| Summary: | This thesis describes a system for intraoperative transrectal ultrasound imaging in
robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy, and related image registration
work.
First, a novel method for registering three-dimensional ultrasound data to an
external coordinate frame is presented. The method uses a registration tool pressed
against an air-tissue boundary to provide common target points in the the ultrasound frame and the external frame. This method has two applications in our system: registering the ultrasound data captured by the system to a laparoscopic stereo camera to allow augmented-reality style overlays in laparoscopic or robotic surgery, and registering the system to the da Vinci Surgical System so the ultrasound
imaging arrays can automatically track the da Vinci tools during surgery. In an initial feasibility study, the method was used to register a mechanical three-dimensional ultrasound transducer to high-disparity stereo cameras through a tissue phantom. Average registration error was found to be 1.69 ± 0.60 mm. Accuracy of localizing ultrasound fiducials pressed against an air-tissue boundary was found to range from 0.54 mm to 1.04 mm. In a second study, the method was used to register three-dimensional transrectal ultrasound data to a da Vinci stereo endoscope. In this study, fiducials imaged at multiple registration tool positions were incorporated into a single registration. Registration error imaging through a tissue phantom ranged from 3.85 ± 1.76 mm using one registration tool position to 1.82 ± 1.03 mm using four positions. Registration
error imaging through an ex-vivo porcine liver tissue sample ranged from 2.36 ± 1.01 mm using one registration tool position to 1.51 ± 0.70 mm using four positions. === Applied Science, Faculty of === Electrical and Computer Engineering, Department of === Graduate
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