SBIR Award Title

SBIR Phase II: 4D scanner for image guided interventions

SBIR Award Abstract

The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is the significant improvement of
surgical accuracy, which will dramatically reduce surgical errors, improve outcomes and
reduce healthcare costs. In spine surgery alone, there are more than 500,000
procedures every year in the US utilizing implants such as screws. In 4% to 11% of
these surgeries, the implant placement is inaccurate. For the patient this translates into
longer recoveries - from days to weeks - and in many cases into a second revision
surgery. The patient is non-productive, unable to carry out their daily routines for weeks,
while the healthcare system has to absorb the costs of the longer recovery as well as
the revision surgeries. For both the healthcare and economic systems these are
avoidable costs. The medical imaging technology being developed in this project has
the potential to eliminate surgical inaccuracies across the $2.4B market of image
guidance, improving clinical applications that range from orthopedic surgery to minimally
invasive vascular interventions, to cancer diagnosis and treatments.

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase 2 project will demonstrate a
novel imaging modality, which provides near-real-time 3D live imaging - 4D - during
surgery. This novel system will provide surgical imaging at a lower x-ray dose than
fluoroscopy (current standard), with a geometry that allows concurrent imaging with
surgery. This 4D technology has the potential to significantly reduce surgical
inaccuracies, improve outcomes and reduce costs. Phase 1 successfully demonstrated
the feasibility of the reconstruction algorithm used by the proposed imaging modality by
showing its potential of higher surgical accuracy in a single spinal screw insertion. This
Phase 2 project will I) prove the robustness of the reconstruction algorithm across a
variety of use-cases, II) demonstrate the clinical usability of the 4D scanner, and III)
confirm the clinical utility of the scanner. The clinical usability will be studied with an
ergonomic model in a surgical setting. The clinical utility will be proven by building a
system prototype and performing image quality and x-ray dose comparisons versus
fluoroscopy and 3D in a realistic surgical setting. Preliminary results show that these
objectives are achievable. This research is readying the technology for clinical research,
regulatory clearance and commercialization. less The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is the significant improvement of<br/>surgical accuracy, which will dramatically reduce surgical errors, improve outcomes and<br/>reduce healthcare costs. In spine surgery alone, there are more than 500,000<br/>procedures every year in the US utilizing implants such as screws. In 4% to 11% of<br/>these surgeries, the implant placement is inaccurate. For the patient this translates into<br/>longer recoveries - from days to weeks - and in many cases into a second revis... more

Research Opportunity

Address

Officer

Principal Investigator

Description

Are you a self­-starter who is motivated and driven? Do you thrive in a fast-­paced startup environment? This candidate works as part of an experienced project team, contributing deliverables to a high impact project. This candidate can derive creative solutions to software engineering problems. The role is very hands­-on and will develop nView’s 4D reconstruction and visualization software. This candidate will interact closely with University Professors as well as with nView’s staff to implement algorithms and develop high quality software that is at the forefront of low ­latency parallel computing in medical imaging. They are expected to work and communicate well with other team members in order to meet the goals of the project and the company.

Desired Knowledge

Principal Job Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Development of 4D reconstruction and/or 4D visualization using C++ and CUDA.
2. Perform cutting ­edge low­ latency parallel computing, signal and image processing including data compression techniques.
3. Follow best software development practices and maintain version control.
4. Communicate technical issues, solutions, progress and risks to team.

Desired Skills:

● C/C++and CUDA
● Linux OS, Python, Git
● Embedded C/C++
● Signal Processing
● Medical imaging and computer vision.
● Human factors and UI experience
● Compression Techniques