Patent ID: 8514218
Filing Date: 2013-08-20
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A method for automatic virtual endoscopy navigation, comprising: (a) using a fisheye camera to generate an endoscopic image and a depth image from a current position of the camera in lumen computed tomographic (CT) data; (b) segmenting a first region and a second region from the depth image, wherein the first region identifies a view direction of the camera and the second region is an area through which the camera can be moved without touching an inner surface of the lumen; (c) moving the camera from the current position, while pointing the camera in the view direction, to a next position in the second region; and (d) repeating steps (a-c) in sequence using the next position in step (c) as the current position in step (a), wherein steps (a-d) are repeatedly performed to move the camera through the lumen, wherein the lumen has a plurality of bends such that the camera travels in opposite directions in different parts of the lumen, wherein the only input is a seed point identifying the current position of the camera the first time step (a) is performed and the CT data.