Methods associated with MRI surgical systems for real-time visualizations using MRI image data and predefined data of surgical tools

A method of operating an MRI-guided surgical system, comprising:

• electronically segmenting MRI image data to locate predefined physical characteristics of at least one surgical tool in MR image data provided by an MRI scanner during an MRI-guided surgery whereby the at least one tool constitutes a point of interface with the system;
• and
• displaying a User Interface on a display that defines workflow progression for an MRI-guided surgical procedure and allows a user to select steps in the workflow;
• and
• generating visualizations using predefined data of the at least one tool and the segmented MRI image data of the patient in substantially real time during the surgical procedure,
• wherein the displaying comprises displaying a location or coordinates or a location and coordinates of a desired location associated with a flexible grid attached to a skull of a patient that provides a desired burr hole location for a trajectory entry path through the skull of a patient.

A method of operating an MRI-guided surgical system, comprising:

• electronically recognizing predefined physical characteristics of at least one surgical tool to automatically segment MR image data provided by an MRI scanner during an MRI-guided surgery whereby the at least one tool constitutes a point of interface with the system;
• and
• displaying a User Interface on a display that defines workflow progression for an MRI-guided surgical procedure and allows a user to select steps in the workflow;
• and
• generating visualizations using predefined data of the at least one tool and data from MRI images of the patient in substantially real time during the surgical procedure,
• wherein the displaying the User Interface comprises accepting input of an identifier associated with the at least one tool and blocking use of the system if the identifier of the at least one tool indicates that it is not an authorized tool or that the at least one tool has a version that is not compatible with the system.

A method of operating an MRI-guided surgical system, comprising:

• electronically recognizing predefined physical characteristics of at least one surgical tool to automatically segment MR image data provided by an MRI scanner during an MRI-guided surgery whereby the at least one tool constitutes a point of interface with the system;
• and
• displaying a User Interface on a display that defines workflow progression for an MRI-guided surgical procedure and allows a user to select steps in the workflow;
• and
• generating visualizations using predefined data of the at least one tool and data from MRI images of the patient in substantially real time during the surgical procedure,
• wherein the at least one tool comprises a flexible patch with a grid, and wherein the electronically recognizing step comprises segmenting MRI image data to locate the patch in an MR volume, wherein the generating visualizations includes generating a visualization presented on the display which shows the patch as an overlay on a patient with defined grid coordinates for a surgical entry site.

A method of operating an MRI-guided surgical system, comprising:

• displaying a User Interface on at least one display that defines workflow progression for an MRI-guided surgical procedure and allows a user to select steps in the workflow;
• and
• generating visualizations using predefined data of the at least one tool and data from MRI images of the patient in substantially real time during the surgical procedure,
• wherein the system is a brain surgery system, wherein the at least one tool comprises a flexible brain surgery patch configured to reside on a patient's skull, and wherein the method comprises:
• electronically identifying a position and orientation of the patch on the patient based on predefined physical characteristics of the patch;
• and
• electronically deforming an electronic model of the patch to fit curvature of a patient's skull, wherein the displaying comprises displaying a visual overlay of the patch on the skull of the patient on the at least one display.

A method of operating an MRI-guided surgical system, comprising:

• electronically recognizing predefined physical characteristics of at least one surgical tool to automatically segment MR image data provided by an MRI scanner during an MRI-guided surgery whereby the at least one tool constitutes a point of interface with the system;
• and
• displaying a User Interface on a display that defines workflow progression for an MRI-guided surgical procedure and allows a user to select steps in the workflow;
• and
• generating visualizations using predefined data of the at least one tool and data from MRI images of the patient in substantially real time during the surgical procedure,
• wherein the system is a brain surgery system, wherein the at least one tool is a brain surgery flexible grid patch configured to reside on a patient's head, wherein the method comprises presenting on the display, a user-selectable trajectory line to a deep brain location that intersects the grid and defines a location on the grid for marking a burr entry hole based on the desired trajectory line, and wherein the method further comprises generating an audible and/or visual warning when a user selects a trajectory line that does not intersect the grid.

A method of operating an MRI-guided surgical system, comprising:

• electronically segmenting MRI image data to locate predefined physical characteristics of at least one surgical tool in MR image data provided by an MRI scanner during an MRI-guided surgery whereby the at least one tool constitutes a point of interface with the system;
• and
• displaying a User Interface on a display that defines workflow progression for an MRI-guided surgical procedure and allows a user to select steps in the workflow;
• generating visualizations using predefined data of the at least one tool and the segmented MRI image data of the patient in substantially real time during the surgical procedure;
• and
• receiving data regarding a bore size of the MRI Scanner, and electronically monitoring for a physical limitation or interference of a surgical tool based on:
• (a) pre-defined physical characteristics of the surgical tool;
• (b) MRI scanner bore size;
• and (c) patient size;
• and
• generating an audible or visual warning or an audible and visual warning when the surgical tool will be blocked by physical interference with a wall defining at least a portion of the bore size of the MRI scanner.