Atlas-based calculation of a flight-path through a virtual representation of anatomical structures

1. A computer-implemented method for determining a virtual flight-path with respect to a virtual representation of at least one anatomical structure, the method comprising executing, on at least one processor of a computer, the steps of:

acquiring, by the at least one processor, patient image data describing a three-dimensional patient image dataset showing at least one anatomical structure of a patient, wherein the patient image data is stored in a database;

acquiring, by the at least one processor, atlas data describing at least one model of the at least one anatomical structure;

determining, by the at least one processor and based on the patient image data retrieved from the database and the atlas data, representation data describing a three-dimensional virtual representation of the at least one anatomical structure;

acquiring, by the at least one processor, requirement data describing at least one requirement for at least one flight-path; and

determining, by the at least one processor and based on the representation data and the requirement data, flight-path data describing a three-dimensional course of at least one virtual flight-path with respect to the three-dimensional virtual representation of the at least one anatomical structure, wherein determining the flight-path data involves, utilizing at least one path-finding algorithm for determining desirability of the at least one flight-path and/or selecting a desirable flight-path, and involves acquiring path-finding data, based on a plurality of pre-defined criterions, for the at least one anatomical structure, and wherein each of the plurality of pre-defined criterions is stored in the database and the plurality of pre-defined criterions comprises:

a cut-through criterion for the at least one anatomical structure, describing whether a flight-path is to pass through the respective anatomical structure or is to circumnavigate the respective anatomical structure, and

a move-to-side criterion for the at least one anatomical structure, describing whether the flight-path is to continue unamended, with the respective anatomical structure moving out of the flight-path, or is to circumnavigate the respective anatomical structure, and

a path-index criterion for the at least one anatomical structure and/or for at least one intermediate area between at least two anatomical structures, describing desirability for the flight-path to pass through the respective anatomical structure or through the respective intermediate area;

wherein the flight-path is defined in dependence on at least one of the plurality of pre-defined criterions retrieved from the database, and;

wherein the flight-path data describing the at least one virtual flight-path represents a visualization presented from a point passing along the at least one virtual flight-path.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining representation data involves acquiring critical structure data describing at least one critical structure contained in the at least one anatomical structure.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the at least one critical structure includes at least one pathological structure of the patient.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein acquiring critical structure data involves defining the at least one critical structure within the three-dimensional patient image dataset and/or within the three-dimensional virtual representation.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the atlas data describes at least one further anatomical structure.

6. The method of claim 2 , wherein determining flight-path data involves defining the flight-path in dependence on the at least one critical structure.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining flight-path data involves acquiring waypoint data describing at least one waypoint that is to be passed by the flight-path, and wherein the flight-path data is also based on the waypoint data.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining flight-path data involves acquiring indication data describing at least one medical indication of the patient, and wherein a starting point of the flight-path is defined in dependence on the at least one medical indication.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining flight-path data involves acquiring a position of at least one point of the flight-path from tracking data obtained from a medical tracking system.

10. The method of claim 2 wherein, based on the representation data and the flight-path data, the three-dimensional virtual representation of the at least one anatomical structure and/or the at least one critical structure as seen by moving along the flight-path, is provided in output to a medical display, wherein the output provides at least one of the following features:

at least one anatomical object is cut away or rendered invisible depending on the at least one medical indication and/or the current position along the flight-path;

the provided output is operable to switch between a plurality of flight-paths that may or may not reflect actual surgical pathways;

at predetermined points of the flight-path from which more than one flight-path continue towards or with respect to the at least one critical structure, or anywhere along the flight-path, indication-specific labels, arrows, measurements, recommendations for surgical instrument, color coding for critical structures, distance to target, expected surgery time to target, expected surgery time to end of procedure, warnings and/or other information related to anatomical structures and/or flight-paths are indicated;

a speed along the flight-path is selected to be proportional to an indication-specific weighted average speed of a surgical procedure along that flight-path;

at a predetermined or any chosen point of the flight-path, images and/or videos are shown;

at a point where the flight-path reaches or passes by a critical structure, or any other chosen point along the flight-path, a circular flight-path around the critical structure is provided in the output;

a section of the flight-path of any length is defined, particularly of the circular flight-path around the critical structure, for which a viewing direction extending from the flight-path is continuously directed towards the critical structure;

at any point of the flight-path, the orientation of the viewing direction with respect to the flight-path is changed, wherein the viewing direction is changed in the provided output.

