IP Library Granted Patent US 12,400,355
Granted Patent B2
US 12,400,355 · App. 17/530,311 · Granted Aug 26, 2025

Systems and methods for artificial intelligence based image analysis for placement of surgical appliance

Inventor: John Kyle Dorman (Midland, TX)
Assignee: Circinus Medical Technology LLC
G06T7/73G06T2207/20084
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,400,355
App. No.
17/530,311
Filed
Nov 18, 2021
Granted
Aug 26, 2025
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2667
USPC
382/103
Abstract

Systems and methods for artificial intelligence based, such as machine learning-based, image analysis and suggestion of optimal or desired placement of surgical appliances and/or medical alignment devices, with, in certain implementations, supervised learning provided by users. A computing device may receive a target image captured via an image sensor; process the captured target image to identify anatomical features within the captured target image; calculate, via a trained neural network or artificial intelligence algorithm, a placement orientation and position of a virtual surgical appliance and/or desired item within the identified anatomical features; and render, on a display screen, the captured target image and the virtual surgical appliance and/or desired item at the calculated placement orientation and position.

Claims (34)

1. A system for placement of surgical appliances, comprising:

a plurality of orientation apparatuses configured to determine at least two axes of rotation of the system;

one or more processors configured to:

receive a target image captured via an image sensor,

process the captured target image to identify anatomical features within the captured target image,

calculate, via a trained neural network, a placement orientation and position of a virtual surgical appliance within the identified anatomical features corresponding with a first region of at least one region adjacent to a largest area of homogeneity within the captured target image, and wherein the calculation is based on a weighted average of historical placement orientations and positions of the virtual surgical appliance, wherein calculating the placement orientation and position of the virtual surgical appliance further comprises calculating a three-dimensional orientation and position of the virtual surgical appliance within a region defined by the target image and a second target image orthogonal to the target image,

render on a display screen;

the captured target image and the virtual surgical appliance at the calculated placement orientation and position, wherein the captured target image is rendered in three dimensions in virtual or augmented reality according to the three-dimensional orientation and position of the virtual surgical appliance, and

at least a portion of a present orientation of the system and the virtual surgical appliance at the calculated orientation and position based on the determined at least two axes of rotation of the system, wherein the at least two axes is determined based on at least a first orientation apparatus of the plurality of orientation apparatuses and a second orientation apparatus of the plurality of orientation apparatuses.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to measure a bit depth of the captured target image.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to identify the largest area of homogeneity within the captured target image.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to identify the at least one region adjacent to the identified largest area of homogeneity.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to calculate the placement orientation and position of the virtual surgical appliance within the first region of the identified at least one region adjacent to the identified largest area of homogeneity.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

receive the second target image captured via a second image sensor, the second target image orthogonal to the target image, and

process the captured second target image to identify anatomical features within the captured second target image.

7. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a network interface configured to transmit the processed target image to a remote computing device executing the trained neural network; and wherein the one or more processors are further configured to receive, from the remote computing device, the calculated placement orientation and position of the virtual surgical appliance.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the anatomical features within the captured target image comprise a portion of a vertebra or a pedicle, or any combination thereof, and wherein the virtual surgical appliance is a virtual pedicle screw.

9. A method for placement of surgical appliances, comprising:

receiving, by a computing device, a target image captured via an image sensor;

processing, by the computing device, the captured target image to identify anatomical features within the captured target image;

calculating, by the computing device via a trained neural network, a placement orientation and position of a virtual surgical appliance within the identified anatomical features corresponding with a first region of at least one region adjacent to a largest area of homogeneity within the captured target image, and wherein the calculation is based on a weighted average of historical placement orientations and positions of the virtual surgical appliance, wherein calculating the placement orientation and position of the virtual surgical appliance further comprises calculating a three-dimensional orientation and position of the virtual surgical appliance within a region defined by the target image and a second target image orthogonal to the target image;

rendering by the computing device on a display screen:

the captured target image and the virtual surgical appliance at the calculated placement orientation and position, wherein the captured target image is rendered in three dimensions in virtual or augmented reality according to the three-dimensional orientation and position of the virtual surgical appliance; and

at least a portion of a present orientation of an orientation calibration system and the virtual surgical appliance at the calculated orientation and position based on at least two axes of rotation of the orientation calibration system, wherein the at least two axes is determined based on at least a first orientation apparatus of a plurality of orientation apparatuses of the computing device and a second orientation apparatus of the plurality of orientation apparatuses.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein processing the captured target image further comprises measuring a bit depth of the captured target image.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein processing the captured target image further comprises identifying the largest area of homogeneity within the captured target image.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein processing the captured target image further comprises identifying the at least one region adjacent to the identified largest area of homogeneity.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising calculating the placement orientation and position of the virtual surgical appliance within the first region of the identified at least one region adjacent to the identified largest area of homogeneity.

14. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

receiving, by the computing device, the second target image captured via a second image sensor, the second target image orthogonal to the target image, and

processing, by the computing device, the captured second target image to identify anatomical features within the captured second target image.

15. The method of claim 9 , further comprising transmitting, via a network interface of the computing device, the processed target image to a remote computing device executing the trained neural network; and receiving, from the remote computing device, the calculated placement orientation and position of the virtual surgical appliance.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the anatomical features within the captured target image comprise a portion of a vertebra and wherein the virtual surgical appliance is a virtual pedicle screw.

Assignments (2)
CERTIFICATE OF CONVERSION (FROM TEXAS LLC TO DELAWARE LLC) Recorded May 9, 2023
From: CIRCINUS MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY LLC
To: CIRCINUS MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY LLC
Reel/Frame 063588/0479 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 19, 2021
From: DORMAN, JOHN KYLE
To: CIRCINUS MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY LLC
Reel/Frame 058164/0606 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63115992 · Nov 19, 2020
Related Publication 20220237817A1 · Jul 28, 2022
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