U.S. patent application number 14/942801 was filed with the patent office on 2017-05-18 for resolution enhancement of oct images during vitreoretinal surgery.
The applicant listed for this patent is NOVARTIS AG. Invention is credited to Steven T. Charles.
Application Number | 20170135568 14/942801 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 57396859 |
Filed Date | 2017-05-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170135568 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Charles; Steven T. |
May 18, 2017 |
RESOLUTION ENHANCEMENT OF OCT IMAGES DURING VITREORETINAL
SURGERY
Abstract
Resolution enhancement of OCT images during ophthalmic surgery
may be performed with an OCT scanning controller that interfaces to
an OCT scanner used with a surgical microscope. Real-time OCT
images may be acquired by the OCT scanner, while previously
acquired high resolution OCT images are accessed by the OCT
scanning controller. The high resolution OCT images may be morphed
based on the real-time OCT images to match a deformation of the
eye. The morphed high resolution OCT images may be displayed during
surgery.
Inventors: |
Charles; Steven T.;
(Memphis, TN) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
NOVARTIS AG |
Basel |
|
CH |
|
|
Family ID: |
57396859 |
Appl. No.: |
14/942801 |
Filed: |
November 16, 2015 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61B 3/0041 20130101;
G06T 2207/30101 20130101; G06T 2210/41 20130101; G06T 7/33
20170101; G06T 2207/10016 20130101; A61B 3/102 20130101; G06T
2207/10056 20130101; G06T 7/38 20170101; G06T 2210/44 20130101;
A61B 3/13 20130101; G06T 2207/20016 20130101; G06T 2207/30041
20130101; A61B 90/37 20160201; A61B 2090/3735 20160201; G06T
2207/10101 20130101; A61B 3/0025 20130101; A61B 3/145 20130101;
G06T 5/50 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A61B 3/00 20060101
A61B003/00; A61B 3/14 20060101 A61B003/14; A61B 3/10 20060101
A61B003/10; A61B 90/00 20060101 A61B090/00; A61B 3/13 20060101
A61B003/13 |
Claims
1. A method for performing ophthalmic surgery, the method
comprising: viewing an interior portion of an eye of a patient
using a surgical microscope generating an optical image of the
interior portion of the eye; and sending a command to an optical
coherence tomography (OCT) scanning controller coupled to the
surgical microscope to generate first scan data from the interior
portion of the eye, wherein the OCT scanning controller is in
communication with an OCT scanner enabled for acquiring the first
scan data, wherein the OCT scanning controller is enabled for,
receiving the first scan data from the OCT scanner; accessing
second scan data previously generated from the interior portion of
the eye using OCT, wherein the second scan data has higher spatial
resolution than the first scan data; capturing a deformation of the
eye by the first scan data; based on the first scan data of the
deformation, morphing the second scan data to correspond to the
deformation to generate third scan data; and causing the third scan
data to be displayed.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the third scan data are displayed
in an ocular of the surgical microscope.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the third scan data are displayed
in an external display.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first scan data are received
as a video signal.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the third scan data are displayed
as a video signal.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the OCT scanning controller is
further enabled for: performing a registration prior to the
deformation, wherein the first scan data are compared with the
second scan data; and accepting the registration when the first
scan data matches the second scan data to a minimum degree.
7. An optical coherence tomography (OCT) scanning controller to
perform resolution enhancement of OCT images during ophthalmic
surgery, the OCT scanning controller further comprising: a
processor having access to memory media storing instructions
executable by the processor for, receiving a first command to
generate first scan data from an interior portion of an eye of a
patient; sending a second command to an OCT scanner to acquire the
first scan data via a surgical microscope; receiving the first scan
data from the OCT scanner; accessing second scan data previously
generated from the interior portion of the eye using OCT, wherein
the second scan data has higher spatial resolution than the first
scan data; based on the first scan data, morphing the second scan
data to correspond to a deformation of the eye captured by the
first scan data to generate third scan data; and causing the third
scan data to be displayed.
