Planning System and Navigation System for an Ablation Procedure

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to an ablation planning and navigation system. The planning system includes a memory configured to store a plurality of images and a controller configured to render the plurality of images in three dimensions, automatically segment the plurality of images to demarcate a target area, and automatically determine a treatment plan based on the target area. The navigation system includes an ultrasound device having a fiducial pattern that obtains an ultrasound image, an ablation needle having a image capture device that captures an image of the fiducial pattern, and a controller that receives the ultrasound image and the fiducial image. The controller determines a position of the ablation needle based on the fiducial image. The planning and navigation system also includes a controller that receives data from the planning system and the navigation system and a display configured to display the received information.

1 - 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . An ablation planning and navigation system, comprising:
 a planning system including:
 a memory configured to store a plurality of images; and 
 a first controller configured to render the plurality of images in three dimensions, segment the plurality of images to demarcate a target area, and automatically determine a treatment plan based on the target area; 
   a navigation system including:
 an electromagnetic field generator configured to generate an electromagnetic field; 
 an ablation device; 
 an image capture device configured to obtain an image of a target; 
 a second controller configured to cause the navigation system to:
 generate the electromagnetic field; 
 detect a location of the surgical device in the electromagnetic field; 
 obtain the image of the target, the image defining a scan plane; and 
 determine a spatial relationship between the surgical device and the scan plane; and 
 
   a third controller configured to receive the rendered plurality of images, the target area, the treatment plan, the image of the target, and the position of the ablation device in relation to the scan plane; and   a display configured to display a representation of the surgical device with respect to the target in the scan plane.   
     
     
         19 . The ablation planning and navigation system of  claim 18 , wherein the second controller is further configured to cause the navigation system to display a position of the surgical device in relation to the scan plane. 
     
     
         20 . The ablation planning and navigation system of  claim 18 , wherein the spatial relationship between the surgical device and the scan plane defines a relative position and a relative angle of the surgical device to the scan plane. 
     
     
         21 . The ablation planning and navigation system of  claim 20 , wherein the second controller is further configured to cause the navigation system to display a trajectory of the surgical device with respect to the image. 
     
     
         22 . The ablation planning and navigation system of  claim 21 , wherein the trajectory is determined based on the defined relative position and defined relative angle of the surgical device to the scan plane. 
     
     
         23 . The ablation planning and navigation system of  claim 18 , wherein the second controller is further configured to cause the navigation system to display a virtual ablation zone. 
     
     
         24 . The ablation planning and navigation system of  claim 23 , wherein the second controller is further configured to adjust an energy level to adjust the virtual ablation zone. 
     
     
         25 . The ablation planning and navigation system of  claim 23 , wherein the second controller is further configured to adjust an ablation time setting to adjust the virtual ablation zone. 
     
     
         26 . The ablation planning and navigation system of  claim 18 , wherein the target is identified in a pre-operative image. 
     
     
         27 . The ablation planning and navigation system of  claim 26 , wherein the second controller is further configured to cause the navigation system to determine calculated properties of the target upon identification of the target. 
     
     
         28 . The ablation planning and navigation system of  claim 27 , wherein the location of the target in the pre-operative image is recorded. 
     
     
         29 . The ablation planning and navigation system of  claim 28 , wherein the second controller is further configured to cause the navigation system to identify the surgical device based on the calculated properties of the target. 
     
     
         30 . The ablation planning and navigation system of  claim 29 , wherein the second controller is further configured to cause the navigation system to determine power and time settings based on the calculated properties. 
     
     
         31 . The ablation planning and navigation system of  claim 30 , wherein the second controller is further configured to cause the navigation system to display initial power and time settings. 
     
     
         32 . The ablation planning and navigation system of  claim 18 , wherein the image of the target is an ultrasound image. 
     
     
         33 . The ablation planning and navigation system of  claim 18 , wherein the image of the target is a CT image.