97 results about "Image-guided surgery" patented technology

In one embodiment of the invention, a tool tracking system is disclosed including a computer usable medium having computer readable program code to receive images of video frames from at least one camera and to perform image matching of a robotic instrument to determine video pose information of the robotic instrument within the images. The tool tracking system further includes computer readable program code to provide a state-space model of a sequence of states of corrected kinematics information for accurate pose information of the robotic instrument. The state-space model receives raw kinematics information of mechanical pose information and adaptively fuses the mechanical pose information and the video pose information together to generate the sequence of states of the corrected kinematics information for the robotic instrument. Additionally disclosed are methods for image guided surgery.

A method and system of compensation for intra-operative organ shift of a living subject usable in image guide surgery. In one embodiment, the method includes the steps of generating a first geometric surface of the organ of the living subject from intra-operatively acquired images of the organ of the living subject, constructing an atlas of organ deformations of the living subject from pre-operatively acquired organ images from the pre-operatively acquired organ images, generating a second geometric surface of the organ from the atlas of organ deformations, aligning the second geometric surface of the organ to the first geometric surface of the organ of the living subject to determine at least one difference between a point of the first geometric surface and a corresponding point of the second geometric surface of the organ of the living subject, which is related to organ shift, and compensating for the intra-operative organ shift.

This invention provides a process and system for a comprehensive surgical assist system, called a Therapy Imaging and Model Management System (TIMMS), which combines and integrates all of the necessary information and communication technology; workflow analysis, data processing and data synthesis; interactive interfaces between surgeon and mechatronic devices; and, cognitive agents; to provide comprehensive assistance and guidance throughout complex medical and surgical therapies, such as image guided surgery. The components of this invention, which are modular, scalable and may be distributed in location, act synergistically to provide functionality and utility that exceeds the sum of its individual parts.

A method of performing surgery on a patient comprising the step of comparing a chosen patient's data to statistical data in a repository of patient data to develop a patient specific model, wherein the data comprises information from two or more sub databases selected from the group consisting of workflow data, electronic medical records, diagnostic data, biological data, measurement data, anatomical data, physiological data, genetic data, molecular data, imaging data, chemical data, clinical laboratory data, simulated data, coordinate data and surgical result and wherein the patient specific model aids in the preoperative, operative or post operative phase of surgery performed in real time on the patient.

Methods and apparatuses to record and review a navigation process of image guided surgery. One embodiment includes recording a sequence of positional data to represent a position or position and orientation of a navigation instrument relative to a patient during a surgical navigation process. Another embodiment includes: tracking positions and orientations of a probe during a surgical navigation process; and recording the positions and orientations of the probe, the recording of the positions and orientations to be used to subsequently generate images based on preoperative images of a patient. A further embodiment includes: reading a recorded sequence of locations of a navigational instrument; reading recorded video; generating a sequence of views of three dimensional image data based on the recorded sequence of locations; and combining the sequence of views with corresponding frames of the recorded video.

A method for resurfacing a bone at a surgical site during a surgical navigation procedure is provided. The method comprises providing a tracking system and a surgical instrument having a tracking array, the tracking array being identified and tracked by the tracking system. The surgical instrument is moved relative to a bone while the tracking system tracks the position of the surgical instrument, and the relative movement is projected on an image of the bone. The projected image is viewed as the surgical instrument is moved relative to the bone to determine when the surgical instrument is positioned at the surgical site. The surgical instrument is used to make a hole in the bone at the surgical site, and a guide pin is inserted into the hole.

A method of contouring spinal rods, and systems therefor. The surgeon uses image guided surgery instruments to identify the locations of the screw heads through which the rod will pass. These locations allow a computer to form a best fit line that corresponds to the shape of a rod that can pass through the screw heads. This best fit line is then displayed on a projection table from both its coronal and sagittal views. The surgeon then shapes the rod using these 2-D images as a template.

Apparatus and methods are disclosed for the calibration of a tracked imaging probe for use in image-guided surgical systems. The invention uses actual image data collected from an easily constructed calibration jig to provide data for the calibration algorithm. The calibration algorithm analytically develops a geometric relationship between the probe and the image so objects appearing in the collected image can be accurately described with reference to the probe. The invention can be used with either two or three dimensional image data-sets. The invention also has the ability to automatically determine the image scale factor when two dimensional data-sets are used.

