Patent ID: 6529758
Filing Date: 2003-03-04
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
In an image-guided surgical procedure that includes the steps of (i) acquiring volumetric scan data of a patient site pre-operatively, and during the surgical procedure, (ii) registering the volumetric scan data with respect to the patient site, and (iii) constructing from the volumetric scan data, a volumetric perspective image of a target site, as seen from a selected position external to the patient, an improvement in registering the volumetric scan data with respect to the patient site, comprising:(a) generating a pattern of surface-reflected light by moving a laser beam over a surface region of the patient adjacent said site; (b) recording said pattern with each of at least two spaced apart video cameras mounted at known, fixed positions; (c) digitizing the pattern recorded by each of the at least two cameras; (d) using the digitized recorded patterns to produce a laser pattern reconstruction of the patient surface region; and (e) aligning the laser pattern reconstruction with 3D-rendered volumetric data from the volumetric scan data.