Method of multiple image reconstruction and registration

A method of combining multiple images of a body structure, the method comprising:

• using an image capture device of an endoscope to obtain a first image within a body lumen of a patient at a first time point and to obtain a second image within the body lumen of the patient at a second time point, wherein the image capture device is positioned at a first position when it captures the first image at the first time point, and wherein the image capture device is positioned at a second position when it captures the second image at the second time point, and wherein the second time point occurs after the first time point;
• representing the first image with a first plurality of pixels;
• representing the second image with a second plurality of pixels;
• generating a first feature distance map of the first input image;
• generating a second feature distance map of the second input image;
• calculating the positional change of image capture device between the first time point and the second time point;
• and
• utilizing the first feature distance map, the second feature distance map and the positional change of image capture device to generate a three-dimensional surface approximation of the body structure within the body lumen of the patient;
• wherein generating the first feature distance map includes assigning a numerical value to the one or more pixels of the first plurality of pixels;
• wherein generating the second feature distance map includes assigning a numerical value to the one or more pixels of the second plurality of pixels;
• and
• wherein utilizing the first feature distance map, the second feature distance map and the positional change of the image capturing device to generate a three-dimensional surface approximation of the body structure includes calculating a transformation between the first input image and the second input image using a chamfer matching registration process.

A system for generating a fused image from multiple images, comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising code configured to perform a method of fusing images, the method comprising:
• capturing a first input image containing a body structure with a digital camera positioned at a first location at a first time point;
• representing the first image with a first plurality of pixels;
• capturing a second input image containing the body structure with the digital camera positioned at a second location at a second time point;
• representing the second image with a second plurality of pixels;
• generating a first feature distance map of the first input image;
• generating a second feature distance map of the second input image;
• calculating the positional change of the digital camera between the first time point and the second time point;
• and
• utilizing the first feature distance map, the second feature distance map and the positional change of the digital camera to generate a three-dimensional surface approximation of the body structure,
• wherein generating the first feature distance map includes assigning a numerical value to the one or more pixels of the first plurality of pixels;
• wherein generating the second feature distance map includes assigning a numerical value to the one or more pixels of the second plurality of pixels;
• and
• wherein utilizing the first feature distance map, the second feature distance map and the positional change of the digital camera to generate a three-dimensional surface approximation of the body structure includes calculating a transformation between the first input image and the second input image using a chamfer matching registration process.