Systems and methods for simulating a three-dimensional orientation of a surgical hardware device about an insertion point of an anatomy using a diagnostic representation of the anatomy. The method including displaying the diagnostic representation of the anatomy; displaying a movable marker to represent the insertion point in the anatomy along with the diagnostic representation of the anatomy; moving the movable marker to the insertion point at a desired location in the anatomy as represented by the diagnostic representation of the anatomy; displaying a simulated surgical hardware device, along with the diagnostic representation of the anatomy, aligned with the insertion point of the diagnostic representation of the anatomy; rotating the simulated surgical hardware device about the insertion point; and designating the orientation of the surgical hardware device on the diagnostic representation of the anatomy relative to the insertion point at the desired location.

Systems and methods for performing registration between a patient space and an image space are disclosed herein. Systems using such methods may identify a pose of a registration frame having one or more apertures within the patient space using a tracking system. Image data corresponding to the image space having an image of the registration frame is taken. A plurality of aperture locations within the image data (corresponding to the apertures of the registration frame) are identified in the image data. Aperture representations from a model of the registration frame are matched to these aperture locations to determine a pose of the registration frame within the image space. A transform between the patient space and the image space is generated based on the pose of the registration frame within the patient space and the pose of the registration frame within the image space. Optimization methods for this transform are discussed.

A method according to embodiments of the present disclosure includes receiving a computed tomography (CT) image of a patient; segmenting a first set of anatomical elements from the CT image; receiving a plurality of fluoroscopy images of the patient; segmenting a second set of anatomical elements from the plurality of fluoroscopy images; and creating a registration between the CT image and the plurality of fluoroscopy images based on the segmented first set of anatomical elements and the segmented second set of anatomical elements.

A method includes classifying, via a computational model, images of a source image stream as valid images or invalid images based on whether the images include biological tissue or a surgical tool; and generating a condensed image stream that includes the valid images. Another method includes classifying input images as valid images or invalid images using: a clustering algorithm that classifies each of the input images into either a first group or a second group and using labels that indicate whether the input images include a surgical tool. The method also includes training a computational model to identify the valid images based on whether the valid images include biological tissue or a surgical tool, or whether the valid images have at least a threshold level of clarity.

In some embodiments, spinal disc degeneracy is diagnosed according to a decay variance map generated by determining a variance in T2 decay over time within each pixel or pixel subset of an MRI image. A region of interest may be defined as including nucleus pulposus (NP) and annulus fibrosus (AF) areas, and excluding cartilaginous endplate (EP) areas of a disc. A decay variance for a pixel or groups of pixels is calculated by determining ratios between consecutive intensity values of the T2 signal, determining differences between consecutive ratios, and summing the absolute values of the determined differences. Decay variance mapping may be used to diagnose degeneracy in other tissues, such as in joints.

Systems and methods for designing and implementing patient-specific surgical procedures and/or medical devices are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method includes receiving a patient data set of a patient. The patient data set is compared to a plurality of reference patient data sets, wherein each of the plurality of reference patient data sets is associated with a corresponding reference patient. A subset of the plurality of reference patient data sets is selected based, at least partly, on similarity to the patient data set and treatment outcome of the corresponding reference patient. Based on the selected subset, at least one surgical procedure or medical device design for treating the patient is generated.

A computer-implemented method of detecting and quantifying a spinal curve is disclosed herein. The method comprises obtaining a Forward-Looking Infrared Radiometer (FLIR) camera, calibrating the FLIR camera to room temperature, stabilizing the FLIR camera for imaging of a spine of a subject at a position horizontally spaced about ½ to about 3 meters, or about ½ to about 2 meters, from the camera, scanning at least a portion of the spine with the FLIR camera to obtain thermal data, and generating an image of the subject's spine. Corresponding systems and methods also are disclosed.

A method and system for detecting spinal stenosis is provided. The method may receive image data corresponding to a spine region of a patient. The method may also identify a spinal cord in the image data. The method may determine at least one compression of the spinal cord and may mark an anatomical element proximate to a location of the determined at least one compression to yield at least one marking. The method may generate a decompression plan based on the at least one marking.

A method for localization and identification of a structure in a projection image with a system having a known system geometry, includes acquiring a preoperative computer-tomography or CT image of a structure, preprocessing the CT-image to a volume image, acquiring an intraoperative two dimensional or 2D X-ray image, preprocessing the 2D X-ray image to a fix image, estimating an approximate pose of the structure, calculating a digitally reconstructed radiograph or DRR using the volume image, the estimated pose and the system geometry, and calculating a correlation between the generated DRR and the fix image, with a correlation value representing matching between the generated DRR and the fix image. The method significantly decreases the number of wrong-level surgeries and is independent of the surgeon's ability to localize and/or identify a target level in a body.

Systems and methods for visualization of a surgical site are disclosed. An imaging device provides image data of the surgical site. A computing device detects, in the image data, at least one obstruction. The computing device filters the image data to remove the at least one obstruction by being configured to alter pixels related to the at least one obstruction based on at least one of (i) one or more buffered frames and (ii) one or more pixels adjacent to the pixels related to the at least one obstruction. The computing device generates an output from the filtered image data. A display device presents the output for visualization of the surgical site.