Spectrally encoded fiber-based structured lighting probe for intraoperative 3D imaging.

Area of Science:

• Medical imaging
• Surgical technology
• Biomedical optics

Background:

• Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) requires precise 3D organ shape and structure quantification for enhanced accuracy.
• Current 3D imaging techniques for MIS face challenges with occlusions and are often limited to macroscopic or open procedures.
• Integrating pre-operative or multi-modal imaging data with live surgical views is crucial for improving surgical precision.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a flexible multispectral structured illumination probe for 3D quantification in MIS.
• To overcome occlusion challenges in endoscopic 3D imaging.
• To enable registration of pre-operative imaging data with live endoscopic views.

Main Methods:

• Development of a flexible multispectral structured illumination probe (1.7 mm diameter) using a supercontinuum laser.
• Labeling projected points with specific wavelengths for distinct identification.
• Segmentation of points using RGB values from a standard endoscope camera and calculation of 3D coordinates after camera calibration.

Main Results:

• The probe successfully labels projected points with specific wavelengths, allowing for accurate segmentation and 3D coordinate calculation.
• The system effectively addresses occlusion issues by distinguishing points based on their spectral signatures.
• The probe's small diameter allows integration into standard endoscopic biopsy channels.

Conclusions:

• The developed multispectral structured illumination probe offers a viable solution for precise 3D organ shape and structure quantification during MIS.
• This technology can significantly improve navigation and visualization for surgical robots in MIS.
• It holds potential for advancing complex endoscopic procedures like natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery (NOTES).