Marking device (100) for implantation into a tissue (260), having a support structure (102) which is formed by at least one elastic metal wire, is compressible and is self-expanding and which, in an expanded state, encompasses an interior space (104), characterized in that the marking device (100) is designed to transform itself on its own from a compressed state into an expanded state, even against a tissue pressure prevailing at a tissue site to be marked, and the marking device (100) in the expanded state has a hollow, approximately spherical shape.

The present disclosure relates to embodiments of a patient-specific or patient-matched, customized apparatus for assisting in various surgical procedures. In varying embodiments, patient-specific guides may comprise multiple patient-specific surfaces for mating with the underlying patient anatomy and may further comprise one or more protrusions or projections for facilitating placement and attachment, at least temporarily, to the desired location of the patient's anatomy. The apparatus described herein are preferably used with cervical and/or certain thoracic levels of the human spine and may comprise single or multi-level guides for placement of instruments and/or implants during a variety of surgical procedures.

Apparatus and methods are described including acquiring 3D image data of a skeletal portion. While a tool that is coupled to a robot is disposed at a first location along an insertion path, two 2D x-ray images are acquired from respective views. A computer processor (i) determines the first location with respect to the 3D image data based upon identifying the first location within the 2D x-ray images and registering the 2D x-ray images to the 3D image data, and (ii) derives a relationship between the first location and a given location within the 3D image data. Subsequently, the robot moves the tool to a second location responsively to the derived relationship. The processor tracks the motion of the robot relative to the first location, derives the second location, and drives a display to display the second location. Other applications are also described.

Disclosed is a system for assisting in guiding and performing a procedure on a subject. The subject may be any appropriate subject such as inanimate object and/or an animate object. The guide and system may include various manipulable or movable members and may be registered to selected coordinate systems.

Aspects of the invention relate to composite markers that employ a gel carrier to carry two or more contrast materials, each detectable by a detection modality different than one another. Kits and methods for forming these composite markers and methods of marking a target site in a mammalian subject employing these composite markers are also discussed herein.

A system may include a targeting cannula. The targeting cannula may extend from a first end to a second end and may define a hole that extends through the targeting cannula from the first end to the second end. The targeting cannula may include at least one visual marker disposed along a length of the targeting cannula. The at least one visual marker may be identifiable in an image obtained by a fluoroscope. The targeting cannula may include a coupling portion adjacent to the second end that may be configured to engage an imaging device. Methods of using the system also are disclosed.

A system for surgical navigation, including an instrument for a medical procedure attached to a camera and having a spatial position relative to the camera, an x-ray system to acquire x-ray images, and multiple fiducial markers detectable by both the camera and x-ray system, having a radio-opaque material arranged as at least one of a line and a point. A computer receives an optical image from the camera and an x-ray image from the x-ray system, identifies fiducial markers visible in both the optical image and x-ray image, determines for each fiducial marker a spatial position relative to the camera based on the optical image and relative to the x-ray system based on the x-ray image, and determines a spatial position for the instrument relative to the x-ray system based on at least the spatial positions relative to the camera and x-ray system.

A disclosed biological data processing device includes a calculator configured to calculate relative position data indicating a relative position of a subject with respect to a biological sensor for measuring the subject using the biological sensor, a specifying unit configured to identify a predetermined part of the subject to specify a relative position of the identified predetermined part with respect to the biological sensor based on the relative position data, and a generator configured to reconfigure electric current sources based on biological data measured by the biological sensor, using the relative position specified by the specifying unit as a calculated position, to generate reconfigured data.

A system and a method for surgical image guidance are described herein. The system includes a first imaging device and an image processing system operatively connected to the first imaging device. The image processing system is configured to: receive real-time image data from the first imaging device; receive secondary image data from a second imaging device; produce enhanced composite image data by improving an alignment of physical structures in a real-time image. The image processing system is configured to operate in an unlocked mode in which the real-time image is free to move relative to the secondary image and a locked mode wherein the real-time image and the secondary image are locked relative to each other to prevent relative movement therebetween. The imaging device is configured to be able to provide information to the image processing system when the image processing system is operating in the unlocked mode.

A biopsy marker may include three shaped portions arranged sequentially along an axis, each shaped portion having a first surface and a second surface parallel to the first surface. A first narrow portion connects a first of the three shaped portions to a second of the three shaped portions. A second narrow portion connects the second of the three shaped portions to a third of the three shaped portions. The first narrow portion is twisted about the axis such that the first surface of the first shaped portion is at a first angle to the first surface of the second shaped portion. The second narrow portion is twisted about the axis such that the first surface of the second shaped portion is at a second angle to the first surface of the third shaped portion.