Fissural assessment and surgical and interventional planning

1. A method of planning a medical procedure, the method comprising:

receiving image data of a patient's chest;

identifying the patient's lungs in the image data;

determining locations of lumens in the patient's lungs in the image data;

determining locations of fissures of the patient's lungs in the image data based on the determined locations of the lumens in the patient's lungs;

generating a three-dimensional (3D) model of the patient's lungs based on the image data, the 3D model showing the lumens in the patient's lungs and the fissures of the patient's lungs;

displaying a view of the 3D model including the fissures of the patient's lungs and the locations of the lumens in the patient's lungs for viewing by a clinician;

receiving input from the clinician regarding a plan for the medical procedure;

displaying the plan for the medical procedure;

adjusting the plan for the medical procedure based on the determined locations of fissures and lumens in the image data; and

displaying the adjusted plan for the medical procedure.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein displaying the plan includes displaying a view of the 3D model showing areas of the patient's lungs to be treated.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein displaying the plan further includes displaying a view of the 3D model showing the locations of lumens in the patient's lungs in the areas of the patient's lungs to be treated.

4. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising treating the areas of the patient's lungs shown on the view of the 3D model.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the lumens in the patient's lungs include one or more of airway, vascular, and lymphatic lumens.

6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

determining a degree of completeness of the fissures of the patient's lungs; and

determining a point where incompleteness of a fissure begins.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the plan for the medical procedure is adjusted when it is determined that lumens in a first area of the patient's lungs are connected to lumens in a second area of the patient's lungs.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the first and second areas of the patient's lungs are first and second lobes of the patient's lungs.

9. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the first and second areas of the patient's lungs are first and second portions of a single lobe of the patient's lungs.

10. A system for planning a medical procedure, the system including:

a computing device configured to:

receive image data of a patient's chest;

identify the patient's lungs in the image data;

determine locations of lumens in the image data;

determine locations of fissures of the patient's lungs in the image data based on the determined locations of the lumens in the patient's lungs; and

generate a three-dimensional (3D) model of the patient's lungs based on the image data, the 3D model showing the fissures of the patient's lungs and the locations of the lumens in the patient's lungs;

a display device configured to display a plan for the medical procedure, the plan including a view of the 3D model showing the fissures of the patient's lungs, wherein the computing device is configured to adjust the plan for the medical procedure based on the determined locations of fissures and lumens in the image data and the display device is configured to display the adjusted plan for the medical procedure; and

a tool for performing a procedure on the patient's lungs based on the plan for the medical procedure.

11. The system according to claim 10 , wherein the view of the 3D model shows areas of the patient's lungs to be treated.

12. The system according to claim 11 ,

wherein the displayed view of the 3D model further shows the locations of the lumens in the patient's lungs in the areas of the patient's lungs to be treated.

13. The system according to claim 12 , wherein the lumens in the patient's lungs include one or more of airway, vascular, and lymphatic lumens.

14. The system according to claim 10 , wherein the plan for the medical procedure is adjusted when it is determined that lumens in a first area of the patient's lungs are connected to lumens in a second area of the patient's lungs.

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

receive image data of a patient's chest;

identify the patient's lungs in the image data;

determine locations of lumens in the patient's lungs in the image data;

determine locations of fissures of the patient's lungs in the image data based on the determined locations of the lumens in the patient's lungs;

generate a three-dimensional (3D) model of the patient's lungs based on the image data, the 3D model showing the fissures of the patient's lungs;

cause a display device to display a view of the 3D model including the fissures of the patient's lungs and the locations of the lumens in the patient's lungs for viewing by a clinician;

receive input from the clinician regarding a plan for the medical procedure;

cause the display device to display the plan for the medical procedure;

adjust the plan for the medical procedure based on the determined locations of fissures and lumens in the image data; and

display the adjusted plan for the medical procedure.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 15 , wherein the instructions further cause the computer to:

determine a degree of completeness of the fissures of the patient's lungs; and

determine a point where incompleteness of a fissure begins.