# US 11,298,192 B2 · Intelligent real-time tool and anatomy visualization in 3D imaging workflows for interventional procedures

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- Number: US 11,298,192 B2
- Document ID: US11298192B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/324,095
- Filed: 2015-07-14
- Published: 2017-07-20
- Granted: 2022-04-12
- Earliest claimed: 2014-07-16
- Assignees: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
- Applicants: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
- Inventors: Shyam Bharat; Ameet Kumar Jain; Antonio Bonillas Vaca
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11298192B2

## CPC

- A61B 34/20: Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
- A61B 8/0841: {for locating instruments}
- A61B 8/12: in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters
- A61B 8/4254: {using sensors mounted on the probe}
- A61B 8/483: {involving the acquisition of a 3D volume of data}
- A61B 8/5261: {combining images from different diagnostic modalities, e.g. ultrasound and X-ray}
- A61B 10/0241: {for prostate}
- A61B 2034/107: {Visualisation of planned trajectories or target regions}
- A61B 2034/2051: {Electromagnetic tracking systems}
- A61B 2034/2063: {Acoustic tracking systems, e.g. using ultrasound}
- A61B 2090/364: {Correlation of different images or relation of image positions in respect to the body}
- A61B 2090/3782: {transmitter or receiver in catheter or minimal invasive instrument}
- A61B 2090/3786: {receiver only}
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)

## 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.

## Claims

### Claim 1

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

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system for tracking an instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein the instrument includes a biopsy needle, and the interpretation processor or the image processor is further configured to generate an overlay for an estimated biopsy location.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system for tracking an instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein the instrument includes a biopsy needle, and the interpretation processor or the image processor is further configured to generate an overlay for the biopsy needle.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system for tracking an instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interpretation processor is further configured to select the image slice to include all in-plane reference positions.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system for tracking an instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein the overlay indicates a shape, an offset distance, or both the shape and the offset distance for each reference position.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The system for tracking an instrument as claimed in claim 5, wherein the shape is proportionally sized relative to a magnitude of the offset distance.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system for tracking an instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reference positions additionally include a target, an estimated position, a representation, or any combination thereof, of a medical device.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The system for tracking an instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system further comprises:
a first imaging system configured to generate three-dimensional (3D) images of the volume; and
a second imaging system for generating two-dimensional images taken in real-time, said system for tracking an instrument registering the 3D images with the two-dimensional images in a field of view that includes the two or more sensors.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The system for tracking an instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system further comprises:
an imaging system configured to provide the image slice, the image slice including the positions of the two or more sensors.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The system for tracking an instrument as claimed in claim 9, wherein the imaging system includes a transrectal ultrasound probe, the instrument includes a biopsy needle, and the interpretation processor or the image processor is further configured to generate an overlay for an estimated biopsy location.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The system for tracking an instrument as claimed in claim 9, wherein the interpretation processor or the image processor is further configured to generate an overlay for the instrument.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The system for tracking an instrument as claimed in claim 9, wherein the interpretation processor is further configured to select the image slice to include at least one in-plane reference position.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The system for tracking an instrument as claimed in claim 9, wherein the overlay indicates a shape, an offset distance, or both the shape and the offset distance, for each reference position, wherein the shape is proportionally sized relative to a magnitude of the offset distance.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The system for tracking an instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one in-plane reference position comprises an in-plane sensor position, an in-plane instrument position, an in-plane target position, or any combination thereof; wherein the two or more sensors are ultrasound sensors; and wherein the interpretation processor is further configured to analyze ultrasound signals received by the ultrasound sensors as ultrasound beams sweep a field of view and to determine positions of the ultrasound sensors respective the field of view thereby.

### Claim 15

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

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method as recited in claim 15, wherein generating an overlay includes generating the overlay to represent an estimated biopsy location, an instrument location, or both the estimated biopsy location and the instrument location.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The method as recited in claim 15, wherein generating an overlay includes generating the overlay to represent a shape, an offset distance, or both the shape and the offset distance, for each reference position, wherein the shape is proportionally sized relative to a magnitude of the offset distance.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The method as recited in claim 15, wherein selecting and updating an image slice from a three-dimensional image volume includes interpreting tracked three-dimensional (3D) positions and orientations of the instrument that include the two or more sensors with respect to a current image slice gathered using a real-time imaging system.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The method as recited in claim 15, wherein selecting and updating an image slice from a three-dimensional image volume includes viewing the positions of the two or more sensors in an image that includes a second complementary imaging modality image.

### Claim 20

A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions encoded thereon which when executed by one or more processors cause the one or more processors to:
select and update an image slice from a three-dimensional image volume based on positions of two or more sensors, wherein the two or more sensors are disposed along a length of an instrument configured to be tracked during a medical procedure and are spaced apart from adjacent sensors, wherein the three-dimensional image volume includes the positions of the two or more sensors with respect to a target in the volume, and wherein the one or more processors is configured to select the image slice 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 and orienting the instrument, wherein the reference positions include the positions of the two or more sensors and relative offset measurements for the two or more sensors from the image slice.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The non-transitory computer readable medium as claimed in claim 20, wherein the instrument includes a biopsy needle, and wherein the instructions further comprise instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to generate an overlay for an estimated biopsy location.

### Claim 22 (depends on 20)

The non-transitory computer readable medium as claimed in claim 20, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to generate the overlay for the instrument and to select the image slice to include all in-plane reference positions.

### Claim 23 (depends on 20)

The non-transitory computer readable medium as claimed in claim 20, wherein the at least one in-plane reference position comprises an in-plane sensor position, an in-plane instrument position, an in-plane target position, or any combination thereof; wherein the two or more sensors are ultrasound sensors; and wherein the instructions further comprise instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to analyze ultrasound signals received by the ultrasound sensors as ultrasound beams sweep a field of view and to determine positions of the ultrasound sensors respective the field of view thereby.