Hybrid registration method
View Patent ↗A registration method whereby a sensor-based approach is used to establish initial registration and whereby upon the commencement of navigating an endoscope, image-based registration methods are used in order to more accurately maintain the registration between the endoscope location and previously-acquired images. A six-degree-of-freedom location sensor is placed on the probe in order to reduce the number of previously-acquired images that must be compared to a real-time image obtained from the endoscope.
1. A method of navigating a probe through a branched network of lumens of a patient comprising:
compiling a database of images of said branched network of lumens prior to a navigating procedure;
placing a probe containing a sensor at a distal end thereof into said branched network;
receiving probe location data from said sensor; and,
using at least said probe location data to select an image from said database to display to a user navigating said probe, said image being representative of a location of said probe, by using said probe location data to create a subgroup of images from said database, said subgroup containing only images that correspond to a vicinity of said probe location.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein compiling a database of images of said branched network of lumens prior to a navigating procedure comprises compiling a plurality of CT scans.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein placing a probe containing a sensor at a distal end thereof into said branched network comprises placing a probe containing a six degree of freedom sensor at a distal end thereof into said branched network.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein placing a probe containing a sensor at a distal end thereof into said branched network comprises placing an endoscope containing a sensor at a distal end thereof into said branched network.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving probe location data from said sensor comprises receiving said probe's location and orientation from said sensor.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein placing a probe containing a sensor at a distal end thereof into said branched network comprises placing an endoscope containing a sensor at a distal end thereof into said branched network.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein using at least said probe location data to select an image from said database to display to a user navigating said probe, said image being representative of a location of said probe further comprises matching a real-time image from said endoscope to an image from said subgroup.