CycleGAN for interpretable online EMT compensation

Enhancing electromagnetic tracking accuracy in medical applications using pre-trained witness sensor distortion models

PURPOSE

Electromagnetic tracking (EMT) accuracy is affected by the presence of surrounding metallic materials. In this work, we propose measuring the magnetic field's variation due to distortion at a witness position to localise the instrument causing distortion based on a pre-trained model and without additional sensors attached to it.

METHODS

Two experiments were performed to demonstrate possible applications of the technique proposed. In the first case, the distortion introduced by an ultrasound (US) probe was characterised and subsequently used to track the probe position on a line. In the second application, the measurement was used to estimate the distance of an interventional fluoroscopy C-arm machine and apply the correct compensation model.

RESULTS

Tracking of the US probe using the proposed method was demonstrated with millimetric accuracy. The distortion created by the C-arm caused errors in the order of centimetres, which were reduced to 1.52 mm RMS after compensation.

CONCLUSIONS

The distortion profile associated with medical equipment was pre-characterised and used in applications such as object tracking and error compensation map selection. In the current study, the movement was limited to one degree of freedom (1 DOF) and simple analytical functions were used to model the magnetic distortion. Future work will explore advanced AI models to extend the method to 6 DOF tracking using multiple witness sensors.

HEX: a safe research framework for hybrid EMT X-ray navigation

PURPOSE

Navigating with continuous X-ray provides visual guidance, but exposes both surgeon and patient to ionizing radiation, which is associated with serious health risks. Interleaving fluoro snapshots with electromagnetic tracking (EMT) potentially minimizes radiation.

METHODS

We propose hybrid EMT + X-ray (HEX), a research framework for navigation with an emphasis on safe experimentation. HEX is based on several hardware and software components that are orchestrated to allow for safe and efficient data acquisition.

RESULTS

In our study, hybrid navigation reduces radiation by [Formula: see text] with cubic, and by [Formula: see text] with linear error compensation while achieving submillimeter accuracy. Training points for compensation can be reduced by half while keeping a similar accuracy-radiation trade-off.

CONCLUSION

The HEX framework allows to safely and efficiently evaluate the hybrid navigation approach in simulated procedures. Complementing intraoperative X-ray with EMT significantly reduces radiation in the OR, increasing the safety of patients and surgeons.

Intraoperative compensation of magnetic field distortions for fluoroscopic and electromagnetic hybrid navigation

Purpose

Hybrid navigation is a promising technique which combines the benefits of optical or electromagnetic tracking (EMT) and fluoroscopy imaging. Unfortunately, the fluoroscopy system is a source of metallic distortion for the EMT system. In this work, we present a new method for intraoperative calibration and real-time compensation of dynamic field distortions. The method was tested in the presence of a fluoroscopy C-arm, and sub-millimetre errors were obtained after distortion correction.

Methods

A hybrid navigation scenario was created by combining the open-source electromagnetic tracking system Anser EMT and a commercial fluoroscopy C-arm. The electromagnetic field generator was placed directly on top of the X-ray collimator, which introduced significant field distortion. Magnetic sensors were placed at known positions to capture the magnetic distortion, and virtual magnetic dipole sources were used to model the distortion magnetic field. The accuracy of the compensated EMT model was tested on a grid of test points.

Results

Error reduction was demonstrated from 12.01 to 0.35 mm and from 25.03 to 0.49 mm, for horizontal and vertical sensor orientations, respectively, over a volume of 16 × 16 × 6 cm. It is proposed that such sub-millimetre tracking errors meet the needs of most endoscopic navigation tasks.

Conclusions

We describe a method to model a magnetic field in real time, based on redundant electromagnetic field measurements, and we apply it to compensate for the distortion introduced by a fluoroscopy C-arm. The main limitation of the approach is the requirement for a high number of sensors, with possible occlusion of the operative space. Solutions might come from miniaturisation and wireless sensing.

Current trends in three-dimensional visualization and real-time navigation as well as robot-assisted technologies in hepatobiliary surgery

With the continuous development of digital medicine, minimally invasive precision and safety have become the primary development trends in hepatobiliary surgery. Due to the specificity and complexity of hepatobiliary surgery, traditional preoperative imaging techniques such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging cannot meet the need for identification of fine anatomical regions. Imaging-based three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction, virtual simulation of surgery and 3D printing optimize the surgical plan through preoperative assessment, improving the controllability and safety of intraoperative operations, and in difficult-to-reach areas of the posterior and superior liver, assistive robots reproduce the surgeon’s natural movements with stable cameras, reducing natural vibrations. Electromagnetic navigation in abdominal surgery solves the problem of conventional surgery still relying on direct visual observation or preoperative image assessment. We summarize and compare these recent trends in digital medical solutions for the future development and refinement of digital medicine in hepatobiliary surgery.

A Radiolucent Electromagnetic Tracking System for Use with Intraoperative X-ray Imaging

In recent times, the use of electromagnetic tracking for navigation in surgery has quickly become a vital tool in minimally invasive surgery. In many procedures, electromagnetic tracking is used in tandem with X-ray technology to track a variety of tools and instruments. Most commercially available EM tracking systems can cause X-ray artifacts and attenuation due to their construction and the metals that form them. In this work, we provide a novel solution to this problem by creating a new radiolucent electromagnetic navigation system that has minimal impact on -ray imaging systems. This is a continuation of our previous work where we showed the development of the Anser open-source electromagnetic tracking system. Typical electromagnetic tracking systems operate by generating low frequency magnetic fields from coils that are located near the patient. These coils are typically made from copper, steel, and other dense radiopaque materials. In this work, we explore the use of low density aluminum to create these coils and we demonstrate that the effect on X-ray images is significantly reduced as a result of these novel changes in the materials used. The resulting field generator is shown to give at least a 60% reduction in the X-ray attenuation in comparison to our earlier designs. We verify that the system accuracy of approximately 1.5 mm RMS error is maintained with this change in design.