Endoscopic system and method for displaying an adaptive overlay

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed towards a video display system and an endoscopic system configured to provide the surgeon with an optimized video image based upon user preference. The video display system includes a first video image displaying a white light video of a surgical site. The first video image has a first predetermined area. A second video image is overlaid on the first video image. The second video image is displayed in a fluorescent light video. The second video image is centered on the surgical site and includes a second predetermined area. The second predetermined area is smaller than the first predetermined area so as to define a boundary of white light video. Thus, the video display system provides the surgeon with the ability to reference the location of the fluorescent light video with respect to anatomical features of the surgical site.

1 . An endoscopic system configured to generate a video image of a surgical site, the endoscopic system comprising:
 a light source configured to transmit electromagnetic radiation in a first visible spectrum and in a second spectrum selected to include excitation wavelengths for exciting a fluorophore;   an imager configured to acquire an image data, the imager comprising a first image sensor, a beam splitter, and a second image sensor, where the first and second image sensors are configured to capture light at the same focal distance;   an image processor configured generate a white light image of the surgical site from the first image sensor, the white light image having a first predetermined area, and to generate an emission radiation image of the surgical site from the second image sensor, the emission radiation image data having a second predetermined area, and to generate from the white light image and the emission radiation image, a display image comprising a false colored emission radiation image overlaid on the white light image, where the second predetermined area is smaller than the first predetermined area; and   a display for displaying the display image.   
     
     
         2 . The endoscopic system of  claim 1 , wherein the second image sensor is configured to capture image data in the near infrared spectrum. 
     
     
         3 . The endoscopic system of  claim 1 , wherein a field of view of the second image sensor is smaller than a field of view of the first image sensor. 
     
     
         4 . The endoscopic system of  claim 1 , wherein a field of view of the first image sensor is the same as the field of view of the second image sensor, and wherein the second predetermined area is made smaller than the first predetermined area by the image processor cropping the emission radiation image. 
     
     
         5 . The endoscopic system of  claim 1 , wherein the first image sensor has a higher resolution than the second image sensor. 
     
     
         6 . The endoscopic system of  claim 1 , wherein a boundary comprising portions of the white light image surrounds second predetermined area, creating thereby a peripheral region consisting only of the white light image. 
     
     
         7 . The endoscopic system of  claim 6 , wherein the display image includes a frame bounding the peripheral region, visually separating it, thereby from the second predetermined area. 
     
     
         8 . The endoscopic system of  claim 1 , further including an input, the input configured to adjust a transparency of the false color emission radiation image. 
     
     
         9 . The endoscopic system of  claim 1 , further including an image processor configured to detect a tool, wherein the image processor is further configured to center the second predetermined area. 
     
     
         10 . The endoscopic system of  claim 1 , further including an input configured to adjust a size of the second predetermined area. 
     
     
         11 . The endoscopic system of  claim 1 , further including an input configured to move the second video image with respect to the first video image. 
     
     
         12 . A method for displaying video imagery collected during a medical procedure, comprising the steps of:
 collecting a first video image comprising a white light image of a surgical site;   collecting a second video image consisting of an emission radiation image of the surgical scene;   processing the second video image such that the emission radiation image is mapped to a color in the visible spectrum, creating a pseudo-color representation of the second video image;   displaying a composite image on an image display, wherein the composite image comprises the first video image registered to and overlaid with the processed second video image,   wherein, the processed second video image is contained within a second predetermined area of the display which is smaller than a first predetermined area that contains the first video image.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the step of collecting a first video image comprises the step of illuminating the surgical site with a broad spectrum visible light illumination. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the step of collecting a second video image comprises the step of illuminating the surgical site with an excitation illumination. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the excitation illumination comprises at least a portion of the near infrared spectrum. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , comprising the further step of providing a visible border between the first predetermined area and the second predetermined area. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , comprising the further step of identifying, by means of an image processor, if there is a tool present in the first video image. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , comprising the further step of positioning the second video image such that it contains at least a portion of the identified tool. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , comprising the further step of detecting movement of identified tool, and repositioning the second video image such that it continues to contain at least a portion of the identified tool. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12 , comprising the further step of adjusting a transparency value of the second video image prior to the step of displaying the composite image.