Technical advances toward interactive image-guided laparoscopic surgery.
BACKGROUND
Laparoscopic surgery uses real-time video to display the operative field. Interactive image-guided surgery (IIGS) is the real-time display of surgical instrument location on corresponding computed tomography (CT) scans or magnetic resonance images (MRI). We hypothesize that laparoscopic IIGS technologies can be combined to offer guidance for general surgery and, in particular, hepatic procedures. Tumor information determined from CT imaging can be overlayed onto laparoscopic video imaging to allow more precise resection or ablation.


METHODS
We mapped three-dimensional (3D) physical space to 2D laparoscopic video space using a common mathematical formula. Inherent distortions present in the video images were quantified and then corrected to determine their effect on this 3D to 2D mapping.


RESULTS
Errors in mapping 3D physical space to 2D video image space ranged from 0.65 to 2.75 mm.


CONCLUSIONS
Laparoscopic IIGS allows accurate (<3.0 mm) confirmation of 3D physical space points on video images. This in combination with accurately tracked instruments and an appropriate display may facilitate enhanced image guidance during laparoscopy.
Herline
A
A
Division of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Liver Transplant, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232-4753, USA.
Stefansic
J D
JD
Debelak
J
J
Galloway
R L
RL
Chapman
W C
WC
D004867:Equipment Design; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D020535:Video-Assisted Surgery / Q000295:instrumentation*