JHU Ref #: C17165
Value Proposition
· Advanced Visualization – currently the only imaging registration software that can perform registration of low-contrast structures.
· Enhanced Accuracy – provides precise local and global 3D-2D image registration.
· Software Versatility – effective for both low-contrast and movable structures, making it suitable for a wide range of applications.
· Real-Time Guidance – enables real-time alignment of preoperative and intraoperative images, leading to improved surgical navigation.
· Patient Safety – minimizes the risk of errors due to imaging limitations during procedures, contributing to better patient safety and care.
Technology Description
· Johns Hopkins researchers have created a software platform to enhance 3D-2D image registration, such as aligning preoperative computed tomography (CT) scans with intraoperative x-ray fluoroscopy, for low-contrast and/or deformable structures. It supports local 3D-2D registration, aligning 3D images with 2D images in specific, localized areas to addresses deformations in the immediate surroundings and enable precise targeting in confined regions. The platform also enables global 3D-2D registration for alignment over larger, more complex areas by combining multiple local alignments. This approach manages broader deformations, ensuring accurate tracking and guidance across wider fields.
Unmet Need
· Current methods for 3D-2D image registration struggle with low-contrast soft-tissues and deformable motion. Therefore, a medical imaging system that registers intraoperative imaging (e.g., fluoroscopy) with preoperative images (e.g., CT) is needed. This would be especially valuable for applications involving both low-contrast and deformable tissues, such as pulmonary interventions (e.g., lung biopsy).
Stage of Development
· The disclosed technology is currently in the developmental phase and is considered to be a prototype.
· Currently, the invention is being evaluated in laboratory studies in collaboration with Siemens.
Data Availability
· Data available upon request.
Publication
N/A
