System and method for providing surgical guidance based on polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography

1. A method of identifying a suitable surgical location for proceeding with a surgical procedure based on local polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography imaging, the method comprising:

obtaining one or more polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography images of a first tissue region;

processing the one or more polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography images to generate local volumetric image data, the local volumetric image data providing a spatial map of anisotropic tissue structure within the first tissue region, processing the one or more polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography images comprising identifying the anisotropic tissue structure by using a retardation threshold;

processing the local volumetric image data to determine one or more suitable surgical locations for avoiding or reducing damage to local anisotropic tissue structure identified within the first tissue region when proceeding with the surgical procedure;

identifying at least one suitable surgical location on a display device;

obtaining pre-operative volumetric image data, the pre-operative volumetric image data identifying anisotropic tissue structure within a second tissue region that is larger than, and includes, the first tissue region imaged by polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography;

registering the local volumetric image data to the pre-operative volumetric image data by registering the spatial map of the anisotropic tissue structure with the pre-operative volumetric image data;

processing the local volumetric image data and the pre-operative volumetric image data to determine, for at least one suitable surgical location, one or more suitable surgical trajectories for avoiding or reducing damage to local anisotropic tissue structure residing within the first tissue region and the second tissue region by identifying spatial orientation of the local anisotropic tissue structure, thereby enhancing visibility of the local anisotropic tissue structure, and thereby avoiding at least one critical tract; and

identifying at least one suitable surgical trajectory on the display device.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the at least one suitable surgical location and the at least one suitable surgical trajectory are identified on a displayed image that is generated based on pre-operative image data.

3. The method according to 1 wherein the one or more suitable surgical trajectories that are identified on the display device are associated with a selected entry point, wherein the selected location is selected, by an operator, from the one or more suitable surgical locations.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the tissue is brain tissue, wherein the local anisotropic tissue structure comprises are fiber tracts, and wherein the displayed image includes tractography information.

5. The method according to claim 4 wherein the tractography information is generated based on the pre-operative volumetric image data and the local volumetric image data.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the tissue is brain tissue and wherein the local anisotropic tissue structure comprises fiber tracts.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the local anisotropic tissue structure comprises at least one anisotropic tissue structure selected from the group consisting of nerve tissue structure, spinal tissue structure, muscle tissue structure, tendon tissue structure, and ligament tissue structure.

8. The method according to claim 1 wherein the tissue region is exposed by a surgical access port.

9. The method according to claim 1 wherein the tissue region comprises a tissue volume residing below an exposed tissue surface.

10. The method according to claim 9 wherein the tissue region further comprises the exposed tissue surface.