The stamp registration method for image-guided otologic surgery

The registration process determines the overall accuracy of image-guided surgery. Otologic surgery requires submillimetric accuracy, and it is known that invasive registration using bone-anchored fiducial markers acquire less error. We have developed a less-invasive strategy for attaching bone markers by transferring the markers to the patient's bone intraoperatively. The template of the bone surface (the "stamp") was produced from the edited CT with virtual fiducial markers attached on the temporal bone. By matching the contour of the stamp with patient's bone surface after the bone was exposed, we could accurately and non-invasively transfer virtual markers on patient's bone for the registration. Our method would be a useful IGS method in the field of otology where both accuracy and non-invasiveness are required.