Video-assistance for ultrasound guided needle biopsy

Apparatus for video assistance for ultrasound guided needle biopsy of a patient, comprising:

• ultrasound imaging apparatus, said imaging apparatus including a transducer head for obtaining ultrasound image data from said patient in an ultrasound imaging plane;
• a video camera mounted on said transducer head for obtaining a body surface video image of said patient including an area wherein said ultrasound imaging plane intersects said body surface, said video camera having an optical axis lying in said ultrasound imaging plane such that said ultrasound imaging plane corresponds to a line in said video image;
• an image monitor screen for displaying said ultrasound image data and for displaying said video image as an inset image to said ultrasound image data;
• and
• graphic markers overlaid onto said video image for indicating said ultrasound imaging plane as a line of possible entry points for needle biopsy.

Apparatus for video assistance for ultrasound guided needle biopsy of a patient, comprising:

• ultrasound imaging apparatus, said imaging apparatus including a transducer head for obtaining ultrasound data from said patient in an ultrasound imaging plane for forming an ultrasound image of actual anatomical structures in said patient;
• a video camera mounted on said transducer head for obtaining a body surface video image of said patient including an area wherein said ultrasound imaging plane intersects said body surface, said video camera having an optical axis lying in said ultrasound imaging plane such that said ultrasound imaging plane corresponds to a line in said video image;
• graphic markers overlaid onto said video image for indicating said ultrasound imaging plane as a line of possible entry points for needle biopsy;
• an augmented reality visualization system couple(d to said ultrasound imaging apparatus for providing augmented images enabling visible structures in said ultrasound image to appear in the location of corresponding ones of said actual anatomical structures.

A method for video assistance for ultrasound guided needle biopsy of a patient, comprising the steps of:

• obtaining an ultrasound image of said patient in an ultrasound imaging plane by way of a transducer head;
• obtaining a body surface video image of said patient including an area wherein said ultrasound imaging plane intersects said body surface, by way of a video camera mounted on said transducer head and having an optical axis lying in said ultrasound imaging plane such that said ultrasound imaging plane corresponds to a line in said video image;
• and
• overlaying graphic markers onto said video image for indicating said ultrasound imaging plane as a line of possible entry points for needle biopsy.

A method for video assistance for ultrasound guided needle biopsy of a patient, comprising the steps of:

• obtaining an ultrasound image of said patient in an ultrasound imaging plane by way of a transducer head;
• obtaining a body surface video image of said patient including an area wherein said ultrasound imaging plane intersects said body surface, by way of a video camera mounted on said transducer head and having an optical axis lying in said ultrasound imaging plane such that said ultrasound imaging plane corresponds to a line in said video image;
• overlaying graphic markers onto said video image for indicating said ultrasound imaging plane as a line of possible entry points for needle biopsy;
• and
• providing an augmented ultrasound image for enabling visible structures in said ultrasound image to appear in the location of corresponding ones of said actual anatomical structures by way of an augmented reality visualization system coupled to said ultrasound imaging apparatus.

Apparatus for video assistance for ultrasound guided needle biopsy of a patient, comprising:

• means for obtaining an ultrasound image of said patient in an ultrasound imaging plane by way of a transducer head;
• means for obtaining a body surface video image of said patient including an area wherein said ultrasound imaging plane intersects said body surface, by way of a video camera mounted on said transducer head and having an optical axis lying in said ultrasound imaging plane such that said ultrasound imaging plane corresponds to a line in said video image;
• and
• means for overlaying graphic markers onto said video image for indicating said ultrasound imaging plane as a line of possible entry points for needle biopsy.

Apparatus for video assistance for ultrasound guided needle biopsy of a patient, comprising:

• means for obtaining an ultrasound image of said patient in an ultrasound imaging plane by way of a transducer head;
• means for obtaining a body surface video image of said patient including an area wherein said ultrasound imaging plane intersects said body surface, by way of a video camera mounted on said transducer head and having an optical axis lying in said ultrasound imaging plane such that said ultrasound imaging plane corresponds to, a line in said video image;
• means for overlaying graphic markers onto said video image for indicating said ultrasound imaging plane as a line of possible entry points for needle biopsy;
• and
• means for providing an augmented ultrasound image for enabling visible structures in said ultrasound image to appear in the location of corresponding ones of said actual anatomical structures by way of an augmented reality visualization system coupled to said ultrasound imaging apparatus.