Method and apparatus for medical image display for surgical tool planning and navigation in clinical environments

Abstract

A medical imaging display system includes a memory ( ) for storing first image data representative of a region of interest. The memory ( ) stores image data generated by medical imaging devices such as magnetic resonance devices ( ), computed tomography devices ( ), nuclear imaging devices ( ), and ultrasound devices. Typically, image data from these devices is obtained some time prior to a surgical event and users may access this data in planning for the surgical event. A processor ( ), in data communication with the memory, is organized under a component object modeling architecture. The processor ( ) is connected to a user interface ( ) for providing user requests to the processor. Thus, in response to user action via the user interface ( ), the processor ( ) determines an object ( ) adapted to act on the request, selects a handle ( ) for the determined object and, employs the object via the handle to act on the request. Additionally, the image guided surgical system also includes a source ( ) of substantially real time image data generated in the surgical theater, such as spectroscopy devices, which can also be manipulated via software objects to display desired portions of the region of interest. Any of these images can be viewed on a display ( ) in a planning environment, in the surgical suite, or even by a consultant, geographically remote from the surgical site.