Method and system for estimating a deflated lung shape for video assisted thoracic surgery

1. A method, implemented on a computing device having at least one processor, storage, and a communication platform capable of connecting to a network for surgical procedure assistance, comprising:

obtaining a first volume of air inside a lung based on a first image of the lung captured prior to a surgical procedure, wherein the lung has a first shape on the first image;

capturing a video image of the lung during the surgical procedure;

computing, via registering the captured video image with the first image, a second volume of air deflated from the lung;

estimating a second shape of the lung based on the first shape of the lung, the first air volume inside the lung, and the second volume of air deflated from the lung, the second shape being estimated by condensing a plurality of voxels in the first image along a gravity direction; and

updating a surgical plan based on the estimated second shape of the lung.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the surgical procedure includes a video assisted thoracic surgery (VATS), and the first image includes a computed tomography (CT) image.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

obtaining an angle of rotation of the lung from a first position at which the first image was captured to a second position at which the video image was captured; and

adjusting the first shape of the lung on the first image based on the angle of rotation, wherein the second shape of the lung is estimated based on the adjusted first shape of the lung, the first volume, and the second volume.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein computing the second volume of the air comprises:

obtaining at least the video image having the lung and surrounding structures;

extracting features from at least the video image;

reconstructing three dimensional (3D) coordinates of the lung and the surrounding structures based on the features; and

estimating a third volume of space between the lung and the surrounding structures based on the 3D coordinates.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein computing the second volume of the air comprises:

estimating a plurality of simulated second shapes of the lung as a function of a deflation control parameter;

determining one of the plurality of simulated second shapes of the lung based on the video image of the lung; and

determining the deflation control parameter associated with the determined simulated second shape of the lung.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein estimating the second shape of the lung comprises:

calculating a third volume of air inside the lung during the surgical procedure based on the second volume; and

determining a ratio between the first volume and the third volume.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein estimating the second shape of the lung further comprises:

estimating, for each voxel of the plurality of voxels included in the first shape of the lung on the first image, the first volume of air inside each voxel based on an intensity of each voxel;

calculating the second volume of air inside each voxel based on the first volume of air inside the voxel and the ratio; and

condensing the plurality of voxels along the gravity direction based on the second volume of air inside each voxel.

8. A system for surgical procedure assistance, comprising:

at least one processor configured to:

obtain a first volume of air inside a lung based on a first image of the lung captured prior to a surgical procedure, wherein the lung has a first shape on the first image;

capture a video image of the lung during the surgical procedure;

compute, via registering the captured video image with the first image, a second volume of air deflated from the lung;

estimate a second shape of the lung based on the first shape of the lung, the first air volume inside the lung, and the second volume of air deflated from the lung, the second shape being estimated by condensing a plurality of voxels in the first image along a gravity direction; and

update a surgical plan based on the estimated second shape of the lung.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the surgical procedure includes a video assisted thoracic surgery (VATS), and the first image includes a computed tomography (CT) image.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

obtain an angle of rotation of the lung from a first position at which the first image was captured to a second position at which the video image was captured; and

adjust the first shape of the lung on the first image based on the angle of rotation, wherein the second shape of the lung is estimated based on the adjusted first shape of the lung, the first volume, and the second volume.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

obtain at least the video image having the lung and surrounding structures;

extract features from at least the video image;

reconstruct three dimensional (3D) coordinates of the lung and the surrounding structures based on the features; and

estimate a third volume of space between the lung and the surrounding structures based on the 3D coordinates.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

estimate a plurality of simulated second shapes of the lung as a function of a deflation control parameter;

determine one of the plurality of simulated second shapes of the lung based on the video image of the lung; and

determine the deflation control parameter associated with the determined simulated second shape of the lung.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

calculate a third volume of air inside the lung during the surgical procedure based on the second volume; and

determine a ratio between the first volume and the third volume.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

estimate, for each voxel of the plurality of voxels included in the first shape of the lung on the first image, the first volume of air inside each voxel based on an intensity of each voxel;

calculate the second volume of air inside each voxel based on the first volume of air inside the voxel and the ratio; and

condense the plurality of voxels along the gravity direction based on the second volume of air inside each voxel.

15. A non-transitory machine readable medium having information recorded thereon for surgical procedure assistance, wherein the information, when read by a machine, causes the machine to perform the steps of:

obtaining a first volume of air inside a lung based on a first image of the lung captured prior to a surgical procedure, wherein the lung has a first shape on the first image;

capturing a video image of the lung during the surgical procedure;

computing, via registering the captured video image with the first image, a second volume of air deflated from the lung;

estimating a second shape of the lung based on the first shape of the lung, the first air volume inside the lung, and the second volume of air deflated from the lung, the second shape being estimated by condensing a plurality of voxels in the first image along a gravity direction; and

updating a surgical plan based on the estimated second shape of the lung.

16. The medium of claim 15 , wherein the surgical procedure includes a video assisted thoracic surgery (VATS), and the first image includes a computed tomography (CT) image.

17. The medium of claim 15 , wherein the information, when read by the machine, causes the machine to further perform the steps of:

obtaining an angle of rotation of the lung from a first position at which the first image was captured to a second position at which the video image was captured; and

adjusting the first shape of the lung on the first image based on the angle of rotation, wherein the second shape of the lung is estimated based on the adjusted first shape of the lung, the first volume, and the second volume.

18. The medium of claim 15 , wherein computing the second volume of the air comprises:

obtaining at least the video image having the lung and surrounding structures;

extracting features from at least the video image;

reconstructing three dimensional (3D) coordinates of the lung and the surrounding structures based on the features; and

estimating a third volume of space between the lung and the surrounding structures based on the 3D coordinates.

19. The medium of claim 15 , wherein computing the second volume of the air comprises:

estimating a plurality of simulated second shapes of the lung as a function of a deflation control parameter;

determining one of the plurality of simulated second shapes of the lung based on the video image of the lung; and

determining the deflation control parameter associated with the determined simulated second shape of the lung.

20. The medium of claim 15 , wherein estimating the second shape of the lung comprises:

calculating a third volume of air inside the lung during the surgical procedure based on the second volume; and

determining a ratio between the first volume and the third volume.

21. The medium of claim 20 , wherein estimating the second shape of the lung further comprises:

estimating, for each voxel of the plurality of voxels included in the first shape of the lung on the first image, the first volume of air inside each voxel based on an intensity of each voxel;

calculating the second volume of air inside each voxel based on the first volume of air inside the voxel and the ratio; and

condensing the plurality of voxels along the gravity direction based on the second volume of air inside each voxel.