Medical Visualization Rendering for Correct Virtual Anatomy Depth

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Solution Overview

Problem

Medical visualization systems, such as surgical microscopes, struggle with rendering virtual anatomies that do not have the right perspective with respect to the surgical scene, causing the rendered objects to appear semi-transparently above the surface, hindering accurate spatial perception.

Innovation Solution

A method and system that utilize distance values to determine the spatial relationship between three-dimensional preoperative data and three-dimensional topography data, adjusting the rendering style based on these distances to accurately depict the depth and spatial orientation of virtual anatomies relative to the surgical scene.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If three-dimensional preoperative data is rendered and displayed in the beam path of the medical visualization system, then virtual anatomies can be visualized overlaid on the surgical scene, but the displayed objects do not have the right perspective and appear semi-transparently above the surface

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespatial relationship informationVSAvoidperspective accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by determining individual distance values for each point (vertex, voxel, etc.) of the three-dimensional preoperative data and using these distance values to set different rendering styles for different points. This allows each point to be rendered with appropriate transparency and depth information based on its specific distance from the surface, thereby achieving correct perspective and spatial relationships locally across the entire three-dimensional object.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Adaptability or versatility

If a projector projects the image signal onto a glass plate in the beam path, then virtual anatomies can be displayed as overlays, but the rendered object seems to hover semi-transparently above the surface of the surgical scene

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoverlay display capabilityVSAvoiddepth perception accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by dynamically adjusting the transparency parameter of rendered points based on their distance values. Points closer to the surface are rendered with higher transparency, while points farther away are rendered with lower transparency. This continuous parameter adjustment based on depth information creates the illusion that the virtual anatomy is integrated at the correct depth within the surgical scene, eliminating the hovering effect.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Manufacturing precision

If distance values are determined for each point individually to set rendering styles, then spatial relationships can be accurately depicted, but the computational complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespatial relationship representationVSAvoidrendering computation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the three-dimensional preoperative data into discrete points (vertices, voxels, etc.), where each point is processed independently to determine its distance value and rendering style. This segmentation allows the complex task of accurate spatial relationship representation to be broken down into simpler, parallelizable operations on individual points, making the computation more manageable while maintaining high precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP4641511A1Method for providing an image signal for a medical visualization system and medical visualization system
Publication Date: 2025.10.29 CARL ZEISS MEDITEC AG
  • EP4641511A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4641511A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4641511A1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The invention relates to a Method for providing an image signal (17) for a medical visualization system (1), comprising: receiving at least one layer (11) of three-dimensional topography data (10) of a patient region of interest (21), receiving three-dimensional preoperative data (12) of the patient region of interest (21), determining distance values (14) of a distance (13) between the three-dimensional preoperative data (12) and the at least one layer (11) of the three-dimensional topography data (10), generating a rendered image (16) by rendering the three-dimensional preoperative data (12) with a rendering style based at least in part on the determined distance values (14), and generating and providing an image signal (17) which represents the rendered image (16). The invention further relates to a medical visualization system (1).