The vision of CAMIS is to give the surgeon visibility into his patient to minimize the invasiveness of surgery such that the patient will receive better medical care at reduced costs. The goals of this program were to add new technology, particularly Air Force technology, to the surgical computer navigation system developed by CCF, obtain Federal Drug Administration (FDA) approval, and to commercialize this product through PI. Two specific objectives of the project from an Air Force perspective are to add ultrasound to CAMIS to combine the real time advantages of ultrasound with the 3 Dimensional capabilities of MRI and CT (sensor fusion in military terms) and to utilize the medical hospitals for clinical testing of CAMIS so that the state-of-the-art capability of CAMIS is available for the treatment of our military service personnel.
The first task that was defined is to begin testing of the prototype test bed. Three military sites were chosen for the clinical trials of PI's ViewPoint test bed. The ViewPoint has been installed at Wright Patterson Medical Center at Wright Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB) in Ohio and demonstrated on two craniotomies. The installation at Wilford Hall Medical Center at Lackland Air Force Base and at Madigan Medical Center at Madigan Army Base has also been completed and their surgeons have observed the ViewPoint in surgery.
The second task is to develop and test enhancements to the Prototype test beds. PI began these enhancements by coupling the original CAMIS system with a new optical digitizer to improve the surgical navigation capabilities of the CAMIS test bed. The new digitizer along with software modifications enable real time tracking and 3D screen updates.
CCF has developed a second test bed entitled DOCTOR. Four current projects are underway that utilize DOCTOR. The Dr. Goshtasby of WSU along with the CCF and WL technical team is developing a tumor segmentation and parameterization capability. Once identified these regions are rendered using the transparent color overlays provided by DOCTOR.
WL is also collaborating with Dr. Newman from the University of Alabama, Huntsville to assist in the development of an anatomical identification capability to be included later in DOCTOR. Several MRI modalities are being combined to provide Automatic Target Recognition capabilities for the CAMIS test bed.
Dr. Chelberg of OU is sponsored by OAI's CAMIS research program to work with CCF and WL to combine the real time imaging capability of ultrasound with the 3 dimensional capability of CT for CAMIS. This fusion capability is being developed initially to support spinal surgery.
WU is working with CCF, PI, and WL to add ultrasound measurements to CAMIS. This new imaging display has been shown to be valuable in neural surgery. This new capability is the basis of the fusion development at OU.
WL operated an Air Force infrared (IR) camera during a craniotomy and a spinal surgery at CCF. The IR images taken during these procedures have created interest for further evaluation of this sensor for medical study.
CAMIS is certainly not finished and each of the participants are busy developing their parts of the program. CAMIS has already brought significant improvements to the health care capabilities provided by CCF and the WPMC. As PI further commercializes the CAMIS product it will elevate the level of health care for the nation.
If you have any questions about CAMIS, please contact Wright Laboratory by calling Jim Leonard at (937)255-6329.