Real-time endoscope and intraoperative ultrasound integration in computer assisted navigated surgery

Abstract: During minimal-invasive surgery, the surgeon is not able to palpate or see through organs, and therefore has to rely on images to perform a safe operation. SINTEF Health Research has developed CustusX, a system that overcomes many problems deriving from these constraints. During surgery, it combines real-time 2D and 3D ultrasound acquisition and endoscopy with navigation technology to obtain a user-friendly image-guided surgery system that can cope with changes that occur during surgery. It uses several rendering techniques to help the surgeon to understand where the intraoperative instruments are located in the patient. This system has successfully been tested in laparoscopic operations and during endovascular phantom studies, as well as for planning and post-processing of patient data. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]