Imaging system and method for image localization of surgical effectors using C-arm characterization parameters
A method for acquiring an X-ray image of anatomical features and surgical effectors in a surgical space of a patient includes detecting a particular pose of a particular C-arm used to acquire the X-ray of the surgical space. Characterization parameters of the particular C-arm in the particular pose are determined and incorporated into equations implemented in imaging software that is operable to generate an image of the anatomical features and surgical effectors in the surgical space. When the live X-ray of the surgical space is acquired, the imaging software generates a live image of the anatomical features and surgical effectors as a function of the characterization parameters to account for potential deviations due to the pose of the C-arm. In another feature, a potential error in the imaging process can be visually or automatically detected.
1 . A method for acquiring an X-ray image of anatomical features and surgical effectors in a surgical space of a patient, comprising:
detecting the position of one or more surgical effectors in the surgical space and generating position data therefor;
detecting a particular pose of a particular C-arm for acquiring a live X-ray of the surgical space, the particular C-arm including an X-ray emitter and an X-ray detector, the detector including an array of a plurality of pixels activatable by an X-ray cone beam from the emitter;
accessing a database of a plurality of characterization parameters of the particular C-arm that include a number of parameters that are unique to the particular C-arm and that are dependent on the pose of the particular C-arm in a plurality of predetermined poses of the particular C-arm, wherein the characterization parameters determine the position of the cone beam;
determining if the particular pose corresponds to one of the plurality of predetermined poses and
if so, obtaining the characterization parameters of the particular C-arm in the particular pose and incorporating the characterization parameters into one or more equations implemented in imaging software, stored and implemented by an image processing device, to establish the position of the cone beam and generate an image of the anatomical features and surgical effectors in the surgical space detected by the particular C-arm, or
if not, obtaining the characterization parameters of the particular C-arm in two or more of said plurality of predetermined poses that are closest to said particular pose and then interpolating characterization parameters corresponding to said particular pose from the characterization parameters corresponding to the two or more of said plurality of predetermined poses and incorporating the interpolated characterization parameters into said one or more equations implemented in imaging software to generate the image of the anatomical features and surgical effectors in the surgical space detected by the particular C-arm, wherein;
the image is represented by pixels of the detector activated by the X-ray cone beam,
the locations of the pixels activated by the X-ray cone beam are determined by the one or more equations as a function of the position data and the characterization parameters of the particular C-arm in the particular pose that determine the position of the X-ray cone beam, and
the one or more equations are operable to determine the locations of the pixels corresponding to the anatomical features and the surgical effectors detected by the X-ray cone beam in the surgical space;
acquiring a live X-ray of the surgical space;
operating the imaging software to generate a live image of the anatomical features and surgical effectors in the surgical space based on the locations of the pixels activated by the X-ray cone beam as determined by the one or more equations as a function of the characterization parameters; and
displaying the live image.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the database includes a database of a plurality of characterization parameters for a plurality of C-arms; and
the steps of obtaining characterization parameters includes identifying the particular C-arm and obtaining only characterization parameters unique to the particular C-arm.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of accessing a database includes accessing the database stored at a location separate from the imaging processing device.
4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the step of accessing a database includes accessing the database stored in one of the C-arm and the Cloud.
5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
performing a characterization check before the step of detecting a particular pose of a particular C-arm for acquiring a live X-ray, the characterization check including;
placing the C-arm in a current pose corresponding to a predetermined pose;
determining the characterization parameters of the particular C-arm in the current pose;
obtaining the characterization parameters for the predetermined pose;
comparing the characterization parameters for the current pose to the characterization parameters for the predetermined pose;
indicating an error if the difference between the characterization parameters for the current pose and the characterization parameters for the predetermined pose exceeds a threshold.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of determining if the particular pose corresponds to one of the plurality of predetermined poses includes determining if the particular pose is within a predetermined angle of one of the plurality of predetermined poses.
7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the predetermined angle is three (3) degrees.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of interpolating characterization parameters includes performing a linear interpolation between the characterization parameters of two of the two or more of said plurality of predetermined poses.