Virtual Endoscopic Guidance for Bronchial Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical apparatuses face challenges in precisely inserting treatment instruments into lumens with multiple bifurcations, such as bronchi, due to difficulties in navigating the instrument to a target site within a short time and confirming the position of the distal end portion, especially in small-diameter lumens where endoscopes cannot be inserted, often requiring X-ray transillumination.
Innovation Solution
A medical apparatus that utilizes three-dimensional image data to generate virtual endoscopic images, aiding the insertion operation by displaying an insertion route and providing real-time guidance on bending and positioning the treatment instrument, including a sensor to detect the instrument's position and orientation, and a magnetic field system for precise navigation without X-ray exposure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If an endoscope with CCD is used to navigate the treatment instrument, then real-time visual feedback is improved, but the device cannot be inserted into small-diameter lumens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the lumen structure from pre-acquired three-dimensional image data, generating virtual endoscopic images that replicate the visual information normally obtained by a physical endoscope. This virtual model allows navigation and position confirmation without requiring a physical endoscope to be inserted into the patient's body.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical endoscope system with a computational imaging system. Instead of using a physical endoscope with CCD to capture images, the system uses pre-acquired three-dimensional image data to generate virtual endoscopic images, substituting mechanical insertion with digital visualization.
2Measurement precision
If X-ray transillumination is used to confirm distal end position, then position detection is improved, but radiation exposure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual representation of the treatment instrument's position within the lumen by overlaying the instrument's location data onto the pre-acquired three-dimensional image data. This virtual endoscopic image shows the distal end position without requiring X-ray transillumination, thereby eliminating radiation exposure while maintaining position detection accuracy.
3Device complexity
If navigation is performed without virtual endoscopic guidance, then device complexity is reduced, but insertion time and precision deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary acquisition of three-dimensional image data of the lumen structure before the treatment procedure. This pre-acquired data is used to generate virtual endoscopic images that guide the insertion process, allowing the operator to plan the insertion route in advance and navigate more efficiently, thereby reducing insertion time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where virtual endoscopic images continuously display the position of the treatment instrument's distal end relative to the lumen structure. This real-time visual feedback allows the operator to adjust the insertion path and bending operations to reach the target site more quickly and accurately.
4Adaptability or versatility
If bending operation is made more flexible to navigate complex lumens, then navigation capability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent provides visual feedback through virtual endoscopic images that show the relationship between the treatment instrument's bending and the resulting distal end position. This feedback helps the operator understand how bending operations affect navigation, making it easier to control the complex bending mechanism by providing intuitive visual guidance on the outcome of each operation.
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
Enables precise and efficient insertion of the treatment instrument into the target site within a lumen, improving operability and reducing radiation exposure by providing intuitive virtual guidance and real-time operation information, even in complex anatomical structures.
Implementation Method 1
a sensor which detects a position, a direction, and a roll angle
Data Source
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AI summary
A medical apparatus 1 comprises: a treatment instrument 4 which is provided with a sensor 19 for detecting a position, a direction and a roll angle at a distal end portion 4C, and a bending portion 4D, and is adapted to be inserted to a target site 9G in a bronchus 9; a CT image data storing unit 13 which stores three-dimensional image data of the bronchus 9 acquired in advance; an input unit 14 for setting the target site 9G; a virtual endoscopic image generating unit 12 which generates a virtual endoscopic image using a line-of-sight parameter including the position, the direction and the roll angle of the distal end portion 4C detected by the sensor 19 based on the three-dimensional image data; and an image processing unit 10 which performs a superimposition process and thus display operation information for inserting the distal end portion 4C to the target site 9G in superimposition on the virtual endoscopic image.