System and method for intra-operative, image-based, interactive verification of a pre-operative surgical plan

A system for generating simulated data, comprising:

• a medical imaging camera for generating images;
• a registration device for registering data to a physical space, and to said medical imaging camera;
• a fusion mechanism for fusing said data and said images to generate simulated data;
• and
• another medical imaging camera for collecting said data,
• wherein said medical imaging camera collects said images.

A system for generating simulated post-operative data, comprising:

• an imaging camera;
• a registration device for registering data to a physical space, and to the imaging camera;
• and
• a fusion mechanism for fusing said data and intra-operative images to generate simulated data,
• wherein said simulated data comprises multiple alternative post-operative conditions.

A system for generating simulated post-operative data, comprising:

• an imaging camera;
• a registration device for registering data to a physical space, and to the imaging camera;
• a fusion mechanism for fusing said data and intra-operative images to generate simulated data;
• a calibration mechanism for calibrating said imaging camera;
• and
• another imaging camera for collecting said pre-operative images, wherein said imaging camera collects said intra-operative images,
• wherein data comprises pre-operative images and other pre-operative data, and wherein said simulated data comprises simulated post-operative images.

A system for providing intra-operative visual evaluations of potential surgical outcomes, using medical images, comprising:

• a first medical imaging camera for collecting pre-operative images;
• a second medical imaging camera for collecting intra-operative images, while a surgery is being performed;
• a registration mechanism for registering said pre-operative images and other pre-operative data to a physical space, and to said second medical imaging camera;
• and
• a fusion mechanism for fusing said pre-operative data and said intra-operative images to generate simulated post-operative images.

A system for providing advice to a surgeon without requiring physical manipulation of objects inside and in a vicinity of a patient, said system comprising:

• a manipulation device for manipulating one or a plurality of virtual objects;
• a registration mechanism for registering the one or plurality of virtual objects to a physical space, and to an imaging camera;
• and
• a fusion mechanism for fusing the one or plurality of virtual objects with an inter-operative image,
• wherein said fusion mechanism generates images representing multiple simulated alternative post-operative conditions.

A robotically-assisted surgical system, comprising:

• a surgical robot;
• a first medical imaging camera for collecting pre-operative data;
• a second medical imaging camera for collecting intra-operative images;
• a registration mechanism for registering said pre-operative data to the surgical robot, and to the second medical imaging camera;
• and
• a fusion mechanism for fusing said pre-operative data and said intra-operative images to generate simulated data.

A system for comparing a plurality of methods for registering pre-operative data with a physical space, comprising:

• a first medical imaging device for collecting pre-operative data;
• a second medical imaging device for collecting intra-operative images;
• an image registration mechanism for registering the second medical imaging device to a physical space;
• a plurality of pre-operative-data-to-physical-space registration mechanisms for registering said pre-operative data to the physical space;
• and
• a fusion mechanism for fusing said pre-operative data, that are registered using the plurality pre-operative-data-to-physical-space registration mechanisms, and said intra-operative images, to generate new images.

A system for assisting a surgeon in a registration of pre-operative data with a physical space, comprising:

• means for collecting pre-operative data;
• means for collecting intra-operative images;
• an image registration mechanism for registering the intra-operative image collecting means to a physical space;
• a plurality of pre-operative-data-to-physical-space registration mechanisms for registering said pre-operative data to the physical space;
• a fusion mechanism for fusing said pre-operative data, that are registered using the plurality of pre-operative-data-to-physical-space registration mechanisms, and said intra-operative images, to generate new images;
• and
• a constraint mechanism for specifying positional constraints on a three-dimensional position of a physical object that is moved during surgery,
• wherein said new images comprise images representing multiple alternative post-operative conditions.

A system for assisting a surgeon in a registration of pre-operative data with a physical space, comprising:

• means for collecting pre-operative data;
• means for collecting intra-operative images;
• an image registration mechanism for registering the intra-operative image collecting means to a physical space;
• a plurality of pre-operative-data-to-physical-space registration mechanisms for registering said pre-operative data to the physical space;
• a fusion mechanism for fusing said pre-operative data, that are registered using the plurality of pre-operative-data-to-physical-space registration mechanisms, and said intra-operative images, to generate new images;
• a constraint mechanism for specifying positional constraints on a three-dimensional position of a physical object that is moved during surgery;
• and
• a refinement mechanism for refining a surgical plan by refining the constraints on the three-dimensional position of a physical object that is moved during surgery.

A robotically-assisted surgical system, comprising:

• a surgical robot;
• an image registration mechanism for registering a medical imaging camera to a physical space;
• a plurality of pre-operative-data-to-physical-space registration mechanisms for registering pre-operative data to the physical space;
• a fusion mechanism for fusing said pre-operative data, that are registered using the plurality of pre-operative-data-to-physical-space registration mechanisms, and intra-operative images produced by said imaging camera, to generate new images;
• and
• a refinement mechanism for refining a surgical plan by refining constraints on a three-dimensional position of a physical object that is moved during surgery,
• wherein said new images comprise images representing multiple alternative post-operative conditions.

A system for assessing accuracy of a proposed execution of a pre-operative surgical plan, comprising:

• an image device for obtaining intra-operative images of an anatomical feature of interest;
• and
• a data processor for computing a projection of a pre-operative three-dimensional model of an implant or planned trajectory onto the intra-operative image,
• wherein said intra-operative image comprises an image representing multiple alternative post-operative conditions.

A method of generating simulated data, comprising:

• registering data to a physical space, and to a medical imaging camera;
• and
• fusing said data and said images to generate simulated data,
• wherein said simulated data comprises multiple alternative post-operative conditions.

A method of generating simulated post-operative data, comprising:

• collecting pre-operative data and collecting intra-operative images;
• registering said pre-operative data to a physical space, and to a medical imaging camera;
• and
• fusing said pre-operative data and said intra-operative images to generate simulated post-operative data,
• wherein said simulated post-operative data comprises multiple alternative post-operative conditions.

A method of generating simulated post-operative data, comprising:

• collecting pre-operative data and collecting intra-operative images;
• registering said pre-operative data to a physical space, and to a medical imaging camera;
• fusing said pre-operative data and said intra-operative images to generate simulated post-operative data;
• and
• calibrating the medical imaging camera,
• wherein the pre-operative data comprises data of a surgical plan including a position of a component, and a three-dimensional shape of said component.

A signal-bearing medium tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a digital processing apparatus to perform a method for computer-implemented generating of simulated data, comprising:

• registering data to a physical space, and to a medical imaging camera;
• and
• fusing said data and said images to generate simulated data,
• wherein said simulated data comprises multiple alternative post-operative conditions.

A signal-bearing medium tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a digital processing apparatus to perform a method for computer-implemented generating simulated post-operative data, comprising:

• collecting pre-operative data and collecting intra-operative images;
• registering said pre-operative data to a physical space, and to a medical imaging camera;
• and
• fusing said pre-operative data and said intra-operative images to generate simulated post-operative data,
• wherein said simulated post-operative data comprises multiple alternative post-operative conditions.

A system for generating simulated data, comprising:

• a medical imaging camera for generating images;
• a registration device for registering data to a physical space, and to said medical imaging camera;
• and
• a fusion mechanism for fusing said data and said images to generate simulated data,
• wherein said fusion mechanism fuses by projecting a silhouette curve of said data by considering in turn each new pixel, determining a line in three-dimensions corresponding to that pixel by image calibration, computing a distance from a line to the simhouette curve, and assigning a pixel gray-scale value depending on the distance.