Ultrasound in medicine & biology
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Ultrasound Med Biol · Jul 2015
Needle Trajectory and Tip Localization in Real-Time 3-D Ultrasound Using a Moving Stylus.
Described here is a novel approach to needle localization in 3-D ultrasound based on automatic detection of small changes in appearance on movement of the needle stylus. By stylus oscillation, including its full insertion into the cannula to the tip, the image processing techniques can localize the needle trajectory and the tip in the 3-D ultrasound volume. ⋯ Results also indicate that method performance is independent of the echogenicity of the tissue. This technique is a safe way of producing ultrasonic intensity changes and appears to introduce negligible risk to the patient, as the outer cannula remains fixed.