An array for use with a surgical navigation system is provided. The array comprises a frame and first, second and third markers attached to the frame. The first, second and third markers are detectable by a tracking system used in image guided surgery, and the first marker is movable relative to the frame. In one embodiment, at least one marker slides along the frame from a first position where it is held in place to a second position where it is also held in place. In another embodiment, one or more of the markers is removed from the frame at a first position and reattached to the frame at a second position. In still another embodiment, a portion of the frame itself moves with the moveable marker.

The invention comprises an integrated skin-mountable multifunction device for use with a computer assisted or image guided surgical system and methods of using the same, wherein the multifunction device includes a patient mountable portion that has at least one position indicating element and at least one imageable pattern whose geometry is known in a coordinate system of the at least one position indicating element, wherein the imageable pattern is visible on an imaging modality. The multifunction device may also include a monitoring device capable of measuring a physiological parameter of a patient for use in gating image or position signals or for other purposes.

The present invention provides a method for real-time tracking of moving flexible surfaces and an image guided surgical robotic system using this tracking method. A vision system acquires an image of the moving flexible surface and identifies and tracks visual features at different times. The method involves computing both rigid and stretching transformations based on the changing positions of the visual features which are then used to track any area of interest on the moving flexible surface as it evolves over time. A robotic surgical system using this real-time tracking is disclosed.

A surgical bone reference assembly is communicable with an image guided surgical system such that position and movement of a bone element are monitorable. A bone anchor member comprises a trackable member and teeth engageable with the bone element. The trackable member comprises a detectable element adapted to be located and tracked in three dimensional space by the image guided surgical system, thereby defining position and movement of the trackable member. A protective guide member is used with the bone anchor member such that the bone anchor member is insertable through soft tissue covering the bone element without causing significant damage thereto. The bone anchor member is engageable with the bone element, such that the teeth are forced into engagement with the bone element and the bone anchor member is fastenable to the bone element in a fixed relation thereto.

The invention relates to a surgical instrument comprising a handle portion or mounting portion and a functional portion and/or tip, wherein a display device is provided on the instrument and includes or enables displays which serve to assist in image-guided and/or navigation-assisted surgery. It also relates to a method for navigating a surgical instrument, wherein its position is determined and tracked by means of a medical tracking system and the position data is processed within the framework of medical navigation by means of a medical navigation system, wherein displays for navigation assistance and/or for assisting in image-guided surgery are provided on the instrument or on an element which is positionally assigned to the instrument or fastened to the instrument.

Automated surgical procedures, including procedures carried out in conjunction with image-guided surgical navigation systems, are improved using tools and techniques to refine bone modifications. A system-level embodiment of the invention includes a memory for storing information relating to a desired modification of a bone, a bone-modification tool, and tracking apparatus for determining the position and orientation of the bone and the bone-modification tool to ensure that the modification performed by the tool corresponds to the desired modification. In the preferred embodiment, the bone-modification tool is used to refine a previously resected surface by a few millimeters or a few degrees to achieve the desired modification. A method of preparing a bone to receive a prosthetic implant according to the invention includes the steps of using an image-guided surgical navigation system to surface a bone, determining if the surface is optimized for the prosthetic implant, and if not, using a finishing tool in conjunction with the image-guided surgical navigation system to refine the surface. These steps may be repeated as desired to further optimize the surface.

A new high resolution confocal and non-confocal scanning laser macroscope is disclosed which achieves fine focus and control of focus position by moving a lens in the intermediate optics. This arrangement is particularly useful for imaging specimens where it is difficult to focus by changing the distance between the scan lens and the specimen, for example for in-vivo imaging, photodynamic therapy, and image-guided surgery. It is also important to keep the lens-to-specimen distance constant when a liquid-immersion scan lens is used, in order to maintain a constant thickness of liquid between the lens and the specimen. In addition to being useful for confocal slicing, motion of the intermediate lens under computer control also enables dynamic focus and the ability to move the focal spot along a general path inside the specimen. Several applications of the imaging system are described. The macroscope images macroscopic specimens in reflected light, transmitted light, fluorescence, photoluminescence and multi-photon fluorescence.

Presented herein are methods, systems, devices, and computer-readable media for image guided surgery. The systems herein allow a physician to use multiple instruments for a surgery and simultaneously provide image-guidance data for those instruments. Various embodiments disclosed herein provide information to physicians about procedures they are performing, the devices (such as ablation needles, ultrasound wands or probes, scalpels, cauterizers, etc.) they are using during the procedure, the relative emplacements or poses of these devices, prediction information for those devices, and other information. Some embodiments provide useful information about 3D data sets. Additionally, some embodiments provide for quickly calibratable surgical instruments or attachments for surgical instruments.