Abstract: An integrated respiratory monitor and imaging device apparatus (10) is provided. The apparatus is useful for establishing pre-operative and intra-operative breath hold congruency in patients and for other interventional work. The apparatus (10) includes a respiratory monitor system (12) and an imaging device (14). The respiratory monitor system is adapted to engage a patient and generate a respiratory signal representative of a breath hold level of the patient during a breath hold. The imaging device (14) is adapted to scan the patient during the breath hold and generate a volumetric image data set of the patient. The respiratory sensor and imaging device are operatively connected to associate the respiratory signal representative of the breath hold level of the patient together with the volumetric image data set of the patient. A data storage device (64) is provided for storing a set of respiratory signals in association with a corresponding set of volumetric image data sets in the subject apparatus (10).

Abstract: A medical imaging system for conducting an image-guided medical procedure on a subject and a method for performing the same is provided. The system includes a medical imaging apparatus, such as a CT scanner, magnetic resonance imaging system, or ultrasonic imaging system, etc., for obtaining volumetric images of the subject. Through intervention planning techniques, an interventional procedure on a subject using the volumetric images is determined. A mechanical arm assembly disposed in proximity to the medical imaging apparatus carries out the interventional procedure. The mechanical arm assembly includes a base support, a distal end, a plurality of arm segments, and a plurality of joints between the arm segments for carrying out the interventional procedure. An end-effector is disposed at the distal end of the mechanical arm assembly. The end-effector includes gripping means for selectively gripping and releasing a surgical instrument during the interventional procedure.

Abstract: An integrated respiratory monitor and imaging device apparatus (10) is provided. The apparatus is useful for establishing pre-operative and intra-operative breath hold congruency in patients and for other interventional work. The apparatus (10) includes a respiratory monitor system (12) and an imaging device (14). The respiratory monitor system is adapted to engage a patient and generate a respiratory signal representative of a breath hold level of the patient during a breath hold. The imaging device (14) is adapted to scan the patient during the breath hold and generate a volumetric image data set of the patient. The respiratory sensor and imaging device are operatively connected to associate the respiratory signal representative of the breath hold level of the patient together with the volumetric image data set of the patient. A data storage device (64) is provided for storing a set of respiratory signals in association with a corresponding set of volumetric image data sets in the subject apparatus (10).

Abstract: A method (310) and apparatus (1) are provided for planning an executing minimally invasive procedures for in-vivo placement of objects within the body of a patient. The method and apparatus enable non-invasive pre-operation virtual seed placement and dose distribution planning using visualization information showing a patient's anatomy together with a set of single point targets (182) within the patient's body and a corresponding set of trajectories (184) through the skin and body of the patient leading to the selected target points. For enhanced visualization, multiplanar reformatted images (166, 168) are derived from CT image data sets and are angled to always contain the plane of the virtual needle (300) in the pseudo-axial image and its 90 degree slice counterpart. In an implementation stage, a stereotactic arm (40) spatially referenced to the patient's data set acts a needle guide (52) and is used to locate preplanned image planes containing virtual seed deposition points.

Abstract: A medical imaging system for conducting an image-guided medical procedure on a subject and a method for performing the same is provided. The system includes a medical imaging apparatus, such as a CT scanner, magnetic resonance imaging system, or ultrasonic imaging system, etc., for obtaining volumetric images of the subject. Through intervention planning techniques, an interventional procedure on a subject using the volumetric images is determined. A mechanical arm assembly disposed in proximity to the medical imaging apparatus carries out the interventional procedure. The mechanical arm assembly includes a base support, a distal end, a plurality of arm segments, and a plurality of joints between the arm segments for carrying out the interventional procedure. An end-effector is disposed at the distal end of the mechanical arm assembly. The end-effector includes gripping means for selectively gripping and releasing a surgical instrument during the interventional procedure.

Abstract: A patient supported on a patient support (12) is moved into a bore (22) of a planning imaging device, such as a CT scanner (20). A three-dimensional diagnostic image in three-dimensional diagnostic image space is generated and stored in a memory (130). The patient is repositioned outside of the bore with a region of interest in alignment with a real time imaging device, such as a fluoroscopic imaging device (40). A surgical planning instrument (60), such as a pointer or biopsy needle (62), is mounted on an articulated arm (64). As the instrument is inserted into the region of interest, fluoroscopic images are generated and stored in a memory (140). The coordinate systems of the CT scanner, the fluoroscopic device, and the surgical instrument are correlated (102, 104, 112, 120) such that the instrument is displayed on both the CT images (134) and the fluoroscopic images (50), such that cursors move concurrently along the fluoroscopic and CT images, and the like.

