Augmented visualization using a captured visible image combined with a fluorescence image and a captured visible image

Abstract

An exemplary method includes an image processing system Receiving a first frame captured at a first time from light received by an endoscope, the first frame including a first visible image, the first visible image comprising a first plurality of visible color components; receiving a second frame captured at a second time different from the first time from light received from the endoscope, the second frame including a combination image, the combination image being a combination of a second visible image and a first fluorescence image; creating a second fluorescence image, the second fluorescence image comprising artifacts from the first frame and the second frame; creating a third fluorescence image based on the second fluorescence image; and generating, based on the third fluorescence image, an image including an artificial fluorescence image for display by a display system.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 receiving, by an image processing system, a first frame captured at a first time from light received by an endoscope, the first frame including a first visible image, the first visible image comprising a first plurality of visible color components;   receiving, by the image processing system, a second frame captured at a second time different from the first time from light received from the endoscope, the second frame including a combination image, the combination image being a combination of a second visible image and a first fluorescence image;   creating, by the image processing system, a second fluorescence image, the second fluorescence image comprising artifacts from the first frame and the second frame;   creating, by the image processing system, a third fluorescence image based on the second fluorescence image; and   generating, by the image processing system based on the third fluorescence image, an image including an artificial fluorescence image for display by a display system.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the creating of the third fluorescence image based on the second fluorescence image is configured to remove the artifacts from the second fluorescence image. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the creating of the second fluorescence image from the first frame and the second frame comprises:
 subtracting the first frame from the second frame to generate a plurality of frame-to-frame color component differences, wherein one of the frame-to-frame color component differences is the second fluorescence image.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 normalizing the plurality of frame-to-frame color component differences.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the creating of the third fluorescence image based on the second fluorescence image comprises:
 performing cross-channel subtraction using the normalized plurality of frame-to-frame color component differences to obtain the third fluorescence image.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the creating of the third fluorescence image based on the second fluorescence image comprises:
 performing cross-channel subtraction to obtain the third fluorescence image.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising displaying the image on the display system. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , where image processing system is included in a teleoperated surgical system. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the endoscope is held by a manipulator arm of the teleoperated surgical system while the first and second frames are received. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the light is provided by the teleoperated surgical system by way of an illumination channel.