High-speed optical tracking and augmented reality platform for image-guided interventions.

Abstract

Purpose: During interventional procedures, clinicians need to mentally register anatomical information from preoperative cross-sectional images onto the patient's body to envision the location of subsurface targets and critical structures. This study aims to address this challenge by developing an augmented reality (AR)-based tracking system that can leverage cross-sectional images to provide real-time three-dimensional (3D) visualization of lesion targets and enable precise surgical procedures.

Approach: Our AR platform combines a customized high-speed, real-time, optical tracking system, a holographic display device, a computer workstation, and a graphical user interface. The system displays holograms of virtual models of the target organ and surgical tools, as well as the navigation path. To validate our AR platform, we measured target registration errors (TRE) across two different types of interventional procedures using our high-speed optical tracking system. To conduct these experiments, we performed laparoscopic procedures and prostate biopsies on customized phantoms.

Results: The integrated high-speed tracking and AR platform was applied to laparoscopic and biopsy procedures. The average TRE was $4.17\pm 1.63\mathrm{mm}$ for laparoscopic procedures and $2.89\pm 0.84\mathrm{mm}$ for prostate biopsy.

Conclusions: An augmented reality platform with a high-speed precision optical tracking system was developed for interventional procedures. The AR platform has been demonstrated for potential applications in prostate laparoscopic and biopsy procedures and can be expanded to other interventional procedures.