Image-overlay medical evaluation devices and techniques

A method of evaluating the position of a marker relative to anatomical tissue, said method comprising:

• scanning an anatomical portion of a patient to produce an initial 3-dimensional image thereof, including a depiction of internal tissues at the anatomical portion;
• performing non-radiographic scanning of outer surfaces of the anatomical portion of the patient, including an exposed portion of a marker at the anatomical portion of the patient, to create a second 3-dimensional image thereof;
• obtaining a 3-dimensional electronic image representation of the marker;
• overlaying and aligning the 3-dimensional image representation of the marker with the exposed portion of the marker in the second 3-dimensional image, to thereby create a first composite image on a display;
• overlaying and aligning the first composite image with the initial 3-dimensional image including the depiction of the internal tissues, to create a second composite image on the display;
• and
• visually evaluating the position of substantially the entire marker relative to the internal tissues as shown in the second composite image on the display.

A method of evaluating the position of an opening formed in body tissue, said method comprising:

• scanning an anatomical portion of a patient to produce an initial 3-dimensional image thereof including a depiction of both internal tissues and exposed surfaces of the anatomical portion;
• performing non-radiographic scanning of the exposed surfaces of the anatomical portion of the patient and a proximal end portion of a marker that is positioned in an opening formed in the anatomical portion of the patient, the marker having a distal end portion that is disposed in the opening, and the proximal end portion of the marker projecting outwardly from the opening;
• generating a mid-operative 3-dimensional image of the exposed surfaces of the anatomical portion and of exposed surfaces of the proximal end portion of the marker as a result of said non-radiographic scanning;
• overlaying and aligning the mid-operative 3-dimensional image of the exposed surfaces of the anatomical portion and the exposed surfaces of the proximal end portion of the marker with the initial 3-dimensional image of the internal tissues and exposed surfaces of the anatomical portion of the patient to produce a first composite image on a display;
• obtaining a 3-dimensional image representation of substantially the entire marker including the proximal and distal end portions thereof;
• overlaying and aligning the 3-dimensional image representation of substantially the entire marker with the exposed surfaces of the proximal end portion of the marker that appear in the first composite image to create a second composite image on the display;
• and
• visually confirming, via reference to the second composite image on the display, the 3-dimensional position of the distal end portion of the marker relative to the internal tissues of the anatomical portion of the patient.

A method of evaluating the position of a marker relative to anatomical tissue during a medical procedure, said method comprising:

• scanning an anatomical portion of a patient to produce a pre-operative 3-dimensional image thereof including a depiction of internal tissues at the anatomical portion;
• preparing a 3-dimensional physical model including the outer surfaces of a portion of the patient's anatomy corresponding to the scanned portion;
• positioning a marker in a desired location and orientation at the physical model;
• scanning the physical model with an electronic image scanning device to produce a 3-dimensional image of the physical model, wherein at least a portion of the marker is captured in the 3-dimensional image of the physical model;
• and
• overlaying and aligning the 3-dimensional image of the physical model and the marker with the pre-operative 3-dimensional image of the anatomical portion of the patient to create a composite image on a display;
• and
• visually verifying, with reference to the composite image, the position and orientation of the marker in the physical model relative to the internal tissues of the corresponding anatomical portion of the patient.

A method of evaluating the accuracy of a surgical guide for use in creating an opening in anatomical tissue, said method comprising:

• scanning an anatomical portion of a patient to produce an initial 3-dimensional image thereof including a depiction of internal tissues at the anatomical portion;
• preparing a physical model of the outer surfaces of at least a portion of the anatomical portion of the patient;
• placing a surgical guide on the physical model;
• creating the opening in the physical model using the surgical guide;
• at least partially filling the opening in the physical model with a radiopaque material;
• scanning the physical model with an electronic image scanning device to produce a 3-dimensional image of the physical model and the radiopaque material;
• overlaying and aligning the 3-dimensional image of the physical model including the radiopaque material with the initial 3-dimensional image of the patient anatomy to create a composite image on a display;
• and
• verifying the position and orientation of the opening created in the physical model relative to the patient's internal tissues in the composite image.

A method of producing a surgical guide for use in modifying anatomical tissue, said method comprising:

• scanning an anatomical portion of the patient to produce an initial 3-dimensional image thereof including a depiction of internal tissues;
• preparing a first physical model of the outer surfaces of at least a portion of the anatomical portion of the patient;
• creating an opening in the first physical model with reference to the initial 3-dimensional image as a guide;
• at least partially filling the opening in the first physical model with a radiopaque material;
• scanning the first physical model to produce a 3-dimensional image thereof, including the radiopaque material;
• overlaying and aligning the 3-dimensional image of the first physical model with the initial 3-dimensional image of the patient anatomy to create a composite image on a display;
• verifying the position and location of the opening in the first physical model relative to the internal tissues in the anatomical portion of the patient with reference to the composite image;
• after verifying the position and location of the opening in the first physical model, inserting a guide element in the opening in the first physical model;
• placing a surgical guide blank on the first physical model;
• and
• forming a surgical guide opening in the surgical guide blank based on the position of the guide element relative to the surgical guide blank, to thereby create a surgical guide capable of guiding a surgical tool.

A method of evaluating the position of a marker relative to anatomical tissue in a medical operation, said method comprising:

• scanning an anatomical portion of a patient to produce a pre-operative 3-dimensional image thereof, including a depiction of internal tissues at the anatomical portion;
• creating a 3-dimensional image representation of the outer surfaces of the anatomical portion of the patient and the distal portion of a marker, from a negative impression of the anatomical portion of the patient in which a distal end portion of a marker was positioned, the negative impression having a proximal end portion of the marker embedded therein;
• overlaying and aligning the 3-dimensional image of the representation of the outer surfaces of the anatomical portion of the patient and of the distal portion of the marker, with the pre-operative 3-dimensional image of the patient anatomy, to create a composite image on a display;
• and
• verifying, with reference to the composite image, the position and orientation of an opening in the anatomical portion of the patient relative to the internal tissues, wherein the position and orientation of the opening corresponds to the position and orientation of the marker in the negative impression.