Abstract: A frameless stereotactic CT scanner includes a virtual needle display for planning image-guided interventional procedures. The virtual needle is useful for planning the introduction of an object such as a biopsy probe into a patient at an entry point along a trajectory to a target point within the patient. Using an imaging device, the patient is scanned to generate an image volume data set of an area of the patient. Using a stereotactic mechanical arm assembly mounted on one end to the imaging device, a surgical planning device is positioned adjacent the patient on the imaging device. A display includes a first transverse axial view of the patient taking through an image slice corresponding to the virtual needle entry point on the patient and, a second transverse axial view of the patient taken on an image slice of the image volume data set corresponding to a target point within the patient.

Abstract: A frameless stereotactic tomographic scanner includes an imaging device defining a coordinate system in scanner space (.PI.). A localizer device includes a base portion mounted in a fixed relationship to the imaging device and a free end adapted for selective movement into varied positions near a patient body disposed on the imaging device. A position transducer associated with the localizer device generates, in a localizer space (), localizer device tip location information as the localizer device is moved near the patient body. A localizer space to scanner space transform processor converts the localizer tip location information to converted localizer tip location information in an image space (). The imaging device is adapted to generate patient body image information in the image space () regarding the patient body disposed on the device. A display unit is included for displaying the patient body image information together with the localizer tip position information on a human readable display monitor.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus (18) includes a frameless stereotactic arm apparatus (30) including a first base portion (42) mounted in a fixed relationship to the imaging device. A second free end (40) of the arm assembly is adapted to move into varied positions near a specimen disposed on the imaging apparatus. At least one pivot joint (44, 48, 52, 56, 60) is provided between the first base portion and the free end of the arm for permitting selective relevant movement between the arm members. Electro-mechanical and electro-magnetic brake devices are provided at respective joints to selectively lock the free end of the arm assembly to the base portion. The brakes are responsive to a brake command signal (210) generated by the imaging device. A low pass filter (240) conditions the brake command signal to substantially eliminate high frequency electromagnetic switching noise in the stereotactic arm.

Abstract: A stereotactic guide apparatus 100 is provided for use with a CT scanner device 18 for guiding the entry of a probe into a patient's body. The CT scanner device is provided with a stereotactic arm member 30 having a first base end 42 connected to the CT scanner device 18 and a second free end 40 movable relative to the CT scanner device. The stereotactic surgical instrument guide apparatus includes a first end effector member 106 including a guide channel 152 defining a probe insertion path 150. The surgical instrument guidance device further includes a second end effector member 104 on the free end of the stereotactic arm member and including a laser light source 108 generating a light guide beam along the probe insertion path 150.

Abstract: A CT scanner non-invasively examines a volumetric region and generates voxel values. A user adjustable 3D axis system defines mutually orthogonal sections and volume reprojections thus defining a cross reference relation between them. An affine transform translates and rotates the axis system from object space to image space whereby each axis defines the orientation of origin intersecting sections in one view port and the viewing direction of volume reprojections in another view port. An operator console selects an angular orientation of the coordinate axis. A cursor position designates coordinates in image space causing the cursor, typically crossed axes, to be displayed on a monitor at a corresponding location in each displayed image. The view port rotation and translation of the projected crossed cursors are reverse affine transformed to rotate and translate the axis system.

Abstract: A CT scanner (A) non-invasively examines a volumetric region of a subject and generates volumetric image data indicative thereof. An object memory (B) stores the data values corresponding to each voxel of the volume region. An affine transform algorithm (60) operates on the visible faces (24, 26, 28) of the volumetric region to translate the faces from object space to projections of the faces onto a viewing plane in image space. An operator control console (E) includes operator controls for selecting an angular orientation of a projection image of the volumetric region relative to a viewing plane, i.e. a plane of the video display (20). A cursor positioning trackball (90) inputs i- and j-coordinate locations in image space which are converted (92) into a cursor crosshair display (30) on the projection image (22). A depth dimension k between the viewing plane and the volumetric region in a viewing direction perpendicular to the viewing plane is determined (74).