Slicer3: Image Guided Therapy (IGT)

Introduction

The Slicer3 IGT tools are intended to enable research in image guided therapy. They leverage the Slicer environment and augment it with a number of IGT specific functionalities and modules. One key element of this capability is Open IGT link, a communication protocol to link 3D Slicer to a variety of devices.

Use-case scenario 1: Neurosurgical navigation

• I am a neurosurgeon who is using the BrainLabs Navigation system. I would like to use Slicer to do some research in DTI visualization during procedures. What do I do?

The following scenario is being developed and tested: The integration of BrainLab and Slicer3

Use-case scenario 2: IGT robotics tutorial with LEGO Mindstorms

• I am a professor who wants to use Slicer to educate my students about the basics of robotics in IGT

Overview

This tutorial provides a thorough understanding of the main concepts in image-guided therapy and medical robotics, namely imaging, pre-operative planning, targeting by tracking, navigation and registration. The tutorial is open-source and completely free for anyone to use or modify (see http://www.slicer.org for details and for the BSD style open source license).

The tutorial is:

• Hands-on: Using a LEGO robot, a LEGO phantom (anatomical model) and a tutorial module in 3D Slicer v. 3 means that tutorial participants can use real physical equipment and software to learn about IGT and medical robotics.

• Accessible: The tutorial software is open-source, and the cost of the materials is approximately $300 USD + shipping and taxes.

Materials

• Provided by NA-MIC and the Surgical Planning Lab:
  • 3D Slicer (download from Download page)
  • 3D Slicer LEGO tutorial module (available at NA-MIC SandBox Subversion Repositiory)
  • CT volume of the phantom (download 000003.SER.zip)

• Provided by tutorial participants:
  • 1 LEGO Mindstorms NXT kit (Available at LEGO Shop)
  • 1 LEGO Deluxe Brick box (Available at LEGO Shop)
  • 2 pom-poms
  • Linux computer with root access or Windows with administrator privileges

(For purchasing information for user-supplied materials, see the "Tutorial Slides Part 1 - Background and Materials" slides.)

Steps

STEP 1: Assemble Robot (See Robot assembly instruction)

STEP 2: Assemble Phantom (See Phantom assembly instruction)

STEP 3: Place phantom (See Phantom assembly instruction)

For more information, please refer the tutorial slide materials listed bellow.

Tutorial slides and references

• Tutorial Slides Part 1 - Background and Materials: LEGOIGTAndMedicalRoboticsTutorial_1_BackgroundAndMaterials.pdf

• Tutorial Slides Part 2 - Basic Tutorial: LEGOIGTAndMedicalRoboticsTutorial_2_BasicTutorial.pdf

• Tutorial Slides Part 3 - Advanced Tutorial: LEGOIGTAndMedicalRoboticsTutorial_3_AdvancedTutorial.pdf

• MICCAI 2007 "Open Source and Open Data for MICCAI" workshop paper: AnAccessibleHandsOnTutorialSystemForIGTAndMedicalRobotics.pdf

List of devices that have been linked successfully

• Support medical tracking systems
• All devices interfaced to IGSTK (Noby inserts link), including
  • Flashpoint (Image Guided Technologies, Boulder, CO)
  • Robin Medical
  • scanners (Noby: which ones)
  • robots (Noby which ones)

• IGT Modules in Slicer 3.3

Only what is in Slicer 3.3 nightly!

• For more information
  • IGT Tutorial Materials