Fluoroscopic tracking and visualization system
AssigneeGE Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC
InventorsTeresa Seeley, Faith Lin, Tina Kapur, Gene Gregerson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for surgical imaging and display including (i.) positioning a defined set of markers disposed in a pattern so as to be imaged in each pose or view of an imaging assembly, the set of markers being fixed in pre-determined positions in a rigid carrier, (ii.) securing a first tracking element against motion with respect to the rigid carrier so that determining a position of the first tracking element in a single measurement determines positions of all the markers of the set, and (iii.) identifying images of at least a subset of the markers in a first view.
Claims19
A method for surgical imaging and display of the type including an imaging assembly having an x-ray source and detector, for displaying an image for surgical guidance, wherein the method comprises the steps of:
- positioning a defined set of markers disposed in a pattern so as to be imaged in each pose or view of the imaging assembly, the set of markers being fixed in pre-determined positions in a rigid carrier;
- securing a first tracking element against motion with respect to the rigid carrier so that determining a position of the first tracking element in a single measurement determines positions of all the markers of the set;
- and
- identifying images of at least a subset of the markers in a first view.
A method for surgical imaging and display of tissue structures of a patient, comprising:
- affixing a fixture to an imaging side of a fluoroscope for providing patterns of an array of markers that are imaged in each fluoroscope image;
- deriving at least one image in a display from a fluoroscope during a surgical procedure;
- securing at least one of a plurality of tracking elements against motion with respect to the fixture;
- determining positions of the fixture and the patient through a tracking assembly having a plurality of tracking elements so that determining a position of the at least one of the plurality of tracking elements determines a position of each of the array of markers in a single measurement;
- and
- displaying images in coordination with a tool image to facilitate manipulation of a tool during the surgical procedure.
A method of fluoroscopic imaging using a fluoroscope that includes a source and an image detector, said method comprising:
- disposing a fixture having a three dimensional array of markers over a region in a rigid body that is positioned between the source and the detector,
- automatically imaging the three dimensional array of markers as an image is acquired by the fluoroscope;
- associating a first tracking element with a tool;
- associating a second tracking element with a patient;
- associating a third tracking element with the image detector;
- associating a fourth tracking element with the fixture;
- and
- configuring the tracking elements to automatically determine position data for each of the tool, patient, image detector and fixture relative to one another.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.