Systems and methods for ultrasound image-guided ablation antenna placement

1. A system for image-guided ablation antenna placement, the system comprising:

an electrosurgical generator;

an ablation probe usable with the electrosurgical generator;

an ultrasound sensor configured to collect ultrasound image data;

an electromagnetic (EM) tracking system configured to collect EM tracking data about positions of the ultrasound sensor and the ablation probe; and

a computing device including a processor and a memory storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to:

receive microwave ablation procedure configuration settings;

receive ultrasound image data from the ultrasound sensor;

receive the EM tracking data from the EM tracking system;

determine a trajectory of the ablation probe based on the EM tracking data; and

generate a graphical user interface showing a position and orientation of the ablation probe and the trajectory of the ablation probe in relation to an ultrasound image plane of the ultrasound image data, the graphical user interface including an ablation progress indicator showing a perspective view of progress of a size of an ablation zone as an ablation procedure is performed, wherein the computing device is programmed to continually adjust an orientation of the ultrasound image plane in relation to a position of the ultrasound sensor.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the computing device to:

determine a projected ablation zone based on the received microwave ablation procedure configuration settings; and

show the projected ablation zone in the graphical user interface.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the computing device to:

determine whether the position and orientation of the ablation probe has changed; and

generate an updated graphical user interface showing an updated position and orientation of the ablation probe if it is determined that the position or orientation of the ablation probe has changed.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the computing device to:

determine whether the position and orientation of the ultrasound sensor has changed; and

generate an updated graphical user interface showing an updated position and orientation of the ultrasound sensor if it is determined that the position or orientation of the ultrasound sensor has changed.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the computing device to:

determine an intersection between the ablation probe and the plane of the ultrasound image data; and

show an indicator of the intersection between the ablation probe and the plane of the ultrasound image data in the graphical user interface.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the indicator is an obround shape showing an angle and directionality of the intersection between the ablation probe and the plane of the ultrasound image data.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the trajectory of the ablation probe shown in the graphical user interface has a length approximately equal to a length of the ablation probe.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the graphical user interface shows the position and orientation of the ablation probe and the trajectory of the ablation probe as outlines such that an ultrasound image generated from the ultrasound image data is not obscured.

9. A method of generating a graphical user interface for use during image-guided ablation antenna placement, the method comprising:

receiving microwave ablation procedure configuration settings;

receiving ultrasound image data from an ultrasound sensor;

receiving EM tracking data from an EM tracking system;

determining a trajectory of an ablation probe based on the EM tracking data;

generating a graphical user interface showing a position and orientation of the ablation probe and the trajectory of the ablation probe in relation to an ultrasound image plane of the ultrasound image data, the graphical user interface including an ablation progress indicator showing a perspective view of progress of a size of an ablation zone as an ablation procedure is performed; and

continually adjusting an orientation of the ultrasound image plane in relation to a position of the ultrasound sensor.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

determining a projected ablation zone based on the received microwave ablation procedure configuration settings,

wherein generating the graphical user interface further includes showing the projected ablation zone.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

determining whether the position and orientation of the ablation probe has changed; and

generating an updated graphical user interface showing an updated position and orientation of the ablation probe if it is determined that the position or orientation of the ablation probe has changed.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

determining whether the position and orientation of the ultrasound sensor has changed; and

generating an updated graphical user interface showing an updated position and orientation of the ultrasound sensor if it is determined that the position or orientation of the ultrasound sensor has changed.

13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

determining an intersection between the ablation probe and the plane of the ultrasound image data,

wherein generating the graphical user interface further includes showing an indicator of the intersection between the ablation probe and the plane of the ultrasound image data.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the indicator is an obround shape showing an angle and directionality of the intersection between the ablation probe and the plane of the ultrasound image data.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the trajectory of the ablation probe shown in the graphical user interface has a length approximately equal to a length of the ablation probe.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the graphical user interface shows the position and orientation of the ablation probe and the trajectory of the ablation probe as outlines such that the ultrasound image data is not obscured.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

receive microwave ablation procedure configuration settings;

receive ultrasound image data from an ultrasound sensor;

receive EM tracking data from an EM tracking system;

determine a trajectory of an ablation probe based on the EM tracking data;

generate a graphical user interface showing a position and orientation of the ablation probe and the trajectory of the ablation probe in relation to an ultrasound image plane of the ultrasound image data received from the ultrasound sensor, the graphical user interface including an ablation progress indicator showing a perspective view of progress of a size of an ablation zone as an ablation procedure is performed; and

continually adjust an orientation of the ultrasound image plane in relation to a position of the ultrasound sensor.