8. The OCT scanning controller of claim 7, wherein the instructions
for causing the third scan data to be displayed include
instructions for causing the third scan data to be displayed in an
ocular of the surgical microscope.
9. The OCT scanning controller of claim 7, wherein the instructions
for causing the third scan data to be displayed include
instructions for causing the third scan data to be displayed in an
external display.
10. The OCT scanning controller of claim 7, wherein the first scan
data are received as a video signal.
11. The OCT scanning controller of claim 7, wherein the third scan
data are displayed as a video signal.
12. The OCT scanning controller of claim 7, further comprising
instructions for: performing a registration prior to the
deformation, wherein the first scan data are compared with the
second scan data; and accepting the registration when the first
scan data matches the second scan data to a minimum degree.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] Field of the Disclosure
[0002] The present disclosure relates to ophthalmic surgery, and
more specifically, to resolution enhancement of optical coherence
tomography (OCT) images during vitreoretinal surgery.
[0003] Description of the Related Art
[0004] In ophthalmology, eye surgery, or ophthalmic surgery, saves
and improves the vision of tens of thousands of patients every
year. However, given the sensitivity of vision to even small
changes in the eye and the minute and delicate nature of many eye
structures, ophthalmic surgery is difficult to perform and the
reduction of even minor or uncommon surgical errors or modest
improvements in accuracy of surgical techniques can make an
enormous difference in the patient's vision after the surgery.
[0005] Ophthalmic surgery is performed on the eye and accessory
visual structures. More specifically, vitreoretinal surgery
encompasses various delicate procedures involving internal portions
of the eye, such as the vitreous humor and the retina. Different
vitreoretinal surgical procedures are used, sometimes with lasers,
to improve visual sensory performance in the treatment of many eye
diseases, including epimacular membranes, diabetic retinopathy,
vitreous hemorrhage, macular hole, detached retina, and
complications of cataract surgery, among others.
[0006] During vitreoretinal surgery, an ophthalmologist typically
uses a surgical microscope to view the fundus through the cornea,
while surgical instruments that penetrate the sclera may be
introduced to perform any of a variety of different procedures. The
surgical microscope provides imaging and optionally illumination of
the fundus during vitreoretinal surgery. The patient typically lies
supine under the surgical microscope during vitreoretinal surgery
and a speculum is used to keep the eye exposed. Depending on a type
of optical system used, the ophthalmologist has a given field of
view of the fundus, which may vary from a narrow field of view to a
wide field of view that can extend to peripheral regions of the
fundus.
[0007] In addition to viewing the fundus, surgical microscopes may
be equipped with optical coherence tomography (OCT) scanners to
provide additional information about portions of eye tissue
involved with the vitreoretinal surgery. The OCT scanner may enable
imaging below a visible surface of the eye tissue during
vitreoretinal surgery. However, real-time imaging using an OCT
scanner may be limited to lower resolution images.
SUMMARY
[0008] In one aspect, a disclosed method is for performing
ophthalmic surgery using resolution enhancement of OCT images. The
method may include viewing an interior portion of an eye of a
patient using a surgical microscope generating an optical image of
the interior portion of the eye, and sending a command to an OCT
scanning controller coupled to the surgical microscope to generate
first scan data from the interior portion of the eye. In the
method, the OCT scanning controller may be in communication with an
OCT scanner enabled for acquiring the first scan data. In the
method, the OCT scanning controller may be enabled for receiving
the first scan data from the OCT scanner, and accessing second scan
data previously generated from the interior portion of the eye
using OCT. In the method, the second scan data may have higher
spatial resolution than the first scan data. The method may further
include capturing a deformation of the eye by the first scan data.
Based on the first scan data of the deformation, the method may
still further include morphing the second scan data to correspond
to the deformation to generate third scan data, and causing the
third scan data to be displayed.
[0009] In any of the disclosed embodiments of the method, the third
scan data may be displayed in an ocular of the surgical microscope.
In any of the disclosed embodiments of the method, the third scan
data may be displayed in an external display.
