A visual guidance system for minimal invasive surgery using 3D ultrasonic and stereo endoscopic images

We propose a novel visual guidance system for a minimal invasive laparoscopic surgery using US (ultrasonic) and stereo endoscopic images. The shape of an organ inside body is detected by a 3D ultrasonic scanner and superimposed on the endoscopic image for the accurate and safe surgical operations. The precise superimposing is achieved by registration of two surfaces extracted by the 3D US scanner and the stereo endoscope. The performance of the proposed algorithm is verified using a 3D US scanner, a stereo endoscope, and a US prostate phantom.