The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 24, 2003
Filed:
Jun. 27, 2001
Robert L. Galloway, Jr., Nashville, TN (US);
William C. Chapman, Nashville, TN (US);
James D. Stefansic, Nashville, TN (US);
Alan J. Herline, Nashville, TN (US);
Candice D. Pinson, Mountain View, CA (US);
Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for collecting and processing physical space data used while performing image-guided surgery is disclosed. Physical space data is collected by probing physical surface points of surgically exposed tissue. The physical space data provides three-dimensional (3-D) coordinates for each of the physical surface points. Based on the physical space data collected, point-based registrations used to indicate surgical position in both image space and physical space are determined. The registrations are used to map into image space, image data describing the physical space of an ablative instrument used to perform the image-guided surgery, an ablation zone of the instrument, the surgically exposed tissue, and a particular portion of the tissue to be resected or ablated. The image data is updated on a periodic basis.