Abstract: The invention relates to a calibration apparatus for calibrating a system for introducing an influencing element like a radiation source into an object, particularly for calibrating a brachytherapy system. First and second images show a longish introduction device (12) like a catheter and a tracking device (16) like an electromagnetically trackable guidewire inserted into the introduction device as far as possible, and the introduction device and a calibration element (46) having the same dimensions as the influencing element and being inserted into the introduction device as far as possible. A spatial relation between the tracking device and the calibration element is determined based on the images for calibrating the system. Knowing this spatial relation allows accurately determining an influencing plan like a brachytherapy treatment plan and accurately positioning the influencing element in accordance with the influencing plan, which in turn allows for a more accurate influencing of the object.

Abstract: An intervention system employing an interventional device (10), and a sensor wire (20) manually translatable within the lumen (11). The intervention system further employs a reconstruction controller (44) for reconstructing a shape of the interventional tool (10) responsive to a sensing of a manual translation of the sensor wire (20) within the lumen (11) (e.g., a EM sensor being attached to/embedded within a guide wire), and for determining a reconstruction accuracy of a translation velocity of the sensor wire (20) within the lumen (11) to thereby facilitate an accurate reconstruction of the shape of the interventional tool (10). The reconstruction accuracy may be determined by the reconstruction controller (44) as an acceptable translation velocity being less than an acceptable threshold, an unacceptable translation velocity being greater than an unacceptable threshold, and/or a borderline translation velocity being greater than the acceptable threshold and less than the unacceptable threshold.

Abstract: An electromagnetic field quality assurance system employing an electromagnetic field generator (10) for emitting an electromagnetic field (12), and one or more quality assurance electromagnetic sensors (11, 21, 31, 41, 50) for sensing the emission of the electromagnetic field (12). The system further employs a quality assurance controller (74) for assessing a tracking quality of the electromagnetic field (12) derived from a monitoring of a sensed position of each quality assurance electromagnetic sensor (11, 21, 31, 41, 50) within a field-of-view of the electromagnetic field (12). The electromagnetic field generator (10), an ultrasound probe (20), an ultrasound stepper (30) and/or a patient table (40) may be equipped with the quality assurance electromagnetic sensor(s) (11, 21, 31, 41, 50).

Abstract: A system for selecting a calibration includes a data structure (138) including non-transitory computer readable storage media having a plurality of calibration entries stored therein and indexed to position and/or orientation criteria for a field generator. The field generator is configured for placement in an environment for sensor tracking. A calibration selection module (140) is configured to determine a position and/or orientation of the field generator and, based on the position and/or orientation, determine, using the data structure, corresponding calibration information stored in the data structure. The calibration information is optimized based upon the position and/or orientation of the field generator.

Abstract: A system and method for medical device detection includes a guidance system (38) configured to deliver a surgical device (32) into a subject. A surgical device deployment detector (25, 40, 42, 44) is configured to cooperate with the guidance system and is configured to detect a deployment of the surgical device in the subject. A coordination module (22) is configured to receive input from the guidance system and the deployment detector to determine and record one or more of a location and time of each deployment.

Abstract: An interventional therapy system (100, 200, 300, 900) may include at least one catheter configured for insertion within an object of interest (OOI); and at least one controller (102, 202, 910) which: obtains a reference image dataset (540) comprising a plurality of image slices which form a three-dimensional image of the OOI, defines restricted areas (RAs) within the reference image dataset, determines location constraints for the at least one catheter in accordance with at least one of planned catheter intersection points, a peripheral boundary of the OOI and the RAs defined in the reference dataset, determines at least one of a position and an orientation of the distal end of the at least one catheter, and/or determines a planned trajectory for the at least one catheter in accordance with the determined at least one position and orientation for the at least one catheter and the location constraints.

Abstract: An interventional therapy system (100, 200, 300, 900) may include at least one controller (102, 202, 910) which may obtain a reference image dataset (540) of an object of interest (OOI); segment the reference image dataset to determine peripheral outlines (545) of the OOI in the plurality image slices; acquire a current image of the OOI (548) using an ultrasound probe (114, 224); select a peripheral outline (CBS, 545) of a selected image slice of the plurality of slices of the reference image dataset which is determined to correspond to the current image; and/or modify the selected peripheral outline of the image slice of the plurality of slices of the reference image dataset in accordance with at least one deformation vector (549).

