X-nav Technologies, LLC

The Penn State Research Foundation

Scott A Merritt

Edward J Marandola

William E Higgins

Christopher W Scharff

Robert W Emery, Iii

Lav Rai

Jason David Gibbs

Rahul Khare

Kun-Chang Yu

Pete Evans

Glenn A Straub

Lars Hansson

Jason Gibbs

Pascal Kunz

Robert W Emery Iii

Dental scan body

A landmark registration registers landmark points of navigation guidance information for performing a navigational guidance of a surgery procedure. The registration operation comprises a landmark point identification procedure and a landmark matching procedure. In particular, the present case is directed to automatically identifying three or more landmark points in an anatomy image by using a model according to shapes of a bone ridge depicted in the anatomy image. A graphical user interface enables interactively confirming locations of the three or more landmark points in the anatomy image. Given the identified three or more landmark points, the present case further describes interactively matching respective locations of the respective landmark points in the anatomy image with physical locations of a probe tip in anatomy according to deviation information of the probe tip. The automated identification and the interactive matching of landmark points enable generating navigational surgical guidance information with accuracy.

Landmark registration system for image-guided navigation

An approach is disclosed that involves creating an implant-supported prosthesis that is dynamically guided into position using an image-guided navigation system into position in a patient's mouth without the use of a surgical guide.

MElHOD for dynamically guiding a dental oral and maxillofacial prosthesis

A method for referencing a tracking system's coordinate frame to a rigid body's coordinate frame is disclosed. The method involves obtaining a 3D model depicting some of the surfaces of the rigid body. A probe is provided with an affixed tracking reference component. A second tracking reference component is attached to the rigid body. The method involves tracking locations of the probe as it moves along surfaces of the rigid body and then determining a transform that relates the probe locations to the 3D model of the rigid body. In one embodiment the rigid body is a dental mandible or maxilla of a patient and the 3D model is a surface extracted from a computed tomography image of the patient's jaw and teeth.

Cone-beam computer tomography system for providing probe trace fiducial-free oral cavity tracking

A global registration system and method identifies bronchoscope position without the need for significant bronchoscope maneuvers, technician intervention, or electromagnetic sensors. Virtual bronchoscopy (VB) renderings of a 3D airway tree are obtained including VB views of branch positions within the airway tree. At least one real bronchoscopic (RB) video frame is received from a bronchoscope inserted into the airway tree. An algorithm according to the invention is executed on a computer to identify the several most likely branch positions having a VB view closest to the received RB view, and the 3D position of the bronchoscope within the airway tree is determined in accordance with the branch position identified in the VB view. The preferred embodiment involves a fast local registration search over all the branches in a global airway-bifurcation search space, with the weighted normalized sum of squares distance metric used for finding the best match.

Image-based global registration system and method applicable to bronchoscopy guidance

A visual guidance system for use in a surgical procedure. The system includes an image processing unit programmed to receive a three-dimensional image of a surgical area, information on an instrument being used in the procedure, and a surgical plan including a planned trajectory that the instrument should follow. The image processing unit generates a derived representation of the surgical procedure depicting the movement of the instrument on the three-dimensional image. A graphical guidance indicator is disposed on the three-dimensional image with a center point of the graphical guidance indicator centered on the planned trajectory, the graphical guidance indicator being displayed orthogonal to the planned trajectory. The derived image and the graphical guidance indicator depict at least five degrees of freedom of motion of the instrument. The graphical guidance indicator is changed based on the movement of the instrument in accordance with the surgical plan.

Visual guidance display for surgical procedure

An image guidance system for tracking a surgical instrument during a surgical procedure. The image guidance system includes a plurality of cameras adapted to be located external to a surgical area for capturing images of optically visible patterns. A processing system receives and processes the images to recognize the patterns and triangulate the locations and orientations of each pattern relative to a camera. The processing system uses a reference dataset to recognize the patterns.

