Image Guidance for Spinal Facet Injections Using Tracked Ultrasound

  • Authors:

  • John Moore;Colin Clarke;Daniel Bainbridge;Chris Wedlake;Andrew Wiles;Danielle Pace;Terry Peters

  • Affiliations:

  • Imaging Research Laboratory, Robarts Research Institute, London, Canada;Division of Anesthesia, The University of Western Ontario, Canada;Division of Anesthesia, The University of Western Ontario, Canada and Canadian Surgical Technologies and Advanced Robotics (CSTAR), Canada;Imaging Research Laboratory, Robarts Research Institute, London, Canada;Imaging Research Laboratory, Robarts Research Institute, London, Canada and Biomedical Engineering Graduate Program, The University of Western Ontario, Canada;Imaging Research Laboratory, Robarts Research Institute, London, Canada and Department of Medical Imaging, Department of Medical Biophysics, The University of Western Ontario, Canada;Imaging Research Laboratory, Robarts Research Institute, London, Canada and Biomedical Engineering Graduate Program, The University of Western Ontario, Canada and Department of Medical Imaging, De ...

  • Venue:
  • MICCAI '09 Proceedings of the 12th International Conference on Medical Image Computing and Computer-Assisted Intervention: Part I
  • Year:
  • 2009

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Abstract

Anesthetic nerve blocks are a common therapy performed in hospitals around the world to alleviate acute and chronic pain. Tracking systems have shown considerable promise in other forms of therapy, but little has been done to apply this technology in the field of anesthesia. We are developing a guidance system for combining tracked needles with non-invasive ultrasound (US) and patient-specific geometric models. In experiments with phantoms two augmented reality (AR) guidance systems were compared to the exclusive use of US for lumbar facet injection therapy. Anesthetists and anesthesia residents were able to place needles within 0.57mm of the intended targets using our AR systems compared to 5.77 mm using US alone. A preliminary cadaver study demonstrated the system was able to accurately place radio opaque dye on targets. The combination of real time US with tracked tools and AR guidance has the potential to replace CT and fluoroscopic guidance, thus reducing radiation dose to patients and clinicians, as well as reducing health care costs.