[0010] In any of the disclosed embodiments of the method, the first
scan data may be received as a video signal. In any of the
disclosed embodiments of the method, the third scan data may be
displayed as a video signal.
[0011] In any of the disclosed embodiments of the method, the OCT
scanning controller may be further enabled for performing a
registration prior to the deformation, wherein the first scan data
are compared with the second scan data, and accepting the
registration when the first scan data matches the second scan data
to a minimum degree.
[0012] In a further aspect, a disclosed OCT scanning controller
performs resolution enhancement of OCT images during ophthalmic
surgery. The OCT scanning controller may include a processor having
access to memory media storing instructions executable by the
processor for receiving a first command to generate first scan data
from an interior portion of an eye of a patient, sending a second
command to an OCT scanner to acquire the first scan data via a
surgical microscope, and receiving the first scan data from the OCT
scanner. The OCT scanning controller may further include
instructions for accessing second scan data previously generated
from the interior portion of the eye using OCT. In the OCT scanning
controller, the second scan data may have higher spatial resolution
than the first scan data. Based on the first scan data, the OCT
scanning controller may further include instructions for morphing
the second scan data to correspond to a deformation of the eye
captured by the first scan data to generate third scan data, and
causing the third scan data to be displayed.
[0013] In any of the disclosed embodiments of the OCT scanning
controller, the instructions for causing the third scan data to be
displayed may include instructions for causing the third scan data
to be displayed in an ocular of the surgical microscope. In any of
the disclosed embodiments of the OCT scanning controller, the
instructions for causing the third scan data to be displayed may
include instructions for causing the third scan data to be
displayed in an external display.
[0014] In any of the disclosed embodiments of the OCT scanning
controller, the first scan data may be received as a video signal.
In any of the disclosed embodiments of the OCT scanning controller,
the third scan data may be displayed as a video signal.
[0015] In any of the disclosed embodiments, the OCT scanning
controller may further include instructions for performing a
registration prior to the deformation, wherein the first scan data
are compared with the second scan data, and accepting the
registration when the first scan data matches the second scan data
to a minimum degree.
[0016] Additional disclosed embodiments include an OCT scanner, a
surgical microscope, and an image processing system.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure,
reference is now made to the following description, taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0018] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of selected elements of an
embodiment of a surgical microscopy scanning instrument;
[0019] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of selected elements of an
embodiment of a scanning controller; and
[0020] FIG. 3 is a flow chart of selected elements of a method for
resolution enhancement of OCT images during vitreoretinal
surgery.
DESCRIPTION OF PARTICULAR EMBODIMENTS
[0021] In the following description, details are set forth by way
of example to facilitate discussion of the disclosed subject
matter. It should be apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the
field, however, that the disclosed embodiments are exemplary and
not exhaustive of all possible embodiments.
[0022] As used herein, a hyphenated form of a reference numeral
refers to a specific instance of an element and the un-hyphenated
form of the reference numeral refers to the collective element.
Thus, for example, device `12-1` refers to an instance of a device
class, which may be referred to collectively as devices `12` and
any one of which may be referred to generically as a device
`12`.
[0023] As noted above, during vitreoretinal surgery a surgeon may
view the fundus of an eye of a patient using a surgical microscope,
for example, in conjunction with an ophthalmic lens for viewing
through the cornea, such as a contact or non-contact lens. In order
to perform any of a variety of surgical procedures, the surgeon may
desire to optically scan certain portions of the fundus to generate
profile depth scans of the corresponding eye tissue, such as by
using an OCT scanner. The profile depth scans may reveal
information about eye tissue that is not readily visible from
optical images generated by the surgical microscope. The profile
depth scans may be point scans (A-scan), line scans (B-scan), or
area scans (C-scan). An image from a B-scan will image the depth of
eye tissue along a line, while a C-scan results in 3-dimensional
(3D) data that can be sectioned to provide various views, including
an en face view from the optical view perspective, but which can be
generated at various depths and for selected tissue layers.
