Tubular Enhanced Geodesic Active Contours for continuum robot detection using 3D ultrasound

Three dimensional ultrasound is a promising imaging modality for minimally invasive robotic surgery. As the robots are typically metallic, they interact strongly with the sound waves in ways that are not modeled by the ultrasound system´s signal processing algorithms. Consequently, they produce substantial imaging artifacts that can make image guidance difficult, even for experienced surgeons. This paper introduces a new approach for detecting curved continuum robots in 3D ultrasound images. The proposed approach combines geodesic active contours with a speed function that is based on enhancing the “tubularity” of the continuum robot. In particular, it takes advantage of the known robot diameter along its length. It also takes advantage of the fact that the robot surface facing the ultrasound probe provides the most accurate image. This method, termed Tubular Enhanced Geodesic Active Contours (TEGAC), is demonstrated through ex vivo intracardiac experiments to offer superior performance compared to conventional active contours.