Anatomical image projection system

1. A projection system for image projection of anatomical features on a subject, comprising

a plurality of intraoperative position markers ( 10 ) removably disposed on a first body surface ( 6 );

a moveable first detector ( 12 ) for intraoperative detection of the plurality of intraoperative position markers ( 10 ) and having a detection line of sight; and

a control unit ( 14 ) arranged for receiving one or more preoperative images comprising one or more anatomical features of interest, each of the preoperative images comprising a plurality of preoperative position markers ( 4 ), wherein the control unit ( 14 ) is further arranged for registering the detected plurality of intraoperative position markers ( 10 ) with the plurality of preoperative position markers ( 4 ) in each of the preoperative images;

the projection system ( 1 ) further comprising

a movable projector ( 16 ) having a projection line of sight and being configured for projecting an image representation ( 18 ) of the one or more anatomical features of interest on a second body surface ( 20 ), the projection line of sight being substantially parallel to the detection line of sight, the projected image representation ( 18 ) being based on the one or more preoperative images and the registered plurality of intraoperative position markers ( 10 ) with the plurality of preoperative position markers ( 4 ),

wherein the control unit ( 14 ) is in communication with the first detector ( 12 ) and projector ( 16 ) and arranged for real-time image projection of the image representation ( 18 ) on the second body surface ( 20 ) by the projector ( 16 ) independent from synchronized movement and varying detection and projection angles of the first detector ( 12 ) and the projector ( 16 ).

2. The projection system according to claim 1 , wherein the projected image representation ( 18 ) is a static image projection.

3. The projection system according to claim 1 , comprising a second detector ( 13 ) configured for intraoperative detection of motion of the subject ( 2 ), wherein the control unit ( 4 ) is in further communication with the second detector ( 13 ) and arranged for dynamically projecting the image representation ( 18 ) in real-time, the projected image representation ( 18 ) comprising the motion of the one or more anatomical features of interest.

4. The projection system according to claim 3 , wherein the second detector ( 13 ) is configured for intraoperative detection of heart and/or breathing motion of the subject ( 2 ).

5. The projection system according claim 1 , wherein the projector ( 16 ) is a laser projector.

6. The projection system according to claim 1 , wherein the first detector ( 12 ) and the projector ( 16 ) are disposed in a portable handheld housing ( 17 ).

7. The projection system according to claim 1 , wherein the first detector ( 12 ) comprises a digital camera and each of the plurality of intraoperative position markers ( 10 ) comprises a visual position marker.

8. The projection system according to claim 1 , wherein the first detector ( 12 ) comprises an infra red camera and each of the plurality of intraoperative position markers ( 10 ) comprises a heat or cold source.

9. The projection system according to claim 1 , wherein the first detector ( 12 ) comprises an RFID receiver and each of the plurality or intraoperative position markers ( 10 ) comprises an RFID transmitter.

10. The projection system according to claim 1 , comprising at least three intraoperative position markers ( 10 ).

11. The projection system according to claim 1 , wherein each of the intraoperative position markers ( 10 ) comprises a plurality of rectangular and/or square bar markers.

12. The projection system according to claim 1 , wherein the second body surface ( 20 ) comprises an internal body surface.

13. The projection system according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit ( 14 ) is further arranged to stop image projection of the image representation ( 18 ) when one or more intraoperative position markers ( 10 ) lie outside a predetermined range of the detection line of sight of the first detector ( 12 ).

14. The projection system according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit ( 14 ) is arranged to stop image projection of the image representation ( 18 ) when each of the plurality of intraoperative position markers ( 10 ) are in the detection line of sight of the first detector ( 12 ) and wherein the detection line of sight lies outside a predetermined detection range.

15. The projection system according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit ( 14 ) is arranged to stop image projection of the image representation ( 18 ) when each of the plurality of intraoperative position markers ( 10 ) are in the detection line of sight of the first detector ( 12 ) and when a secondary anatomic feature is interposed between one or more anatomic features to be projected and the first detector ( 12 ) along the detection line of sight thereof.

16. Use of the projection system according to claim 1 for a deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) reconstruction procedure.

17. A method for image projection of anatomical features on a subject, comprising

providing one or more preoperative images of one or more anatomical features of interest using a medical imaging apparatus ( 8 ), each of the preoperative images comprising a plurality of preoperative position markers ( 4 );

storing the one or more preoperative images into an image storage unit;

post processing the stored one or more preoperative images into one or more image representations ( 18 ) comprising simplified images or views of the one or more anatomical features of interest;

disposing a plurality of intraoperative position markers ( 10 ) on the first body surface ( 6 ) of the subject ( 2 ) at the same location as the plurality of preoperative position markers ( 4 );

detecting the plurality of intraoperative position markers ( 10 ) intraoperatively using a movable first detector ( 12 ) having a detection line of sight;

registering the detected plurality of intraoperative position markers ( 10 ) with the plurality of preoperative position markers ( 4 ) in each of the one or more image representations ( 18 );

projecting substantially parallel to the detection line of sight the one or more image representations ( 18 ) on a second body surface ( 20 ) intraoperatively using a movable projector ( 16 ) having a projection line of sight, wherein

projecting the one or more image representations ( 18 ) comprises real-time projection independent from synchronized movement and varying detection and projection angles of the first detector ( 12 ) and the projector ( 16 ).

18. The method according to claim 17 , further comprising detecting motion of the subject ( 2 ) using a second detector ( 13 ), and

dynamically projecting the one or more image representations ( 18 ) comprising the motion of the one or more anatomical features of interest in real-time.

19. The method according to claim 17 , further comprising

stopping image projection of the one or more image representations ( 18 ) when one or more intraoperative position markers ( 10 ) lie outside a predetermined range of the detection line of sight of the first detector ( 12 ).

20. The method according to claim 17 , further comprising

stopping image projection of the one or more image representations ( 18 ) when each of the plurality of intraoperative position markers ( 10 ) are in the detection line of sight of the first detector ( 12 ) and wherein the detection line of sight lies outside a predetermined detection range.

21. The method according to claim 17 , further comprising

stopping image projection of the one or more image representations ( 18 ) when each of the plurality of intraoperative position markers ( 10 ) are in the detection line of sight of the first detector ( 12 ), and when a secondary anatomic feature is interposed between the one or more anatomic features to be projected and the first projector ( 12 ) along the detection line of sight thereof.