[0024] Although OCT scanners have been integrated with the optics
of surgical microscopes, the real-time imagery that can be provided
using OCT may be limited to a lower spatial resolution than the
optical images that the surgeon views intraoperatively. For
example, the resolution obtained with an OCT scanner depends on the
intensity of light in an OCT sample beam, as well as on a dwell
time at each sampling location to acquire a sufficient amount of
OCT measurement beam photons. Because the intensity of light
entering the eye is limited for safety reasons to a Maximum
Permissible Exposure (MPE) limit to prevent biological damage, the
operational parameters for OCT to generate high resolution images
may involve relatively long sampling times and may be unsuitable to
perform in real-time, such as to generate a video signal that can
be viewed intraoperatively. As a result, when a surgeon views
real-time OCT images captured during vitreoretinal surgery, the
real-time OCT images may have a substantially lower resolution than
the optical images concurrently viewed by the surgeon, which may be
undesirable.
[0025] The present disclosure relates to resolution enhancement of
OCT images during vitreoretinal surgery. The methods and systems
for resolution enhancement of OCT images during vitreoretinal
surgery disclosed herein may enable the surgeon to intraoperatively
view high resolution OCT images along with the optical images
generated by the surgical microscope. The methods and systems for
resolution enhancement of OCT images during vitreoretinal surgery
disclosed herein may enable registration of real-time OCT images to
match with previously acquired high-resolution OCT images. The
methods and systems for resolution enhancement of OCT images during
vitreoretinal surgery disclosed herein may enable an intraoperative
deformation of the eye to be viewed with high resolution. The
methods and systems for resolution enhancement of OCT images during
vitreoretinal surgery disclosed herein may further enable the field
of view to be output to an external display.
[0026] As will be described in further detail, resolution
enhancement of OCT images during vitreoretinal surgery disclosed
herein is performed using an OCT scanning controller that is
integrated with the OCT scanner and the surgical microscope. The
OCT scanning controller may send commands to control operation of
the OCT scanner, including for positioning as indicated by a user,
typically the surgeon. The OCT scanning controller may receive user
input and may communicate with the OCT scanner to acquire first
scan data that is collected in real-time. The OCT scanning
controller may access second scan data previously generated for the
patient using OCT and having higher spatial resolution than the
first scan data.
[0027] Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a block diagram
showing a surgical microscopy scanning instrument 100. Instrument
100 is not drawn to scale but is a schematic representation. As
will be described in further detail, instrument 100 may be used
during vitreoretinal surgery to view and analyze a human eye 110.
As shown, instrument 100 includes surgical microscope 120, OCT
scanning controller 150, external display 152, OCT image
respository 154, and OCT scanner 134. Also shown in FIG. 1 are
imaging system 140, ophthalmic lens 112, as well as surgical tool
116 and illuminator 114.
[0028] As shown, surgical microscope 120 is depicted in schematic
form to illustrate optical functionality. It will be understood
that surgical microscope 120 may include various other electronic
and mechanical components, in different embodiments. Accordingly,
objective 124 may represent a selectable objective to provide a
desired magnification or field of view of the fundus of eye 110.
Objective 124 may receive light from the fundus of eye 110 via
ophthalmic lens 112 that rests on a cornea of eye 110. It is noted
that various types of ophthalmic lenses 112 may be used with
surgical microscope 120, including contact lenses and non-contact
lenses. To perform vitreoretinal surgery, various tools and
instruments may be used, including tools that penetrate the sclera,
represented by surgical tool 116. Illuminator 114 may be a special
tool that provides a light source from within the fundus of eye
110.
