Surface-based registration accuracy of CT-based image-guided spine surgery

Registration is a critical and important process in maintaining the accuracy of CT-based image-guided surgery. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the area of intraoperative data sampling and number of sampling points on the accuracy of surface-based registration in a CT-based spinal-navigation system, using an optical three-dimensional localizer. A cadaveric dry-bone phantom of the lumbar spine was used. To evaluate registration accuracy, three alumina ceramic balls were attached to the anterior and lateral aspects of the vertebral body. CT images of the phantom were obtained (1-mm slice thickness, at1-mm intervals) using a helical CT scanner. Twenty surface points were digitized from five zones defined on the basis of anatomical classification on the posterior aspects of the target vertebra. A total of 20 sets of sampling data were obtained. Evaluation of registration accuracy accounted for positional and rotational errors. Of the five zones, the area that was the largest and easiest to expose surgically and to digitize surface points was the lamina. The lamina was defined as standard zone. On this zone, the effect of the number of sampling points on the positional and rotational accuracy of registration was evaluated. And the effects of the additional area selected for intraoperative data sampling on the registration accuracy were evaluated. Using 20 surface points on the posterior side of the lamina, positional error was 0.96 mm±0.24 mm root-mean-square (RMS) and rotational error was 0.91°±0.38°RMS. The use of 20 surface points on the lamina usually allows surgeons to carry out sufficiently accurate registration to conduct computer-aided spine surgery. In the case of severe spondylosis, however, it might be difficult to digitize the surface points from the lamina, due to a hypertrophic facet joint or the deformity of the lamina and noisy sampling data. In such cases, registration accuracy can be improved by combining use of the 20 surface points on the lamina with surface points on other zones, such as on the both sides of the spinous process.