Volumetric image guidance via a stereotactic endoscope

Abstract

We have developed a surgical setup based on modem frameless stereotactic techniques that enables surgeons to visualize the field of view of the surgical endoscope, overlaid with the real-time and volumetrically reconstructed medical images, of a localized area of the patient's anatomy. Using this navigation system, the surgeon visualizes the surgical site via the surgical endoscope, while exploring the inner layers of the patient's anatomy by utilizing the three-dimensionally reconstructed image updates obtained by pre-operative images, such as Magnetic Resonance and/or Computed Tomography Imaging. This system also allows the surgeon to virtually “fly through and around” the site of the surgery to visualize several alternatives and qualitatively determine the best surgical approach. Moving endoscopes are tracked with infra-red stereovision cameras and diodes, allowing the determination of their spatial relation to the target lesion and the fiducial based patient/image registration.