[0029] In FIG. 1, surgical microscope 120 is shown with a binocular
arrangement with two distinct but substantially equal light paths
that enable viewing with binoculars 126 that comprise a left ocular
126-L and a right ocular 126-R. From objective 124, a left light
beam may be split at beam splitter 128, from where imaging system
140 and left ocular 126-L receive the optical image. Also from
objective 124, a right light beam may be split at partial mirror
129, which also receives sample beam 130 from OCT scanner 134, and
outputs measurement beam 132 to OCT scanner 134. Partial mirror 129
also directs a portion of the right light beam to right ocular
126-R. Display 122 may represent an opto-electronic component, such
as an image processing system that receives the data from OCT
scanning controller 150 and generates image output for left ocular
126-L and right ocular 126-R, respectively. In some embodiments,
display 122 includes miniature display devices that output images
to binoculars 126 for viewing by the user. It is noted that the
optical arrangement depicted in FIG. 1 is exemplary and may be
implemented differently in other embodiments.
[0030] In FIG. 1, OCT scanning controller 150 may have an
electrical interface with display 122, for example, for outputting
display data. In this manner, OCT scanning controller 150 may
output a display image to display 122 that is viewed at binoculars
126. Because the electrical interface between imaging system 140
and OCT scanning controller 150 may support digital image data, OCT
scanning controller 150 may perform image processing in real-time
with relatively high frame refresh rates, such that a user of
surgical microscope 120 may experience substantially instantaneous
feedback to user input for controlling the selected portion of eye
110 for scanning, as well as other operations. External display 152
may output similar images as display 122, but may represent a
stand-alone monitor for viewing by various personnel during
vitreoretinal surgery. Display 122 or external display 152 may be
implemented as a liquid crystal display screen, a computer monitor,
a television or the like. Display 122 or external display 152 may
comply with a display standard for the corresponding type of
display, such as video graphics array (VGA), extended graphics
array (XGA), digital visual interface (DVI), high-definition
multimedia interface (HDMI), etc.
[0031] With the binocular arrangement of surgical microscope 120 in
FIG. 1, imaging system 140 may receive a portion of the left light
beam that enables imaging system 140 to independently process,
display, store, and otherwise manipulate light beams and image
data. Accordingly, imaging system 140 may represent any of a
variety of different kinds of imaging systems, as desired.
[0032] As shown, OCT scanner 134 may represent an embodiment of
various kinds of OCT scanners. It is noted that other types of
optical scanners may be used with the arrangement depicted in FIG.
1. OCT scanner 134 may control output of sample beam 130 and may
receive measurement beam 132 that is reflected back in response to
photons of sample beam 130 interacting with tissue in eye 110. OCT
scanner 134 may also be enabled to move sample beam 130 to the
selected location indicated by the user. OCT scanning controller
150 may interface with OCT scanner 134, for example, to send
commands to OCT scanner 134 indicating the selected location to
generate scan data, and to receive the scan data acquired by OCT
scanner 134. It is noted that OCT scanner 134 may represent various
types of OCT instruments and configurations, as desired, such as
but not limited to time domain OCT (TD-OCT) and frequency domain
OCT (FD-OCT). In particular, the scan data generated by OCT scanner
134 may include two-dimensional (2D) scan data of a line scan and
three-dimensional (3D) scan data for an area scan. The scan data
may represent a depth profile of the scanned tissue that enables
imaging below a visible surface within the fundus of eye 110.
[0033] As shown, OCT image repository 154 represents a digital
storage medium, such as a database or a file system and
corresponding storage devices, that provides access to OCT images.
Specifically, high-resolution OCT images of eye 110 may be recorded
in advance of the vitreoretinal surgery and stored in OCT image
repository 154, such that OCT scanning controller 150 can access
the high-resolution OCT images.
[0034] In operation of instrument 100, the user may view the fundus
of eye 110 using binoculars while vitreoretinal surgery is
performed on eye 110. The user may provide user input to OCT
scanning controller to initiate an OCT scan. OCT scanning
controller may, in turn, communicate with OCT scanner 134 to
control scanning operations and perform a real-time OCT scan to
generate first scan data. However, the first scan data generated by
OCT scanner 134 intraoperatively may be of low resolution, as
discussed previously. Therefore, instead of displaying the first
scan data at display 122, OCT scanning controller 150 may access
second scan data from OCT image repository 154, the second scan
data comprising high resolution OCT images of eye 110 of the
patient. Then, OCT scanning controller 150 may internally modify
the second scan data to match a deformation detected in the first
scan data, such as an interoperative deformation of the sclera
caused by surgical tool 116. Then, OCT scanning controller 150 may
display third scan data (comprising the modified second scan data)
to the user such that a high-resolution OCT image is viewed at
binoculars 126. The processing by OCT scanning controller 150 may
be performed in real-time, for example, based on first scan data
that is acquired as frames of a video signal, with frame rates of
multiple frames per second or higher, to generate corresponding
frames of the third scan data as a video signal.
