Accounting for skipped imaging locations during movement of an endoluminal imaging probe

• US 10,362,962 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2013
• Issued: 07/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sync-Rx, Ltd. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Synx-Rx Limited
• Inventors: Cohen, Ran, Klaiman, Eldad, Steinberg, Alexander, Tolkowsky, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Brutus, Joel F
• Application Number:
  US14/098,140
• Publication Number:
  US 20140094693A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,063 Days
• Field of Search: 600424
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3966 Radiopaque markers visible in an X-ray image
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0066 Optical coherence imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0073 by tomography, i.e. reconstruction of 3D images from 2D projections A61B5/0066 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0075 by spectroscopy, i.e. measuring spectra, e.g. Raman spectroscopy, infrared absorption spectroscopy A61B5/0071 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0084 for introduction into the body, e.g. by catheters A61B5/1459 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0086 using infrared radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/061 Determining position of a probe within the body employing means separate from the probe, e.g. sensing internal probe position employing impedance electrodes on the surface of the body A61B1/00158 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/064 using markers A61B5/062 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/066 Superposing sensor position on an image of the patient, e.g. obtained by ultrasound or x-ray imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7425 Displaying combinations of multiple images regardless of image source, e.g. displaying a reference anatomical image with a live image geometric transforms for image registration G06T3/14; enhancement using image fusion G06T5/50; algorithms for registration of images G06T7/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/12 in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters catheters per se A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10016 Video; Image sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10072 Tomographic images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10121 Fluoroscopy
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10132 Ultrasound image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20101 Interactive definition of point of interest, landmark or seed
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20221 Image fusion; Image merging
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30101 Blood vessel; Artery; Vein; Vascular
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30172 Centreline of tubular or elongated structure
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30204 Marker
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/33 : using feature-based methods

Abstract

Apparatus and methods are described including, while an endoluminal data-acquisition device is being moved through a lumen of a subject, acquiring a plurality of endoluminal data points of the lumen using the endoluminal data-acquisition device. It is determined that, at least one location, no endoluminal data point was acquired. An output is generated using at least a portion of the plurality of endoluminal data points of the lumen acquired using the endoluminal data-acquisition device, the output including an indication that no endoluminal data point was acquired at the location. Other applications are also described.

Claims

1. Apparatus comprising:

an endoluminal data-acquisition device configured to acquire a plurality of endoluminal data points while moving through a lumen of a subject, wherein the plurality of endoluminal data points comprise at least one of endoluminal imaging data or endoluminal functional data;

a display;

an extraluminal imaging device configured to acquire one or more extraluminal images of the lumen; and

at least one processor configured to;

perform a coregistering of the plurality of endoluminal data points to the one or more extraluminal images of the lumen, by determining, with respect to the one or more extraluminal images of the lumen, locations along the lumen at which respective endoluminal data points were acquired,

determine, with respect to the one or more extraluminal images of the lumen, that there is a given location within the lumen, at which no endoluminal data point was determined to have been acquired, based upon the coregistering of the plurality of endoluminal data points to the one or more extraluminal images of the lumen, and

generate an output on the display using at least a portion of the plurality of endoluminal data points of the lumen acquired using the endoluminal data-acquisition device, the output including an indication that no endoluminal data point was determined to have been acquired at the given location.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the endoluminal data-acquisition device comprises an endoluminal imaging device that is configured to acquire a plurality of endoluminal images while the endoluminal imaging device is being moved through the lumen, and wherein the at least one processor is configured to generate the output using a plurality of acquired endoluminal images of the lumen.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the endoluminal data-acquisition device comprises a non-imaging endoluminal data-acquisition device that is configured to acquire functional endoluminal data points regarding the lumen, while the endoluminal data-acquisition device is being moved through the lumen, and wherein the at least one processor is configured to generate the output using a plurality of acquired functional endoluminal data points regarding the lumen.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to generate a stack of the endoluminal data points, in which the endoluminal data points are positioned at locations corresponding to relative locations within the lumen at which the endoluminal data points were acquired, with respect to the one or more extraluminal images of the lumen, the stack including a gap in the stack at a location within the stack that corresponds to the given location within the lumen;

