Abstract
This paper describes a fast image mapping system that integrates endoscopic image mosaics with three-dimensional (3-D) ultrasound images for assisting intrauterine laser photocoagulation treatment. Endoscopic laser photocoagulation treatment has a good survival rate and a low complication rate for twins. However, the small field of view and lack of surrounding information makes the identification of vessel anastomosis difficult. We have developed an extended visualization system with the fusion of endoscopic image mosaics with a 3-D ultrasound-image model. Fully automatic and fast calibration is used for endoscope calibration in fluid. The 3-D spatial position of the endoscopic images and the ultrasound image are tracked by a 3-D position tracking device. The mosaiced endoscope images are registered to the surface of the 3-D ultrasound placenta model by using a fast GPU-based image rendering method and a seamless multi-images processing. Experimental results show that the system may provide an improved and efficient way of planning and guidance in laser photocoagulation treatment.
Acknowledgment
This work was supported in part by grant for Translational Systems Biology and Medicine Initiative (TSBMI), Special Coordination Funds for Promoting Science and Technology commissioned by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in Japan, Health and Labor Sciences Research Grants of Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare in Japan, and Grant for Industrial Technology Research of New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization, Japan. Part of this work was presented at the 4th International Workshop on Medical Imaging and Augmented Reality, MIAR 2008, Tokyo, Japan.