[0035] Modifications, additions, or omissions may be made to
surgical microscopy scanning instrument 100 without departing from
the scope of the disclosure. The components and elements of
surgical microscopy scanning instrument 100, as described herein,
may be integrated or separated according to particular
applications. Surgical microscopy scanning instrument 100 may be
implemented using more, fewer, or different components in some
embodiments.
[0036] Referring now to FIG. 2, a block diagram illustrating
selected elements of an embodiment of OCT scanning controller 150,
described above with respect to FIG. 1, is presented. In the
embodiment depicted in FIG. 2, OCT scanning controller 150 includes
processor 201 coupled via shared bus 202 to memory media
collectively identified as memory 210.
[0037] OCT scanning controller 150, as depicted in FIG. 2, further
includes communication interface 220 that can interface OCT
scanning controller 150 to various external entities, such as OCT
scanner 134 or imaging system 140, among other devices. In some
embodiments, communication interface 220 is operable to enable OCT
scanning controller 150 to connect to a network (not shown in FIG.
2). In embodiments suitable for resolution enhancement of OCT
images during vitreoretinal surgery, OCT scanning controller 150,
as depicted in FIG. 2, includes display interface 204 that connects
shared bus 202, or another bus, with an output port for one or more
displays, such as display 122 or external display 152.
[0038] In FIG. 2, memory 210 encompasses persistent and volatile
media, fixed and removable media, and magnetic and semiconductor
media. Memory 210 is operable to store instructions, data, or both.
Memory 210 as shown includes sets or sequences of instructions,
namely, an operating system 212, and an image resolution control
application 214. Operating system 212 may be a UNIX or UNIX-like
operating system, a Windows.RTM. family operating system, or
another suitable operating system.
[0039] Referring now to FIG. 3, a flow chart of selected elements
of an embodiment of a method 300 for resolution enhancement of OCT
images during vitreoretinal surgery, as described herein, is
depicted. Method 300 describes steps and procedures that may be
performed while surgical microscopy scanning instrument 100 is
operated to view the fundus of an eye and perform surgical
procedures based on the view of the fundus. Accordingly, at least
certain portions of method 300 may be performed by image resolution
control application 214. It is noted that certain operations
described in method 300 may be optional or may be rearranged in
different embodiments. Method 300 may be performed by image
resolution control application 214 to interact with a surgeon or
other medical personnel, referred to herein as a "user".
[0040] Prior to method 300, it may be assumed that surgical
microscopy scanning instrument 100 is being used to view an
interior portion of an eye of a patient, such as described in FIG.
1. Then, method 300 may begin, at step 302, by receiving a first
command to generate first scan data from an interior portion of an
eye of a patient. The first scan data are C-scans (volumetric
scans) of the interior portion of the eye. At step 304, a second
command may be sent to an OCT scanner to acquire the first scan
data via the surgical microscope. At step 306, the first scan data
may be received from the OCT scanner. It is noted that the first
scan data may be continuously acquired and received, such that
steps 304 and 306 represent initiation of continuous operations to
acquire and receive the first scan data. At step 308, second scan
data previously generated from the interior portion of the eye
using OCT and having higher spatial resolution than the first scan
data may be accessed. The second scan data are also C-scans
(volumetric scans) of the interior portion of the eye. At step 310,
a registration of the eye may be performed by comparing the first
scan data with the second scan data. In some embodiments, the
registration at step 310 may include displaying the first scan data
and the second scan data to the user and obtaining confirmation
from the user. At step 312, a decision may be made whether the
registration performed at step 310 is accepted.