Image guidance system for detecting and tracking an image pose

An image guidance system for tracking a surgical instrument within the oral cavity. The image guidance system includes a plurality of cameras adapted to be located within the oral cavity to provide intraoral images of optically visible patterns within oral cavity. A processing system receives and processes the intraoral images to recognize patterns and triangulate the locations and orientations of each camera. The processing system uses a reference dataset which defines a reference coordinate system based on alignment to a portion of the oral anatomy. The processing system determines the location and orientation of the tracked instrument based on the reference dataset. In an embodiment, the system includes an oral fixture that is removably attachable to teeth in a patient and is configured to hold one of the cameras.

Image guided navigation system

Tracking pattern holder for a surgical tool

An image guidance system for tracking a surgical instrument during a surgical procedure. The image guidance system includes a plurality of cameras adapted to be located external to a surgical area for capturing images of optically visible patterns. A processing system receives and processes the images to recognize the patterns and triangulate the locations and orientations of each pattern relative to a camera. The processing system uses a reference dataset which defines a reference coordinate system based on alignment to a portion of the oral anatomy. The processing system determines the location and orientation of the tracked instrument based on the reference dataset.

System for determining and tracking movement during a medical procedure

Fast and continuous registration between two imaging modalities makes it possible to completely determine the rigid transformation between multiple sources at real-time or near real-time frame-rates in order to localize video cameras and register the two sources. A set of reference images are computed or captured within a known environment, with corresponding depth maps and image gradients defining a reference source. Given one frame from a real-time or near-real time video feed, and starting from an initial guess of viewpoint, a real-time video frame is warped to the nearest viewing site of the reference source. An image difference is computed between the warped video frame and the reference image. Steps are repeated for each frame until the viewpoint converges or the next video frame becomes available. The final viewpoint gives an estimate of the relative rotation and translation between the camera at that particular video frame and the reference source.

Fast 3D-2D image registration method with application to continuously guided endoscopy

Methods and apparatus provide continuous guidance of endoscopy during a live procedure. A data-set based on 3D image data is pre-computed including reference information representative of a predefined route through a body organ to a final destination. A plurality of live real endoscopic (RE) images are displayed as an operator maneuvers an endoscope within the body organ. A registration and tracking algorithm registers the data-set to one or more of the RE images and continuously maintains the registration as the endoscope is locally maneuvered. Additional information related to the final destination is then presented enabling the endoscope operator to decide on a final maneuver for the procedure. The reference information may include 3D organ surfaces, 3D routes through an organ system, or 3D regions of interest (ROIs), as well as a virtual endoscopic (VE) image generated from the precomputed data-set. The preferred method includes the step of superimposing one or both of the 3D routes and ROIs on one or both of the RE and VE images. The 3D organ surfaces and routes may correspond to the surfaces and paths of a tracheobronchial airway tree extracted, for example, from 3D MDCT images of the chest.

Method and apparatus for continuous guidance of endoscopy

A novel framework for fast and continuous registration between two imaging modalities is disclosed. The approach makes it possible to completely determine the rigid transformation between multiple sources at real-time or near real-time frame-rates in order to localize the cameras and register the two sources. A disclosed example includes computing or capturing a set of reference images within a known environment, complete with corresponding depth maps and image gradients. The collection of these images and depth maps constitutes the reference source. The second source is a real-time or near-real time source which may include a live video feed. Given one frame from this video feed, and starting from an initial guess of viewpoint, the real-time video frame is warped to the nearest viewing site of the reference source. An image difference is computed between the warped video frame and the reference image. The viewpoint is updated via a Gauss-Newton parameter update and certain of the steps are repeated for each frame until the viewpoint converges or the next video frame becomes available. The final viewpoint gives an estimate of the relative rotation and translation between the camera at that particular video frame and the reference source. The invention has far-reaching applications, particularly in the field of assisted endoscopy, including bronchoscopy and colonoscopy. Other applications include aerial and ground-based navigation.

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Ridgecrest, CA, United States of America

Scott A Merritt