Deformity-weighted registration of medical images

A computer implemented method which, when running on at least one processor on at least one computer, causes the at least one processor to:

• acquire planning image data which describes a three-dimensional medical image of an anatomical body part having an external surface;
• acquire current surface data which describes a current surface scan describing the external surface;
• acquire atlas data which describes a model of the external surface and confidence values for elements of the external surface which describe a probability for the geometry of the external surface to be subject to a change;
• determine confidence assignment data based on the atlas data and the current surface data, wherein the confidence assignment data describes an assignment of the confidence values for elements of the external surface described by the atlas data to the corresponding elements of the external surface described by the current surface scan;
• determine registration data based on the planning image data and the current surface data and the confidence assignment data,
• wherein the registration data describes a spatial relationship between the external surface described by the planning image data and the external surface described by the current surface data, and further
• wherein the spatial relationship is weighted for the elements of the external surface according to the confidence value assigned to the respective element.

A medical system, comprising:

• at least one processor on at least one computer which when executing instructions, causes the at least one processor to:
• acquire planning image data which describes a three-dimensional medical image of an anatomical body part having an external surface;
• acquire current surface data which describes a current surface scan describing the external surface;
• acquire atlas data which describes a model of the external surface and confidence values for elements of the external surface which describe a probability for the geometry of the external surface to be subject to a change;
• determine confidence assignment data based on the atlas data and the current surface data, wherein the confidence assignment data describes an assignment of the confidence values for elements of the external surface described by the atlas data to the corresponding elements of the external surface described by the current surface scan;
• determine registration data based on the planning image data and the current surface data and the confidence assignment data,
• wherein the registration data describes a spatial relationship between the external surface described by the planning image data and the external surface described by the current surface data, and further
• wherein the spatial relationship is weighted for the elements of the external surface according to the confidence value assigned to the respective element.
• at least one electronic data storage device storing at least planning surface data and atlas data;
• and
• a surface acquiring device for acquiring the current surface data, wherein the at least one computer is operably coupled to
• the at least one electronic data storage device for acquiring, from the at least one electronic data storage device, at least the planning image data and the atlas data, and
• the surface acquiring device for acquiring, from the surface acquiring device, the current surface data.