Methods for evaluating regional cardiac function and dyssynchrony from a dynamic imaging modality using endocardial motion

• US 10,448,901 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2012
• Issued: 10/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Johns Hopkins University
• Original Assignee: Johns Hopkins University
• Inventors: McVeigh, Elliot Ross, Pourmorteza, Amir
• Primary Examiner(s): Pehlke, Carolyn A
• Application Number:
  US14/350,991
• Publication Number:
  US 20140257083A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,566 Days
• Field of Search: 600407, 600410, 600425, 382128-132
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2576/023 for the heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0035 adapted for acquisition of images from more than one imaging mode, e.g. combining MRI and optical tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0044 for the heart
• 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 5/02 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse, heart rate, blood pressure or blood flow; Combined pulse/heart-rate/blood pressure determination; Evaluating a cardiovascular condition not otherwise provided for, e.g. using combinations of techniques provided for in this group with electrocardiography or electroauscultation; Heart catheters for measuring blood pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02028 Determining haemodynamic parameters not otherwise provided for, e.g. cardiac contractility or left ventricular ejection fraction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/055 involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1128 using image analysis A61B5/1127 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4884 inducing physiological or psychological stress, e.g. applications for stress testing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7282 Event detection, e.g. detecting unique waveforms indicative of a medical condition A61B5/4094, A61B5/4818, A61B5/349, A61B5/0823 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/032 Transmission computed tomography [CT]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/037 Emission tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/503 for diagnosis of the heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/5217 extracting a diagnostic or physiological parameter from medical diagnostic data
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/5288 involving retrospective matching to a physiological signal
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10016 Video; Image sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10081 Computed x-ray tomography [CT]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30048 Heart; Cardiac
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/246 using feature-based methods, e.g. the tracking of corners or segments
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/30 : for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 : Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation

Abstract

An embodiment in accordance with the present invention provides a method and system for evaluating regional cardiac function and dyssynchrony from an imaging modality using the motion of endocardial features of the heart. In the method and system, an imaging modality such as a CT scanner is used to obtain an image sequence that is then processed using a computer program. The computer program is configured to create an endocardial mesh formed from triangular components that represents at least the region of interest of the subject'"'"'s heart. From tracking the motion of conserved topological features on this endocardial mesh at least two time points a displacement map can be modeled. The displacement map can be further analyzed to determine metrics of regional cardiac function such as SQUEEZ, myocardial strain, torsion etc., and the displacement map can also be used to create visual representations of the function of the subject'"'"'s heart.

Claims

1. A method for assessment of function of a region of interest of a subject'"'"'s heart, comprising:

receiving, by a processor, an image sequence for the region of interest of the subject'"'"'s heart from an imaging modality,

the imaging modality being one of;

a computed tomography scanner,

a magnetic resonance imaging device, or

a positron emission tomography scanner;

generating, by the processor, a three-dimensional image from each cardiac phase in the image sequence;

determining, by the processor and based on generating the three-dimensional image from each cardiac phase in the image sequence, a binary volume for the three-dimensional image from each cardiac phase in the image sequence;

creating, by the processor, a first set of triangular meshes, representing an endocardial boundary for the region of interest of the subject'"'"'s heart, for the three-dimensional image from each cardiac phase in the image sequence;

encoding, by the processor, features on an endocardial surface using a shape index value for the first set of triangular meshes,

the features identifying anatomic structures;

calculating, by the processor, a result for a non-rigid registration algorithm using the shape index value along with coordinates of the region of interest of the subject'"'"'s heart in the three-dimensional image from each cardiac phase in the image sequence to obtain a displacement map of the region of interest of the subject'"'"'s heart;

using, by the processor, the displacement map to calculate trajectories of individual points on triangles of the first set of triangular meshes from end diastole to end systole to obtain a second set of triangular meshes, directed to the region of interest of the subject'"'"'s heart, for the three-dimensional image from each cardiac phase in the image sequence,

the first set of triangular meshes and the second set of triangular meshes having corresponding triangular elements;

calculating, by the processor, a function of a ratio of areas for each of the corresponding triangular elements using

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the visualization takes a form of one of a three-dimensional movie or a series of two-dimensional bull'"'"'s-eye plots.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the imaging modality comprises the computed tomography scanner,

the computed tomography scanner being capable of producing images with a temporal resolution within approximately 40 ms to approximately 75 ms at heart rates up to approximately 180 beats per minute.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

calculating at least one of endocardial strain, cardiac torsion, or directional strain.

