Configurable Overlay Patterns for Surgical Image Identification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for identifying regions of interest during surgical procedures, such as using laser pointers or touchscreens, are cumbersome and require additional hand use, hindering efficient communication and clarity among surgical team members.
Innovation Solution
A system that applies a configurable overlay pattern, including grids, crosshairs, and concentric shapes, to surgical images, allowing adjustable properties like opacity and color, which can be controlled via buttons or voice recognition, enabling clear identification of areas of interest without distracting the surgeon.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If a laser pointer or touchscreen is used to identify regions of interest, then areas of interest can be clearly indicated, but the surgeon cannot operate these devices while safely performing the surgical procedure
Solution Approach 1:
The system allows the surgeon to pre-configure overlay patterns and their properties before the surgical procedure. The overlay patterns are then automatically applied during surgery without requiring the surgeon to manually control them, allowing the surgeon to focus on the surgical task while the system handles the annotation function
Solution Approach 2:
The overlay patterns and their properties are configured in advance before the surgical procedure begins. This preliminary configuration eliminates the need for the surgeon to adjust or control the overlay patterns during the procedure, resolving the contradiction between clear area identification and surgical safety
2Loss of information
If a cursor or touch screen annotation is used to identify regions of interest, then areas can be marked, but an additional hand is required which the surgeon cannot spare
Solution Approach 1:
The overlay pattern system operates autonomously once configured, applying patterns automatically without requiring manual control during surgery. This eliminates the need for additional hands or complex control mechanisms, resolving the contradiction between area identification and device simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The control functionality for overlay patterns is extracted from the surgical workflow and configured independently before surgery. This separation allows the surgical procedure to proceed without additional control devices or hands, while the overlay system independently handles area identification
3Loss of information
If overlay patterns are applied to surgical images, then areas of interest can be clearly identified, but the properties of the overlay need to be configurable and adjustable
Solution Approach 1:
The overlay pattern system allows dynamic configuration of various properties including pattern type, size, opacity, and color. These properties can be adjusted to suit different surgical scenarios and surgeon preferences, resolving the contradiction between clear area identification and system adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables modification of multiple parameters of the overlay patterns such as opacity, size, color, and pattern type. These parameter changes allow the overlay to be adapted to different surgical contexts while maintaining clear area identification, resolving the contradiction between identification clarity and configurability
Data Source
AI summary
A system for identifying an area of interest on a surgical image, including a source of surgical image data, which may be a camera, an image processing unit, which may be a camera control unit, and a destination, which may be a display. The image processing unit is configured to receive the surgical image data and combine it with an overlay pattern for identifying an area of interest, which is then displayed on the display. The overlay pattern may include centric lines, concentric ovals, concentric circles, or other concentric shapes. The overlay may include a key with coordinates or labels. Properties of the overlay and the key may be customized and adjusted.