System and Method for Image Guidance During Medical Procedures

Abstract

A surgical guidance system is disclosed that allows for real-time imaging and patient monitoring during a surgical procedure. The system can include an MRI system for generating real-time images of the patient while surgery is being performed. Prior to surgery, a surgical plan can be created using a planning interface. A control unit receives the real-time image data and the surgical plan, and monitors the image data based on parameters included in the surgical plan. The control-unit monitoring occurs in real-time while the surgical procedure is being performed. The control unit can detect deviations from the surgical plan and/or high-risk patient conditions and instruct an alert unit to issue an alert based on the detected conditions.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A surgical guidance system, comprising:
 a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system configured for generating MRI data representative of a portion of a patient;   a planning interface for generating a surgical plan based at least in part on pre-surgical images and input information regarding surgical parameters for a surgical procedure;   a control unit for receiving image data based on the MRI data acquired during the surgical procedure and for monitoring the image data for conditions included in the surgical parameters of the surgical plan; and   an alert unit for issuing an alert based on instructions from the control unit,   wherein the control unit is configured to instruct the alert unit to issue the alert based on detecting at least one of the conditions included in the surgical parameters of the surgical plan.   
     
     
         2 . The surgical guidance system of  claim 1 , wherein the MRI includes first and second main magnets separated by a gap. 
     
     
         3 . The surgical guidance system of  claim 1 , wherein the MRI is configured such that images may be captured substantially simultaneously with performance of the surgical procedure. 
     
     
         4 . The surgical guidance system of  claim 3 , wherein the control unit is configured to employ the image data for monitoring patient's response to the surgical procedure substantially simultaneously with performance of the surgical procedure. 
     
     
         5 . The surgical guidance system of  claim 4 , wherein the monitoring of the patient's response to the surgical procedure includes monitoring changes to the patient's anatomy substantially simultaneously with performance of the surgical procedure. 
     
     
         6 . The surgical guidance system of  claim 5 , wherein the control unit is configured to instruct the alert unit to issue the alert during the surgical procedure based on detecting at least one condition associated with the changes to the patient's anatomy. 
     
     
         7 . The surgical guidance system of  claim 1 , further comprising a tracking unit for tracking a surgical instrument used for performing the surgical procedure. 
     
     
         8 . The surgical guidance system of  claim 1 , further comprising a tracking unit for tracking a surgical robotic device performing the surgical procedure. 
     
     
         9 . The surgical guidance system of  claim 1 , wherein the alert unit is configured to issue the alert in the form of at least one of visual information and audible information. 
     
     
         10 . The surgical guidance system of  claim 1 , further comprising an image processing unit for receiving the MRI data from the MRI system and generating the image data based on the MRI data. 
     
     
         11 . The surgical guidance system of  claim 10 , wherein the MRI system is configured for:
 obtaining MRI data representative of a first quality of images before the start of the surgical procedure; and   obtaining MRI data representative of a second quality of images during substantially simultaneous performance of the surgical procedure, the second quality being lower than the first quality.   
     
     
         12 . The surgical guidance system of  claim 11 , wherein the image processing unit is configured for generating image data representative of volumetric images from MRI data generated during the obtaining of MRI data representative of the second quality of images, wherein the generating of the image data representative of volumetric images includes using deformable image registration. 
     
     
         13 . The surgical guidance system of  claim 10 , wherein the image processing unit is configured for generating image data representative of volumetric images based on the MRI data received from the MRI system. 
     
     
         14 . The surgical guidance system of  claim 13 , wherein the image processing unit is configured for generating the image data representative of volumetric images using deformable image registration. 
     
     
         15 . A surgical guidance system, comprising:
 a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system configured for generating MRI data representative of a portion of a patient substantially simultaneously with performance of a surgical procedure on the patient;   a control unit for receiving image data representative of volumetric images based on the MRI data acquired during the surgical procedure and for monitoring the image data for predetermined conditions; and   an alert unit for issuing an alert based on instructions from the control unit,   wherein the control unit is configured to instruct the alert unit to issue the alert based on detecting at least one of the predetermined conditions.   
     
     
         16 . The surgical guidance system of  claim 15 , further comprising a planning interface for receiving at least one of the predetermined conditions. 
     
     
         17 . The surgical guidance system of  claim 15 , wherein the MRI is configured such that MRI data may be captured substantially simultaneously with performance of the surgical procedure. 
     
     
         18 . The surgical guidance system of  claim 17 , wherein the control unit is configured to employ the image data for monitoring patient's response to the surgical procedure substantially simultaneously with performance of the surgical procedure. 
     
     
         19 . The surgical guidance system of  claim 18 , wherein the monitoring of the patient's response to the surgical procedure includes monitoring changes to the patient's anatomy substantially simultaneously with performance of the surgical procedure. 
     
     
         20 . The surgical guidance system of  claim 19 , wherein the control unit is configured to instruct the alert unit to issue the alert during the surgical procedure based on detecting at least one condition associated with the changes to the patient's anatomy. 
     
     
         21 . The surgical guidance system of  claim 15 , further comprising an image processing unit for receiving the MRI data from the MRI system and generating the image data representative of the volumetric images based on the MRI data. 
     
     
         22 . The surgical guidance system of  claim 21 , wherein the MRI system is configured for:
 obtaining MRI data representative of a first quality of images before the start of the surgical procedure; and   obtaining MRI data representative of a second quality of images during substantially simultaneous performance of the surgical procedure, the second quality being lower than the first quality.   
     
     
         23 . The surgical guidance system of  claim 22 , wherein the image processing unit is configured for generating the image data representative of volumetric images from MRI data generated during the obtaining of MRI data representative of the second quality of images, wherein the generating of the image data representative of volumetric images includes using deformable image registration. 
     
     
         24 . A surgical guidance method, comprising:
 generating MRI data representative of a portion of a patient;   generating image data based on the MRI data;   generating a surgical plan based at least in part on pre-surgical images and input information regarding surgical parameters for a surgical procedure;   monitoring the image data for conditions included in the surgical parameters of the surgical plan; and   issuing an alert based on detecting at least one of the conditions included in the surgical parameters of the surgical plan.   
     
     
         25 . The surgical guidance method of  claim 24 , wherein the image data is representative of volumetric images based on the MRI data. 
     
     
         26 . The surgical guidance method of  claim 25 , wherein the MRI is configured such that MRI data may be captured substantially simultaneously with performance of a surgical procedure. 
     
     
         27 . The surgical guidance method of  claim 26 , wherein the image data is monitored for the patient's response to the surgical procedure substantially simultaneously with performance of the surgical procedure.