Abstract: An intervention system employs an optical shape sensing tool (32) (e.g., a brachytherapy needle having embedded optical fiber(s) and a grid (50, 90) for guiding an insertion of the optical shape sensing tool (32) into an anatomical region relative to a grid coordinate system. The intervention system further employs a registration controller (74) for reconstructing a segment or an entirety of a shape of the optical shape sensing tool (32) relative to a needle coordinate system, and for registering the needle coordinate system to the grid coordinate system as a function of a reconstructed segment/entire shape of the optical shape sensing tool (32) relative to the grid (50, 90) (i.e., reconstruction of a segment/entire shape of the OSS needle inserted into/through the grid serving as a basis for the grid/needle coordinate system registration).

Abstract: A system, apparatus and method for mesh registration including an extraction of a preoperative anatomical mesh from a preoperative anatomical image based on a base topology of an anatomical mesh template, an extraction of an intraoperative anatomical mesh from an intraoperative anatomical image based on a preoperative topology of the preoperative anatomical mesh derived from the base topology of an anatomical mesh template, and a registration of the preoperative anatomical image and the intraoperative anatomical image based on a mapping correspondence between the preoperative anatomical mesh and the intraoperative anatomical mesh established by an intraoperative topology of the intraoperative anatomical mesh derived from the preoperative topology of the preoperative anatomical mesh.

Abstract: A system for local metal distortion correction for using an accurate electromagnetic tracking system in a medical environment comprises an electromagnetic field generator monitoring a medical device having a suitable sensor coil. A correction function, derived from an error correction tool, is applied to the position and orientation readings of the sensor coil. The error correction tool comprises a number of electromagnetic sensors arranged in a fixed and known geometric configuration and is placed surrounding the site of the medical procedure. Sensor data is displayed on an imaging system. In addition, a distortion mapping can be done utilizing optical sensors for relative positioning readings along with an electromagnetic tracking system sensor.

Abstract: The invention relates to a brachytherapy apparatus (1) for applying a brachytherapy to a living object. The brachytherapy apparatus comprises a planning unit (14) for determining a placing plan defining placing positions and placing times for one or several radiation sources within the living object and close to a target region. The placing plan is determined such that the placing times are within a treatment time window determined by a treatment time window determination unit (13), wherein within the treatment time window a change of a spatial parameter of the living object caused by swelling is minimized. An adverse influence on the brachytherapy due to swelling can thereby be minimized, which improves the quality of the brachytherapy.

Abstract: A method for interventional navigation using 3D contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) imaging includes acquiring a reference 3D CEUS volume and tracking information during a useful lifetime of a contrast enhancement agent administered to the anatomy. Real-time tracked tissue images are acquired during the interventional procedure. In addition, a corresponding CEUS multiplanar reconstruction (MPR) for at least one of the acquired real-time tracked tissue images is generated. At least one of the acquired real-time tracked tissue images is displayed along with the corresponding CEUS MPR. The displayed real-time tracked tissue image includes at least an image of the instrument within the desired portion of the anatomy and the CEUS MPR corresponds to the displayed real-time tracked tissue image. Thus, the contrast enhanced image information and tissue image information are concurrently display for the interventional navigation at least subsequent to the expiration of the contrast enhancement useful lifetime.

Abstract: Image co-registration (S390) entails: emitting energy, and responsively and dynamically acquiring images (216), the acquired images having a given dimensionality; selecting, repeatedly, and dynamically with the acquiring, from among the acquired images and, as a result of the selecting, changing, repeatedly, and dynamically, membership in a set (226) of images of the given dimensionality; and, synchronously with the change (S376), dynamically and iteratively registering the set to an image having a dimensionality higher than the given dimensionality. The co-registration is realizable with an imaging probe (140) for the acquiring, and a tracking system for tracking a location, and orientation, of the probe, the registering being specialized for the acquiring with the probe being dynamically, during the acquiring, any one or more of angulated, rotated and translated.

