Intra-operative determination of dimensions for fabrication of artificial bone flap

1. A method for calculating, in a processor, dimensions for fabricating an artificial bone flap, the method comprising:

obtaining, using a portable three-dimensional (3D) scanner, intra-operative data indicating dimensions of an opening in a portion of the patient's skull, the intra-operative data including a 3D surface scan of the portion of the patient's skull including the opening and including a first plurality of reference points located on or near the patient;

obtaining a 3D reference image of at least the portion of the patient's skull without the opening, the 3D reference image including a second plurality of reference points that at least partly overlap with the first plurality of reference points;

calculating 3D dimensions of the opening using the intra-operative data, the intra-operative data being registered to the reference image on the basis of the overlapping reference points; and

storing, in a memory in communication with the processor, the calculated 3D dimensions for fabricating the artificial bone flap by a fabrication system.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reference image is obtained prior to creation of the opening in the portion of the patient's skull.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reference image is generated using the intra-operative data by estimating a 3D surface of the portion of the patient's skull without the opening.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein calculating the 3D dimensions comprises:

registering the 3D surface scan with the reference image using the overlapping reference points; and

calculating the 3D dimensions from the difference between the 3D image data and the reference image.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the overlapping reference points include a plurality of fiducial markers placed on or near the patient, the fiducial markers being trackable using a tracking system.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising fabricating the artificial bone flap by the fabrication system.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the calculated 3D dimensions are provided as a digital 3D model to the fabrication system.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein multiple sets of 3D dimensions are provided, at least one set being a scaled-down version of the calculated 3D dimensions.

9. A method for calculating, in a processor, dimensions for fabricating an artificial bone flap, the method comprising:

obtaining intra-operative data indicating dimensions of an opening in a portion of the patient's skull;

obtaining a three-dimensional (3D) reference image of at least the portion of the patient's skull without the opening;

calculating 3D dimensions of the opening using the intra-operative data, the intra-operative data being registered to the reference image; and

storing, in a memory in communication with the processor, the calculated 3D dimensions for fabricating the artificial bone flap by a fabrication system.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the reference image is obtained prior to creation of the opening in the portion of the patient's skull.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the reference image is generated using the intra-operative data by estimating a 3D surface of the portion of the patient's skull without the opening.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the intra-operative data is registered to the reference image on the basis of a plurality of reference points captured in both the intra-operative data and the reference image.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the reference points include a plurality of fiducial markers placed on or near the patient, the fiducial markers being trackable using a tracking system.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein obtaining the intra-operative data comprises:

obtaining 3D image data of a portion of the patient's skull including the opening.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein a portable 3D scanner is used to obtain the 3D image data, and the 3D image data is a 3D surface scan.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein calculating the 3D dimensions comprises:

registering the 3D surface scan with the reference image; and

calculating the 3D dimensions from the difference between the 3D image data and the reference image.

17. The method of claim 9 wherein obtaining the intra-operative data comprises:

obtaining a set of points that spatially approximate the opening.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the set of points are spatially defined in a coordinate system of the reference image.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein calculating the 3D dimensions comprises:

defining a boundary of the opening based on the set of points, the boundary being registered to the reference image; and

calculating the 3D dimensions of the patient's skull in the reference image that is bounded by the boundary.

20. The method of claim 9 wherein obtaining intra-operative data comprises:

determining a boundary of the opening in a two-dimensional (2D) intra-operative image.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the 2D intra-operative image is registered with the reference image.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein calculating the 3D dimensions comprises:

determining the boundary of the opening, the boundary being registered to the reference image; and

calculating the 3D dimensions of the patient's skull in the reference image that is bounded by the boundary.

23. A system for calculating dimensions for fabricating an artificial bone flap, the system comprising a processor configured to execute instructions to cause the system to carry out the method of claim 1 .