5. The method of claim 1, further wherein the image sequence is associated with a rest condition and a stress condition.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

inducing the stress condition via exercise.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

inducing the stress condition using a drug.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the region of interest of the subject'"'"'s heart comprises a left ventricle.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein a quantity of three-dimensional images in the image sequence comprises at least 2 time frames.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing, for display, the visualization.

11. A system for assessment of function of a region of interest of a subject'"'"'s heart, comprising:

one or more processors configured to;

receive an image sequence for the region of interest of the subject'"'"'s heart from an imaging modality,

the imaging modality being one of;

a computed tomography scanner,

a magnetic resonance imaging device, or

a positron emission tomography scanner;

generate a three-dimensional image from each cardiac phase in the image sequence;

determine, based on generating the three-dimensional image from each cardiac phase in the image sequence, a binary volume for the three-dimensional image from each cardiac phase in the image sequence;

create a first set of triangular meshes, representing an endocardial boundary for the region of interest of the subject'"'"'s heart, for the three-dimensional image from each cardiac phase;

encode features on an endocardial surface using a shape index value for the first set of triangular meshes,

the features identifying anatomic structures;

calculate a result for a non-rigid registration algorithm using the shape index value along with coordinates of the region of interest of the subject'"'"'s heart in the three-dimensional image from each cardiac phase in the image sequence to obtain a displacement map of the region of interest of the subject'"'"'s heart;

use the displacement map to calculate trajectories of individual points on triangles of the first set of triangular meshes from end diastole to end systole to obtain a second set of triangular meshes having corresponding triangular elements;

calculate a function of a ratio of areas for each of the corresponding triangular elements using

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the visualization takes a form of one of a three-dimensional movie or a series of two-dimensional bull'"'"'s-eye plots.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the imaging modality comprises the computed tomography scanner,

the computed tomography scanner being capable of producing images with a temporal resolution within approximately 40 ms to approximately 75 ms at heart rates up to approximately 180 beats per minute.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

calculate at least one of endocardial strain, cardiac torsion, or directional strain.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

process the image sequence under both a rest condition and a stress condition.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the region of interest of the subject'"'"'s heart comprises a left ventricle.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the non-rigid registration algorithm comprises a coherent point drift (CPD) algorithm.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein a quantity of three-dimensional images in the image sequence comprises at least 2 time frames.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

provide, for display, the visualization.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions, the instructions comprising:

one or more instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to;

receive an image sequence for a region of interest of a subject'"'"'s heart from one of;

a computed tomography scanner,

a magnetic resonance imaging device, or

a positron emission tomography scanner;

generate a three-dimensional image from each cardiac phase in the image sequence;

determine, based on generating the three-dimensional image from each cardiac phase in the image sequence, a binary volume for the three-dimensional image from each cardiac phase in the image sequence;

create a first set of triangular meshes, representing an endocardial boundary for the region of interest of the subject'"'"'s heart, for the three-dimensional image from each cardiac phase;

encode features on an endocardial surface using a shape index value for the first set of triangular meshes,

the features identifying anatomic structures;

calculate a result for a non-rigid registration algorithm using the shape index value along with coordinates of the region of interest of the subject'"'"'s heart in the three-dimensional image from each cardiac phase in the image sequence to obtain a displacement map of the region of interest of the subject'"'"'s heart;

use the displacement map to calculate trajectories of individual points on triangles of the first set of triangular meshes from end diastole to end systole to obtain a second set of triangular meshes having corresponding triangular elements;

calculate a function of a ratio of areas for each of the corresponding triangular elements using

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the one or more instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to:

calculate at least one of endocardial strain, cardiac torsion, or directional strain.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the one or more instructions, that cause the processor to receive the image sequence, further cause the processor to:

receive the image sequence during a rest condition and a stress condition.