Abstract: The generation of the pattern and for the adaptation to the specific geometry requires a lot of manual work. It is an object of the invention to simplify the workflow for the clinician during treatment planning. This object is achieved by a treatment planning system configured for determining a set of catheter or needle insertion positions to be used during treatment comprising. The treatment planning system comprises an image providing module for providing a medical image from which at least one treatment target structure can be derived. Further the treatment planning system comprises a pattern providing module for providing one or a set of standard patterns for catheter or needle insertion comprising a plurality of catheter or needle insertion positions, wherein the catheter or needle positions relate to treatment positions in the at least one treatment target structure.

Abstract: The invention relates to a registration apparatus for registering an elongated introduction element (18), like a catheter or a needle, during an interventional procedure, for instance, a brachytherapy or a biopsy. A guide element (13) comprising at least one opening guides the introduction element when being introduced into a living being (2) through the opening. A temperature profile generation element (14) associated with the opening generates a characteristic temperature profile at the opening for being transferred to the introduction element when being present in the opening. A temperature determination unit (15) determines a temperature along the introduction element, and a registration unit (16) registers the introduction element, wherein the registering comprises identifying the transferred characteristic temperature profile on the introduction element based on the determined temperature.

Abstract: An electromagnetic (“EM”) tracking configuration system employs an EM quality assurance (“EMQA”) (30) and EM data coordination (“DC”) system (70). For the EMQA system (30), an EM sensor block (40) includes EM sensor(s) (22) positioned and oriented to represent a simulated electromagnetic tracking of interventional tool(s) inserted through electromagnetic sensor block (40) into an anatomical region. As an EM field generator (20) generates an EM field (21) encircling EM sensor(s) (22), an EMQA workstation (50) tests an EM tracking accuracy of an insertion of the interventional tool(s) through the EM sensor block (40) into the anatomical region.

Abstract: A system for automatic zone visualization employing an ultrasound probe (31) and an ultrasound imaging workstation (32). In operation, ultrasound probe (31) scans an anatomical region, and the ultrasound imaging workstation (32) tracks a generation of an ultrasound volume (42) of an anatomical structure within a patient space responsive to the scan of the anatomical region by the ultrasound probe (31). The ultrasound imaging workstation (32) further tracks a labeling of procedurally-defined zones of the anatomical structure within the ultrasound volume (42) derived from an ultrasound volume model (41) of the anatomical structure labeled with the procedurally-defined zones to thereby facilitate an ultrasound-guided visualization of the anatomical structure.

Abstract: Systems and methods for image registration includes an image feature detection module (116) configured to identify internal landmarks of a first image (110). An image registration and transformation module (118) is configured to compute a registration transformation, using a processor, to register a second image (112) with the first image based on surface landmarks to result in a registered image. A landmark identification module (120) is configured to overlay the internal landmarks onto the second image using the registration transformation, encompass each of the overlaid landmarks within a virtual object to identify corresponding landmark pairs in the registered image, and register the second image with the first image using the registered image with the identified landmarks.

Abstract: A method for deformable registration involves a reconstruction of a preoperative anatomical image (23) into a preoperative multi-zone image (41) including a plurality of color zones and a reconstruction of an intraoperative anatomical image (33) into an intraoperative multi-zone image (42) including the plurality of color zones, Each color zone represents a different variation of a non-uniform biomechanical property associated with the preoperative anatomical image (23) and the intraoperative anatomical image (33) or a different biomechanical property associated with the preoperative anatomical image (23) and the intraoperative anatomical image (33).

Abstract: An interventional tool stepper (30) employing a frame (31), a carriage (33), an optional gear assembly (32), and an optional grid template(34). The frame (31) is structurally configured to be positioned relative to an anatomical region for holding an interventional tool (40) relative to the anatomical region. The carriage (33) is structurally configured to hold the interventional tool (40) relative to the anatomical region. The gear assembly (32) is structurally configured to translate and/or rotate the carriage (33) relative to the frame (31). The grid template (34) is structurally configured to guide one or more additional interventional tools (41) relative to the anatomical region. The frame (31), the carriage (33), the optional gear assembly (32) and the optional grid template (34) have an electromagnetic-compatible material composition for minimizing any distortion by the interventional tool stepper (30) of an electromagnetic field.