon. This merging of multiple information sources resolves the contradiction by integrating diverse visualization data while managing system complexity through unified processing and display architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The surgical system is designed with multi-functional capabilities to handle various imaging modalities through a single integrated platform. The system can selectively activate and display different imaging modes (standard video, fluorescence, cross-sectional imaging) based on surgical needs, achieving universality that reduces the complexity of having separate dedicated systems for each modality.
2Loss of information
If multiple imaging modalities are displayed simultaneously, then the surgeon's ability to perceive anatomical structures and instrument positions is improved, but the ease of operation and system control becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the display of multiple imaging modalities based on real-time surgical conditions and surgeon preferences. The composite display can selectively emphasize different modalities (e.g., switching between fluorescence and standard video) and adjust their relative prominence, making system control more intuitive while maintaining comprehensive anatomical information visualization.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the composite display are optimized for specific imaging modalities, with each modality presented in the most appropriate visual format. The system allows selective enhancement of specific anatomical features or instrument positions in particular display areas, improving ease of operation by presenting information in locally optimized ways rather than forcing a uniform display approach.
3Loss of information
If the system selectively displays portions of imaging modalities based on anatomic structural information, user eye focus, or surgical stage, then the relevance and usefulness of displayed information is enhanced, but the measurement precision and tracking requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms that monitor surgical progress, surgical stage, and potentially surgeon attention (through eye tracking or other sensors) to dynamically adjust which portions of imaging modalities are displayed. This feedback loop ensures that the most relevant information is delivered at each surgical stage while managing measurement precision requirements through adaptive rather than continuously high-precision tracking.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-processes and organizes imaging data by anatomical structure and surgical stage, preparing selective portions of each modality in advance for efficient display. By preliminarily segmenting and tagging imaging data according to anatomical landmarks and procedural stages, the system can quickly retrieve and display relevant information without requiring real-time high-precision measurement and tracking during critical surgical moments.
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
Enhances the surgeon's perception of the surgical site by integrating multiple imaging techniques, improving the safety and effectiveness of minimally invasive procedures through improved visualization.
Implementation Method 1
A camera captures light reflected from the surgical scene
Data Source
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AI summary
A method is provided to produce a multi-modality image of a surgical scene comprising: capture light reflected from the surgical scene; producing first image information corresponding to a first modality image; producing second image information corresponding to a second modality image; selecting a portion of the second image modality based at least in part upon anatomical structure information included within the selected portion; and producing simultaneously within a display at least a portion of the first modality image of the surgical scene and the selected portion of the second modality image.