Visualization of Fibroid in Laparoscopy Videos using Ultrasound Image Segmentation and Augmented Reality | IEEE Conference Publication | IEEE Xplore
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Visualization of Fibroid in Laparoscopy Videos using Ultrasound Image Segmentation and Augmented Reality


Abstract:

Though they rarely become malignant, the surgical removal of fibroids (uterine myomas) is commonly considered to prevent any possible future risks. As the least invasive ...Show More

Abstract:

Though they rarely become malignant, the surgical removal of fibroids (uterine myomas) is commonly considered to prevent any possible future risks. As the least invasive intervention, endoscopic surgery is the most popular approach for this aim. However, since these compact tumors reside in the deep (muscle/connective) tissues of the uterus, they are hardly visible using only the video stream provided by the endoscopic camera. Thus, conform to the current general trend in human surgery, in this paper we propose a multimodal approach to make these tumors more visible during endoscopic interventions, namely, the reconstruction of the whole three-dimensional model of the uterus from ultrasound images and segmentation of the fibroids using this modality. Then, we map the result of the segmentation on the surface of the uterus, hence they become visible during endoscopic surgery. Similar efforts have already been made, considering the usage of MRI for this purpose, but ultrasound image acquisition is more widely available, faster, and cheaper next to the lower image quality. Our aim is to use the output of the 3D ultrasound imaging device during the laparoscopic surgery. Our segmentation pipeline processes the ultrasound images and consists of Otsu's thresholding using a special mask derived from image averages and morphological snakes to extract uterus boundary. As the final step, we project the segmented 3D model of the uterus with its lesion on an endoscope camera flow in real time to provide an augmented reality application.
Date of Conference: 23-25 September 2019
Date Added to IEEE Xplore: 17 October 2019
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Conference Location: Dubrovnik, Croatia

I. Introduction

Endoscopic surgery of fibroids is a definitive and feasible way of therapy in symptomatic cases. Intramural fibroids located in the deep myometrium cannot be seen with the naked eye, or palpated by laparoscopic or hysteroscopic instruments [1]. In order to avoid unnecessary incisions on the uterine wall, it is important to precisely localize the fibroids pre- and intraoperatively. Augmented reality is used in more and more fields of everyday life [2]. Applying these methods can help in combining preoperative information with endoscopic video. Using MRI has already been published for this purpose [3]. However, the cost of MRI is high and availability is also limited compared to e.g. ultrasonography. As the inclusion of a cheaper and more widely available modality, in this paper we propose a novel technique. Namely, we exhibit how the preoperatively scanned, ultrasonographic data can be projected on the real-time video showing the exact location of the fibroid.

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