IDP: Instrument Detection from External Cameras in the OR

Thesis by: Richard Voigt
Advisor: Prof. Nassir Navab
Supervision by: Ralf Stauder
Due date: 2016-01-15

Abstract

Knowledge about the instruments in use at every point in time during a surgery allows a very detailed analysis and recognition of the surgical workflow, and therefore predictions and numerous other applications. Several approaches exist to detect instrument usage in the OR, often involving additional sensors attached to the instruments. This has additional hard constraints due to the surgical sterility requirements, but is also prone to noise due to its makeshift nature. One approach currently under research by several groups is the detection of instruments from the laparoscopic view directly, but with the extreme optical challenges, that this method poses, more work is still required before reliable results can be expected.

The goal of this work is to detect the instruments on the mayo stand through an external, ceiling-mounted camera. No additional sensors or markers are to be attached to the instruments or the surgical staff. The developed method should be able to detect multiple instruments in the same image, possibly several individual instruments of the same type. The approach should be robust against partial occlusions (e.g. by the hands of the scrub nurse) or overlapping instruments. Real-time capabilities up to 1Hz are beneficial, but not a requirement of this project.