and

wherein the at least one processor is configured to generate the output by driving the display to display the stack of the endoluminal data points.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to measure a length of a portion of the lumen, based upon the stack of the endoluminal data points.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the at least one processor is configured to drive the display to display a length scale in relation to the stack of the endoluminal data points.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lumen is a vessel, and wherein the endoluminal data-acquisition device is an intravascular data acquisition device, and wherein the plurality of endoluminal data points are a plurality of intravascular data points, and wherein the extraluminal imaging device is an extravascular imaging device, and wherein the one or more extraluminal images are one or more extravascular images.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the intravascular data-acquisition device comprises an intravascular imaging device that is configured to acquire a plurality of intravascular images while the intravascular imaging device is being moved through the vessel, and wherein the at least one processor is configured to generate the output using a plurality of acquired intravascular images of the vessel.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the intravascular data-acquisition device is a non-imaging intravascular data-acquisition device that is configured to acquire functional intravascular data points regarding the vessel, while the intravascular data-acquisition device is being moved through the vessel, and wherein the at least one processor is configured to generate the output using a plurality of acquired functional intravascular data points regarding the vessel.

10. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the at least one processor is configured to generate a stack of the intravascular data points, in which the intravascular data points are positioned at locations corresponding to relative locations within the vessel at which the intravascular data points were acquired, with respect to the one or more extravascular images of the vessel, the stack including a gap in the stack at a location within the stack that corresponds to the given location within the vessel;

and

wherein the at least one processor is configured to generate the output by driving the display to display the stack of the intravascular data points.

11. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to measure a length of a portion of the vessel, based upon the stack of the intravascular data points.

12. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the at least one processor is configured to drive the display to display a length scale in relation to the stack of the intravascular data points.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the endoluminal data-acquisition device includes an ultrasound imaging device.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the output comprises a different indication of at least one of the endoluminal data points acquired at least one of the locations along the lumen, wherein the different indication is proximate to the indication that no endoluminal data point was determined to have been acquired at the given location.

15. A method for use with an endoluminal data-acquisition device configured to acquire endoluminal data points while moving through a lumen of a subject'"'"'s body, comprising:

while the endoluminal data-acquisition device is being moved through the lumen, acquiring a plurality of endoluminal data points of the lumen using the endoluminal data-acquisition device, wherein the plurality of endoluminal data points comprise at least one of endoluminal imaging data or endoluminal functional data;

acquiring one or more extraluminal images of the lumen, using an extraluminal imaging device; and

using at least one processor;

coregistering the plurality of endoluminal data points to the one or more extraluminal images of the lumen, by determining, with respect to the one or more extraluminal images of the lumen, locations along the lumen at which respective endoluminal data points were acquired,

determining, with respect to the one or more extraluminal images of the lumen, that there is a given location within the lumen, at which no endoluminal data point was determined to have been acquired, based upon the coregistering of the plurality of endoluminal data points to the one or more extraluminal images of the lumen; and

generating an output, upon a display, using at least a portion of the plurality of endoluminal data points of the lumen acquired using the endoluminal data-acquisition device, the output including an indication that no endoluminal data point was determined to have been acquired at the location.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the endoluminal data-acquisition device includes an endoluminal imaging device that is configured to acquire a plurality of endoluminal images while the endoluminal imaging device is being moved through the lumen, and wherein acquiring the plurality of endoluminal data points of the lumen comprises acquiring a plurality of endoluminal images of the lumen.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the endoluminal data-acquisition device includes a non-imaging endoluminal data-acquisition device that is configured to acquire functional endoluminal data points regarding the lumen, while the endoluminal data-acquisition device is being moved through the lumen, and wherein acquiring the plurality of endoluminal data points of the lumen comprises acquiring a plurality of functional endoluminal data points regarding the lumen.

18. The method according to claim 15, wherein generating the output comprises displaying the endoluminal data points in a stack in which the endoluminal data points are positioned at locations corresponding to relative locations within the lumen at which the endoluminal data points were acquired, with respect to the one or more extraluminal images of the lumen, and displaying a gap in the stack at the location within the stack that corresponds to the given location.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising determining a length of a portion of the lumen, based upon the stack of the endoluminal data points.

20. The method according to claim 18, further comprising displaying a length scale in relation to the stack of the endoluminal data points.