OpenIGTLink newpage

Overview

The OpenIGTLink protocol is a simple but extensible data format to transfer various types of data among software and devices used in image-guided therapy (IGT) e.g. surgical navigation software, tracking device, robotic device, imaging scanner. The protocol can handle images, tracking data, transforms, device control commands, and other user-defined data types. It is designed to work in the application layer of the TCP/IP stack, but not limited to it; developers can use this protocol with UDP/IP or other network protocol models. The OpenIGTLink protocol is supported in medical image processing and visualization software 3D Slicer. more...

Integration of transperineal prostate robot and navigation software (BRP -- Brigham and Women's Hospital/Johns Hopkins University/Queen's University/Acoustic Med Systems

Prototype integration of a neurosurgical robot and Slicer3 using OpenIGTLink, Hideo Fujimoto, Nagoya Inst Tech., Japan

Screenshot of tracker tool visualization on the 3D Slicer. Brigham and Women's Hopsital

Integration of transperineal prostate robot (BRP -- Brigham and Women's Hospital/Johns Hopkins University/Queen's University/Acoustic Med Systems

Protocol

The OpenIGTLink protocol is backward compatible, in the sense that all messages generated by software with OpenIGTLink version 1 interfaces can be imported by those with version 2 interfaces.

Version 1

• Standard Protocol
• Site and Project Specific Extended Protocols
  • MRI robot project at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
  • Transrectal Ultrasound-guided biopsy, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
  • MRI real-time Imaging acquisition and control, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA

Version 2 (in draft)

• Release plan for version 2 protocol
• Version 2 Summary -- What's new in V.2?
• Version 2 Draft Page
• Version 2 Trial

Library

• C/C++ Implementation
  • The OpenIGTLink Library (Tutorial) (Discussions)
  • Choose an approach to build your OpenIGTLink application
  • The OpenIGTLink Library Version 2 Development Page
• Matlab / Octave (under development)
  • OpenIGTLink Interface for Matlab / Octave (Updated)

Interfaces / Software

• Interface for 3D Slicer
• Simulator programs
• Interface for IGSTK

Devices

Please see the list of the OpenIGTLink-compliant hardware and software.

• MRI real time image (currently supporting GE, planning to invite other vendors)
• JHU robots and encoders - JHU page
• List all devices supported by IGSTK
• NDI Optotrak
• Robin Medical EndoScout (by BWH)
• Aurora
• FlockOfBirds
• Polaris

(Please contact us if you would like to include other devices.)

Workshops / Meetings / Tutorials

Meetings / Workshops

• OpenIGTLink Meetings and Workshops

Tutorial Materials

• Tutorials on image guided therapy (IGT) using Slicer 3 and OpenIGTLink is available at IGT:ToolKit
  • A tutorial on 3D Slicer and Tracker simulator is available at 3D Slicer OpenIGTLink IF Documentation page.

People / Organizations

• Luis Ibanez, Kitware
• Junichi Tokuda, BWH
• Csaba Csoma, JHU
• Jack Blevins, Acousticmed
• Patrick Cheng, Georgetown University
• Haying Liu, BWH
• Insight Software Consortium
• Jumpei Arata, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Japan (Nagoya robot control)

Supports

• Enabling Technologies for MRI-Guided Prostate Interventions funded by National Institute of Health (PI: Clare Tempany, MD)
• National Center for Image Guided Therapy (NCIGT)
• National Alliance for Medical Image Computing (NA-MIC)
• Intelligent Surgical Instrument Project sponsored by The Ministry of International Trade and Industry, Japan

License

New BSD license ©2008 Insight Software Consortium

Reference

• Tokuda J, Fischer GS, Papademetris X, Yaniv Z, Ibanez L, Cheng P, Liu H, Blevins J, Arata J, Golby AJ, Kapur T, Pieper S, Burdette EC, Fichtinger G, Tempany CM, Hata N.. OpenIGTLink: an open network protocol for image-guided therapy environment. Int J Med Robot. 2009 Dec;5(4):423-34.

Related pages

• Slicer 3 Image Guided Therapy (IGT) suite
• Slicer 3 Daemon
• OpenDMTP - Open Device Monitoring and Tracking Protocol
• Uniform Driver Interface (UDI)
• Debian Source Package: openigtlink

Mailing List / Contact

We are launching the OpenIGTLink mailing list (openigtlink@bwh.harvard.edu). If you would like to join, please subscribe from OpenIGTLink ML Info Page or send Junichi Tokuda (tokuda at bwh.harvard.edu) a message with:

• Your name
• e-mail address you would like to use to post and receive ML articles
• Affiliation
• Your research topic