Endoscopic Depth Estimation Based on Deep Learning: A Survey

arXiv:2507.20881v3 Announce Type: replace Abstract: Endoscopic depth estimation is a critical technology for improving the safety and precision of minimally invasive surgery. It has attracted considerable attention from researchers in medical imaging, computer vision, and robotics. Over the past decade, a large number of methods have been developed. Despite the existence of several related surveys, a comprehensive overview focusing on recent deep learning-based techniques is still limited. This paper endeavors to bridge this gap by comprehensively reviewing the state-of-the-art literature. Specifically, we provide a thorough survey of the field from three key perspectives: data, methods, and applications. Firstly, at the data level, we describe the acquisition process of publicly available datasets. Secondly, at the methodological level, we introduce both monocular and stereo deep learning-based approaches for endoscopic depth estimation. Thirdly, at the application level, we identify the specific challenges and corresponding solutions for the clinical implementation of depth estimation technology, situated within concrete clinical scenarios. Finally, we outline potential directions for future research, such as domain adaptation, real-time implementation, and the synergistic fusion of depth information with sensor technologies, thereby providing a valuable starting point for researchers to engage with and advance the field toward clinical translation.

Related

• ExtraGS: Enhancing Endoscopic View Extrapolation via Diffusion-Guided 3D Gaussian Splatting
• First Investigation of Deep Learning for Intraoperative Gauze Segmentation in Minimally Invasive Abdominal Surgery
• Learning Vision-Based Omnidirectional Navigation: A Teacher-Student Approach Using Monocular Depth Estimation

Source: arXiv cs.CV | 2026-09-02