Intelligent real-time tool and anatomy visualization in 3D imaging workflows for interventional procedures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11786318-B2
Application number	US-202217693755-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 14, 2022
Priority date	Jul 16, 2014
Publication date	Oct 17, 2023
Grant date	Oct 17, 2023

Abstract

A system for tracking an instrument includes two or more sensors ( 22 ) disposed along a length of an instrument and being spaced apart from adjacent sensors. An interpretation module ( 45 ) is configured to select and update an image slice from a three-dimensional image volume in accordance with positions of the two or more sensors. The three-dimensional image volume includes the positions two or more sensors with respect to a target in the volume. An image processing module ( 48 ) is configured to generate an overlay ( 80 ) indicating reference positions in the image slice. The reference positions include the positions of the two or more sensors and relative offsets from the image slice in a display to provide feedback for positioning and orienting the instrument.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for tracking an instrument, the system comprising:
a sensor disposed along a length of the instrument;
an interpretation processor configured to select and update an image slice from a three-dimensional image volume based on position of the sensor, the three-dimensional image volume including the position of the sensor with respect to a target in the three-dimensional image volume, wherein the interpretation processor is configured to select the image slice to include at least one in-plane reference position; and
an image processor configured to generate, in a display, an overlay indicating reference positions in the image slice, the reference positions including the position of the sensor and relative offset measurements for the sensor from the image slice to provide feedback for positioning the instrument.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instrument includes a biopsy needle, and the image processor is further configured to generate an overlay for an estimated biopsy location.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the image processor is further configured to generate an overlay for the instrument or position of the instrument.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one in-plane reference position comprises at least one of: an in-plane sensor position, an in-plane instrument position, and an in-plane target position;
the sensor is an ultrasound sensor; and
the interpretation processor is further configured to analyze ultrasound signals received by the ultrasound sensor as ultrasound beams sweep a field of view and to determine a position of the ultrasound sensor respective the field of view.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the interpretation processor is further configured to select the image slice to include the at least one in-plane reference position.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein, for each of the reference positions, the overlay indicates a shape, an offset distance, or both the shape and the offset distance.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the shape is proportionally sized relative to a magnitude of the offset distance.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the reference positions further include at least one of: a target of a medical device, an estimated position of the medical device, and a representation of the medical device.

9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second imaging system configured to generate two-dimensional (2D) images in real-time, and
a first imaging system configured to generate three-dimensional (3D) images of the three-dimensional image volume and register the 3D images with the 2D images in a field of view that includes the sensor.

10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
an imaging system configured to provide the image slice including the position of the sensor.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein:
the imaging system includes a transrectal ultrasound probe and the instrument includes a biopsy needle, and
the image processor is further configured to generate an overlay for an estimated biopsy location.

12. A method for tracking an instrument, the method comprising:
detecting a position of a sensor disposed along a length of the instrument;
selecting and updating an image slice from a three-dimensional image volume based on the position of the sensor, the three-dimensional image volume including the position of the sensor with respect to a target in the three-dimensional image volume, wherein the selecting includes selection of the image slice to include at least one in-plane reference position;
generating, in a display, an overlay indicating reference positions in the image slice, the reference positions including the position of the sensor and relative offset measurements for the sensor from the image slice; and
positioning the instrument in accordance with feedback from the overlay.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
generating the overlay to represent an estimated biopsy location, an instrument location, or both the estimated biopsy location and the instrument location.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
for each of the reference positions, generating the overlay to represent a shape, an offset distance, or both the shape and the offset distance, wherein the shape is proportionally sized relative to a magnitude of the offset distance.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein selecting and updating the image slice includes interpreting a tracked three-dimensional position of the instrument with respect to a current image slice gathered using a real-time imaging system.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein selecting and updating the image slice includes viewing the position of the sensor in an image that includes a second complementary imaging modality image.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions encoded thereon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
select and update an image slice from a three-dimensional image volume based on a position of a sensor (i) disposed along a length of an instrument and (ii) configured to be tracked during a medical procedure, the three-dimensional image volume including the position of the sensor with respect to a target in the three-dimensional image volume, wherein the image slice is selected to include at least one in-plane reference position; and
generate, in a display, an overlay that indicates reference positions in the image slice to provide feedback for positioning the instrument, the reference positions including the position of the sensor and relative offset measurements for the sensor from the image slice.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the instrument includes a biopsy needle, and wherein the instructions further comprise instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to generate an overlay for an estimated biopsy location.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the instructions further comprise instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to generate the overlay for the instrument and to select the image slice to include the at least one in-plane reference position.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein:
the at least one in-plane reference position comprises at least one of: an in-plane sensor position, an in-plane instrument position, and an in-plane target position;
the sensor is an ultrasound sensor; and
the instructions further comprise instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to analyze ultrasound signals received by the ultrasound sensor as ultrasound beams sweep a field of view and to determine a position of the ultrasound sensor respective the field of view.

Assignees

• Koninklijke Philips Nv

Inventors

• Bharat Shyam
• Jain Ameet Kumar
• Bonillas Vaca Antonio

Classifications

• A61B34/20 Primary

  Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis · CPC title

• A61B8/0841 Primary

  for locating instruments · CPC title

• A61B8/12

  in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters · CPC title

• A61B8/4254

  using sensors mounted on the probe · CPC title

• A61B8/483

  involving the acquisition of a 3D volume of data · CPC title