[0041] Acceptance of the registration may be based on a degree of
spatial matching between the first scan data and the second scan
data. As noted, the user may be relied upon to confirm the degree
of spatial matching and accept the registration. In some
embodiments, an automatic procedure may be used for registration.
For example, the second scan data may be downsampled to match a
resolution of the first scan data and then the downsampled second
scan data may be compared with the first scan data for differences.
The differences may be quantified using certain criteria, such as
less than 5% difference, or 1-5% difference, or less than 1%
difference, in different examples. Additionally, further operations
such as orientation and scaling of imaged values may be performed
on the second scan data during registration. In order to align the
first scan data and the second scan data, certain specific features
(such as tissues, layers, blood vessels, structures, etc.) may be
identified during the registration in step 310. In particular
embodiments, OCT angiography using auto-segmentation of retinal
blood vessels is used to guide alignment in step 310 of the second
scan data with the first scan data. In some embodiments, the
internal limiting membrane (ILM) or a back surface of a detached
retina may be used to guide alignment in step 310. Acceptance of
the registration may indicate that the second scan data are valid
for the eye and correspond to the first scan data.
[0042] When the result of step 312 is NO and the registration is
not accepted, method 300 may end at step 314. When the result of
step 312 is YES and the registration is accepted, method 300 may
proceed to step 316, where a deformation of the eye is captured by
the first scan data. As noted above, the first scan data may be
continuously acquired and received as a result of steps 304 and
306. In some embodiments, the first scan data are continually
overwritten by refreshing as new OCT scans are performed in
real-time. The deformation of the eye at step 316 may be the result
of an intraoperative procedure by the surgeon.
[0043] At step 318, based on the first scan data of the
deformation, the second scan data may be morphed to correspond to
the deformation to generate third scan data. The morphing may be
performed with various image processing algorithms. For example,
certain specific features (such as tissues, layers, blood vessels,
structures, etc.) may be identified from the registration and may
be subsequently mapped from the first scan data to the second scan
data to represent the deformation in step 318. In particular
embodiments, OCT angiography using auto-segmentation of retinal
blood vessels is used to guide alignment and morphing in step 318
of the second scan data to match the first scan data. In some
embodiments, the internal limiting membrane (ILM) or a back surface
of a detached retina may be used to guide alignment and morphing in
step 318. Additionally, it is noted that the morphing operation in
step 318 is dependent on a number of variables and factors
associated with instrument 100. For example, the morphing is
dependent on a microscope magnification or selection of a given
objective 124, as well as on a type of ophthalmic lens 112 used.
The morphing may also be dependent on a distance between an optical
element, such as a non-contact lens used for ophthalmic lens 112,
and the eye. Thus, upon a change in such operative variables, at
least step 318 in method 300 may be repeated to refresh the third
scan data. At step 320, the third scan data may be caused to be
displayed. The third scan data may be displayed at binoculars 126
or at external display 152 or both. It is noted that the third scan
data are displayed in addition to the optical image provided by the
surgical microscope that is a live optical view of the interior
portion of the eye.
[0044] As disclosed herein, resolution enhancement of OCT images
during ophthalmic surgery may be performed with an OCT scanning
controller that interfaces to an OCT scanner used with a surgical
microscope. Real-time OCT images may be acquired by the OCT
scanner, while previously acquired high resolution OCT images are
accessed by the OCT scanning controller. The high resolution OCT
images may be morphed based on the real-time OCT images to match a
deformation of the eye. The morphed high resolution OCT images may
be displayed during surgery.
[0045] The above disclosed subject matter is to be considered
illustrative, and not restrictive, and the appended claims are
intended to cover all such modifications, enhancements, and other
embodiments which fall within the true spirit and scope of the
present disclosure. Thus, to the maximum extent allowed by law, the
scope of the present disclosure is to be determined by the broadest
permissible interpretation of the following claims and their
equivalents, and shall not be restricted or limited by the
foregoing detailed description.
* * * * *