IEEE Rev Biomed Eng. 2020;13:212-232. doi: 10.1109/RBME.2019.2939091. Epub 2019 Sep 2.
Optical and electromagnetic tracking systems represent the two main technologies integrated into commercially-available surgical navigators for computer-assisted image-guided surgery so far. Optical Tracking Systems (OTSs) work within the optical spectrum to track the position and orientation, i.e., pose of target surgical instruments. OTSs are characterized by high accuracy and robustness to environmental conditions. The main limitation of OTSs is the need of a direct line-of-sight between the optical markers and the camera sensor, rigidly fixed into the operating theatre. Electromagnetic Tracking Systems (EMTSs) use electromagnetic field generator to detect the pose of electromagnetic sensors. EMTSs do not require such a direct line-of-sight, however the presence of metal or ferromagnetic sources in the operating workspace can significantly affect the measurement accuracy. The aim of the proposed review is to provide a complete and detailed overview of optical and electromagnetic tracking systems, including working principles, source of error and validation protocols. Moreover, commercial and research-oriented solutions, as well as clinical applications, are described for both technologies. Finally, a critical comparative analysis of the state of the art which highlights the potentialities and the limitations of each tracking system for a medical use is provided.
光学和电磁跟踪系统代表了迄今为止集成到商用手术导航系统中的两种主要技术，用于计算机辅助图像引导手术。光学跟踪系统（OTS）在光学频谱内工作，以跟踪目标手术器械的位置和方向，即姿态。OTS 的特点是对环境条件具有高精度和鲁棒性。OTS 的主要限制是光学标记和刚性固定在手术室中的相机传感器之间需要直接视线。电磁跟踪系统（EMTS）使用电磁场发生器来检测电磁传感器的姿态。EMTS 不需要这样的直接视线，但是在手术工作空间中存在金属或铁磁源会显著影响测量精度。本综述的目的是提供光学和电磁跟踪系统的完整和详细概述，包括工作原理、误差源和验证协议。此外，还描述了这两种技术的商业和研究导向解决方案以及临床应用。最后，对每种跟踪系统的潜力和局限性进行了批判性比较分析，以用于医疗用途。