11. A system for determining a virtual flight-path with respect to a virtual representation of at least one anatomical structure, the system comprising:

a computer having at least one processor and associated memory, the memory having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, perform the steps of:

acquiring, by the at least one processor, patient image data describing a three-dimensional patient image dataset showing at least one anatomical structure of a patient wherein the patient image data is stored in a database;

acquiring, by the at least one processor, atlas data describing at least one model of the at least one anatomical structure;

determining, by the at least one processor and based on the patient image data retrieved from the database and the atlas data, representation data describing a three-dimensional virtual representation of the at least one anatomical structure;

acquiring, by the at least one processor, requirement data describing at least one requirement for at least one flight-path; and

determining, by the at least one processor and based on the representation data and the requirement data, flight-path data describing at least one virtual flight-path with respect to the three-dimensional virtual representation of the at least one anatomical structure, wherein determining the flight-path data involves utilizing at least one path-finding algorithm for determining desirability of the at least one flight-path and/or selecting a desirable flight-path, and involves acquiring path-finding data, based on a plurality of pre-defined criterions, for the at least one anatomical structure, and wherein each of the plurality of pre-defined criterions is stored in the database and the plurality of pre-defined criterions comprises:

a cut-through criterion for the at least one anatomical structure, describing whether a flight-path is to pass through the respective anatomical structure or is to circumnavigate the respective anatomical structure, and

a move-to-side criterion for the at least one anatomical structure, describing whether the flight-path is to continue unamended, with the respective anatomical structure moving out of the flight-path, or is to circumnavigate the respective anatomical structure, and

a path-index criterion for the at least one anatomical structure and/or for at least one intermediate area between at least two anatomical structures, describing desirability for the flight-path to pass through the respective anatomical structure or through the respective intermediate area;

wherein the flight-path is defined in dependence on at least one of the plurality of pre-defined criterions retrieved from the database, and;

wherein the flight-path data describing the at least one virtual flight-path represents a visualization presented from a point passing along the at least one virtual flight-path.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program which, when executed on at least one processor of at least one computer, causes the at least one computer to perform the steps comprising:

acquiring, by the at least one processor, patient image data describing a three-dimensional patient image dataset showing at least one anatomical structure of a patient wherein the patient image data is stored in a database;

acquiring, by the at least one processor, atlas data describing at least one model of the at least one anatomical structure;

determining, by the at least one processor and based on the patient image data and the atlas data, representation data describing a three-dimensional virtual representation of the at least one anatomical structure;

acquiring, by the at least one processor, requirement data describing at least one requirement for at least one flight-path; and

determining, by the at least one processor and based on the representation data and the requirement data, flight-path data describing at least one virtual flight-path with respect to the three-dimensional virtual representation of the at least one anatomical structure, wherein determining the flight-path data involves utilizing at least one path-finding algorithm for determining desirability of the at least one flight-path and/or selecting a desirable flight-path, and involves acquiring path-finding data, based on a plurality of pre-defined criterions, for the at least one anatomical structure, wherein each of the plurality of pre-defined criterions is stored in the database and the plurality of pre-defined criterions comprises:

a cut-through criterion for the at least one anatomical structure, describing whether a flight-path is to pass through or is to circumnavigate the respective anatomical structure,

a move-to-side criterion for the at least one anatomical structure, describing whether the flight-path is to continue unamended, with the respective anatomical structure moving out of the flight-path, or is to circumnavigate the respective anatomical structure, and

a path-index criterion for the at least one anatomical structure and/or for at least one intermediate area between at least two anatomical structures, describing desirability for the flight-path to pass through the respective anatomical structure or through the respective intermediate area;

wherein the flight-path is defined in dependence on at least one of the plurality of pre-defined criterions retrieved from the database, and;

wherein the flight-path data describing the at least one virtual flight-path represents a visualization presented from a point passing along the at least one virtual flight-path.