Fiducial markers configuration optimization in image-guided surgery.

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Surgical Navigation
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Rigid registration is crucial for Image Guided Surgery (IGS).
• Point-pair methods are standard for registration.
• Fiducial point configuration significantly impacts registration accuracy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate factors affecting registration accuracy in IGS.
• To compare empirical simulation-based methods with experimental measurements.
• To optimize fiducial point configuration for improved surgical precision.

Main Methods:

• Designed a phantom and markers for experimental analysis.
• Conducted experiments to measure fiducial location error (FLE) and target registration error (TRE).
• Compared Fitzpatrick's TRE (F-TRE) with actual TRE (A-TRE) and analyzed marker spread effects.

Main Results:

• Fiducial location error showed a maximum deviation of 0.4 mm.
• Average F-TRE was 86% of average A-TRE, but STD proportion was only 7%.
• Six fiducial markers achieved 86% accuracy; spreading markers reduced mean A-TRE by 30% and STD by 40%.

Conclusions:

• Fiducial point configuration is critical for IGS accuracy.
• Experimental TRE measurement provides valuable insights beyond simulations.
• Optimized marker placement, particularly spreading them, enhances IGS safety and precision.