Display of region of activation in neurostimulation programming screen

• US 10,195,440 B2
• Filed: 09/18/2017
• Issued: 02/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Dongchul, Zhu, Changfang
• Primary Examiner(s): Koharski, Christopher D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dinga, Roland
• Application Number:
  US15/707,209
• Publication Number:
  US 20180001092A1
• Time in Patent Office: 505 Days
• Field of Search: 607 46, 607117
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36146 specified by the stimulation parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37247 User interfaces, e.g. input or presentation means

Abstract

A system for use with a neurostimulator coupled to one or more electrodes implanted adjacent neural tissue of a patient. The system comprises a user input device configured for allowing a user to select different nerve fiber diameters and to select a set of stimulation parameters. The system further comprises processing circuitry configured estimating regions of activation within the neural tissue of the patient based on the selected nerve fiber diameters and the selected stimulation parameter set. The system further comprises a display device configured for displaying the estimated regions of tissue activation. The user input device may further be configured for allowing the user to select different tissue regions of therapy, in which case, the display device may display the different tissue region on a human body map, and different indicia associating the displayed tissue regions for therapy to displayed estimated regions of tissue activation.

Claims

1. A system for testing a set of stimulation parameters for use by a neural stimulator to stimulate target neural tissue, the system comprising:

a user input device configured for allowing a user to select the set of stimulation parameters and the target neural tissue;

processing circuitry configured for determining nodes for the target neural tissue and estimating a region of activation within the target neural tissue of a patient based on the target neural tissue and the selected stimulation parameter set by determining activation of the determined nodes; and

a display device configured for displaying the estimated region of target neural tissue activation and displaying a representation of the activated nodes.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the user input device is configured for allowing the user to select a plurality of different target neural tissue properties, the processing circuitry is configured for estimating regions of tissue activation respectively based on the selected target neural tissue properties and the selected stimulation parameter set, and the display device is configured for concurrently displaying the regions of tissue activation with a plurality of different indicia.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the plurality of different indicia comprise different colors.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the user input device is configured for allowing a user to select a resolution of the nodes, and wherein the processing circuitry is configured for estimating the region of tissue activation at the selected resolution of the nodes.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the representation of the activated nodes comprises discrete geometric shapes coincident with the activated nodes.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the geometric shapes comprise circles.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the representation of the activated nodes comprises a polygon having vertices coincident with the activated nodes.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is configured for estimating a neural response based on the target neural tissue and the selected stimulation parameter set, and the display device is configured for displaying a representation of the neural response.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising the neurostimulator configured to stimulate the target neural tissue.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the selected stimulation parameter set comprises an electrode combination, wherein the user input device is further configured for allowing a user to define an ideal target pole relative to the one or more electrodes, the processing circuitry is further configured for determining the electrode combination based on the defined ideal target pole, and the display device is further configured for displaying the ideal target pole relative to the estimated region of tissue activation.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising output circuitry configured for transmitting the stimulation parameter set to a stimulation device.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising an external control device comprising the user input device and the processing circuitry.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the processing circuitry is configured for estimating regions of activation within the target neural tissue of the patient respectively based on the target neural tissue and the selected stimulation parameter set by determining activation of the determined nodes

a display device configured for concurrently displaying the regions of target neural tissue activation and displaying a representation of the activated nodes with a plurality of different indicia.

14. A method for using a system to test a set of stimulation parameters for use by a neural stimulator to stimulate target neural tissue, wherein the system comprises a user input device, processing circuitry and a display device, the method comprising:

using the user input device to allow a user to select the set of stimulation parameters and the target neural tissue;

using the processing circuitry to determine nodes for the target neural tissue and estimate a region of activation within the target neural tissue of a patient based on the target neural tissue and the selected stimulation parameter set by determining activation of the determined nodes; and

using the display device to display the estimated region of target neural tissue activation and a representation of the activated nodes.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the plurality of different indicia comprise different colors.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the selected stimulation parameter set comprises an electrode combination, the method further comprising using the user input device to allow a user to define an ideal target pole relative to the one or more electrodes, using the processing circuitry to determine the electrode combination based on the defined ideal target pole, and using the display device to display the ideal target pole relative to the estimated regions of target neural tissue activation.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the system further comprises output circuitry, the method further comprising using the output circuitry to transmit the stimulation parameter set to the stimulation device.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including instructions, which when executed by a system that comprises a user input device, processing circuitry and a display device, cause the system to perform a method for testing a set of stimulation parameters for use by a neural stimulator to stimulate target neural tissue, the method comprising:

using the user input device to allow a user to select the set of stimulation parameters and the target neural tissue;

using the processing circuitry to determine nodes for the target neural tissue and estimate a region of activation within the target neural tissue of a patient based on the target neural tissue and the selected stimulation parameter set by determining activation of the determined nodes; and

using the display device to display the estimated region of target neural tissue activation and a representation of the activated nodes.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the representation of the activated nodes for each region of tissue activation comprises discrete geometric shapes coincident with the activated nodes.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the representation of the activated nodes for each representation of the activated nodes comprises a polygon having vertices coincident with the activated nodes.