Virtual Window Display for Minimally Invasive Surgery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Minimally invasive medical procedures face challenges due to the limitations of live fluoroscopic and ultrasonic imaging, including high costs, radiation risks, difficulty in locating small devices, and misalignment of coordinate systems, which hinder ergonomic and intuitive device navigation within the patient's anatomy.
Innovation Solution
A virtual window system aligns anatomical images with the patient's anatomy, unifying the coordinate systems of the patient, medical device, and physician's hands, using sensors and a movable display support structure to ensure real-time alignment and intuitive navigation, even when the device's motion matches the physician's hand motions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If live fluoroscopic or ultrasonic imaging is used to visualize medical devices during minimally invasive procedures, then real-time imaging of anatomy is provided, but the procedure cost increases, radiation exposure occurs, and small devices become difficult to locate
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates a virtual copy of the patient's anatomy using pre-procedure CT or MR images. This virtual anatomical model is then registered and aligned with the patient's actual anatomy, allowing visualization of medical devices within the virtual model without requiring continuous live fluoroscopic or ultrasonic imaging. This eliminates radiation exposure while maintaining device localization capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary imaging using CT or MR scanners before the minimally invasive procedure to create three-dimensional anatomical models. These pre-acquired images are processed and stored for use during the procedure, eliminating the need for expensive and radiation-intensive live fluoroscopic imaging during the actual procedure.
2Reliability
If fluoroscopic or ultrasonic images are used for device visualization, then real-time imaging is provided, but the two-dimensional images fail to provide determinant information about motion and three-dimensional anatomical structures
Solution Approach 1:
The system transforms two-dimensional fluoroscopic or ultrasonic images into a three-dimensional virtual anatomical model using pre-procedure CT or MR imaging data. This three-dimensional representation preserves determinant information about anatomical structures and device motion, allowing physicians to visualize and navigate within the full three-dimensional space rather than being constrained to two-dimensional projections.
3Measurement precision
If the physician looks at the display showing live images during the procedure, then device position is visualized, but the physician must look away from the patient and hands, creating ergonomic challenges and delaying procedure completion
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates a virtual copy of the patient's anatomy that can be displayed on a movable screen positioned between the physician and the patient. This virtual anatomical model shows device position and orientation without requiring the physician to turn away from the patient, maintaining ergonomic positioning while providing precise device localization information.
4Reliability
If live imaging is used during the procedure, then real-time visualization is provided, but the frame of reference for the live image is misaligned from the frames of reference for the physician, tool, and patient
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses tracking sensors to continuously monitor the position and orientation of the medical device, the patient's anatomy, and the display screen. This feedback information is used to dynamically update and re-register the virtual anatomical model, maintaining accurate alignment between the virtual and physical coordinate systems throughout the procedure even as components move.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs a dynamic registration process that continuously adapts the virtual anatomical model to match the patient's actual anatomy and device position. As the patient, device, or display moves during the procedure, the system updates the coordinate transformation matrices to maintain alignment, making the virtual model a dynamic rather than static representation.
Data Source
AI summary
An image display system is provided comprised of a virtual window system that creates a visual coherency between the patient's anatomical images and the actual patient by aligning the image on the display to the patient and then presenting the image to the user in a way that feels as if the user is looking directly into the patient through the display. The image shown within the image display system is dependent upon the position of the image display apparatus and the position of the user so that the display orientation of the image may be biased slightly toward the user to improve ergonomics and usability.