Predictive visualization of medical imaging scanner component movement

Abstract

An augmented reality system is provided for use with a medical imaging scanner. The AR system obtains a digital image from a camera, and identifies a pose of a gantry of the medical imaging scanner based on content of the digital image. The gantry includes a movable C-arm supporting an imaging signal transmitter and a detector panel that are movable along an arc relative to a station. A range of motion of the movable C-arm along the arc is determined based on the pose. A graphical object is generated based on the range of motion and the pose, and is provided to a display device for display as an overlay relative to the medical imaging scanner.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of using a medical imaging scanner including a gantry having a movable C-arm supporting an imaging signal transmitter and a detector panel that are movable along an arc relative to a station, the method comprising:
 under the control of a processor,
 determining by the processor a pose of the movable C-arm; 
 generating a second virtual imaging path extending from a present location of the imaging signal transmitter to a present location of the detector panel based on the determined pose of the movable C-arm; 
 generating a first virtual imaging path extending from an earlier defined location of the imaging signal transmitter to an earlier defined location of the detector panel based on the determined pose of the movable C-arm; 
 displaying the generated first and second virtual beam paths on an augmented reality (AR) display device as an overlay to the medical imaging scanner. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising adjusting, by a user, the C-arm position to center the imaging scanner based on the displayed virtual imaging paths. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein generating a second virtual imaging path includes generating a virtual path that diverges from a point source of the transmitter to the detector panel. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the pose of the movable C-arm comprises:
 receiving a digital image of the medical imaging scanner;   identifying within the digital image a location and orientation of a plurality of spaced-apart navigation markers attached to the gantry, and identifying a pose of at least one of the imaging signal transmitter and the detector panel based on the location and orientation of the plurality of spaced-apart tracking markers.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 predictively determining a range of motion of the movable C-arm based on the determined pose without moving the movable C-arm;   generating a graphical object based on the determined range of motion, wherein the graphical object indicates a clearance region that will not be contacted by the imaging signal transmitter and the detector panel during imaging; and   displaying the generated graphical object on the AR display device as an overlay to the medical imaging scanner.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein:
 generating a graphical object based on the determined range of motion comprises generating a first graphical object that represents the imaging signal transmitter and has a first pose that is rotated and offset to a first location along the arc relative to a present location of the imaging signal transmitter, generating a second graphical object that represents the detector panel and has a second pose that is rotated and offset to a second location along the arc relative to a present location of the detector panel.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 repeating the step of generating the graphical object for a plurality of locations along the arc and providing the graphical object to the AR display device to animate repetitive movement of the imaging signal transmitter and the detector panel through at least part of the range of motion along the arc.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 determining by the processor that a physical object which is separate from the gantry has a surface that extends from a location outside the graphical object displayed on the AR display device to another location that is within the graphical object; and   performing a collision alert action responsive to the determination.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein:
 performing the collision alert action comprises providing another graphical object for display as an overlay relative to the physical object and that identifies the physical object as being a collision risk for the at least one of the imaging signal transmitter and the detector panel when moved along the arc through the range of motion.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein:
 performing the collision alert action comprises communicating a command to the medical imaging scanner that disables electronic movement of the movable C-arm at least in a direction that may collide with the physical object.   
     
     
         11 . A method of using an x-ray imaging scanner including a gantry having a movable C-arm supporting an imaging signal transmitter and a detector panel that are movable along an arc relative to a station and a plurality of navigation markers attached to the gantry, the method comprising:
 under the control of a processor of a computer system:
 obtaining a digital image of the x-ray medical imaging scanner from the camera; 
 determining a pose of a gantry of the medical imaging scanner based on the plurality of navigation markers contained in the digital image; 
 generating a second virtual imaging path extending from a present location of the imaging signal transmitter to a present location of the detector panel based on the determined pose of the movable C-arm; 
 generating a first virtual imaging path extending from an earlier defined location of the imaging signal transmitter to an earlier defined location of the detector panel based on the determined pose of the movable C-arm; 
 displaying the generated first and second virtual beam paths on an augmented reality (AR) display device as an overlay to the medical imaging scanner. 
   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising adjusting, by a user, the C-arm position to center the imaging scanner based on the displayed virtual imaging paths. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein generating a second virtual imaging path includes generating a virtual path that diverges from a point source of the transmitter to the detector panel. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein determining the pose of the movable C-arm comprises:
 determining a pose of at least one of the imaging signal transmitter and the detector panel based on the location and orientation of the plurality of navigation markers.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 predictively determining a range of motion of the movable C-arm based on the determined pose without moving the movable C-arm;   generating a graphical object based on the determined range of motion, wherein the graphical object indicates a clearance region that will not be contacted by the imaging signal transmitter and the detector panel during imaging; and   displaying the generated graphical object on the AR display device as an overlay to the medical imaging scanner.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein:
 generating a graphical object based on the determined range of motion comprises generating a first graphical object that represents the imaging signal transmitter and has a first pose that is rotated and offset to a first location along the arc relative to a present location of the imaging signal transmitter, generating a second graphical object that represents the detector panel and has a second pose that is rotated and offset to a second location along the arc relative to a present location of the detector panel.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 repeating the step of generating the graphical object for a plurality of locations along the arc and providing the graphical object to the AR display device to animate repetitive movement of the imaging signal transmitter and the detector panel through at least part of the range of motion along the arc.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 determining by the processor that a physical object which is separate from the gantry has a surface that extends from a location outside the graphical object displayed on the AR display device to another location that is within the graphical object; and   performing a collision alert action responsive to the determination.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein:
 performing the collision alert action comprises providing another graphical object for display as an overlay relative to the physical object and that identifies the physical object as being a collision risk for the at least one of the imaging signal transmitter and the detector panel when moved along the arc through the range of motion.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein:
 performing the collision alert action comprises communicating a command to the medical imaging scanner that disables electronic movement of the movable C-arm at least in a direction that may collide with the physical object.