Feature tracking using ultrasound

• US 10,449,390 B2
• Filed: 05/01/2015
• Issued: 10/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elekta Ltd. (Elekta AB)
• Original Assignee: Elekta Ltd. (Elekta AB)
• Inventors: Lachaine, Martin Emile, Tremblay, Sebastien, Lathuiliere, Fabienne, Falco, Tony
• Primary Examiner(s): Moher, Amanda Lauritzen
• Application Number:
  US14/702,037
• Publication Number:
  US 20150375013A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,635 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2055 Optical tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2063 Acoustic tracking systems, e.g. using ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2065 Tracking using image or pattern recognition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/378 using ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/20 Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/085 for locating body or organic structures, e.g. tumours, calculi, blood vessels, nodules
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4245 involving determining the position of the probe, e.g. with respect to an external reference frame or to the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4263 using sensors not mounted on the probe, e.g. mounted on an external reference frame
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4461 Features of the scanning mechanism, e.g. for moving the transducer within the housing of the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4472 Wireless probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/483 involving the acquisition of a 3D volume of data
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/54 Control of the diagnostic device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/58 Testing, adjusting or calibrating the diagnostic device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/587 Calibration phantoms models for medical purposes G09B23/28
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1058 using ultrasound imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1074 Details of the control system, e.g. user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1049 for verifying the position of the patient with respect to the radiation beam
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1067 in real time, i.e. during treatment
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10132 Ultrasound image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10136 3D ultrasound image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30004 : Biomedical image processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0012 : Biomedical image inspection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/251 : involving models

Abstract

Various implementations of the invention provide techniques and supporting systems that facilitate real-time or near-real-time ultrasound tracking for the purpose of calculating changes in anatomical features during a medical procedure. More specifically, anatomical features within a patient undergoing a medical procedure are tracked by obtaining temporally-distinct three dimensional ultrasound images that include the feature of interest and obtaining a targeted subset of ultrasound images focused on the feature. Based on the targeted subset of ultrasound images, a displacement of the feature is determined and image parameters used to obtain the targeted subset of ultrasound images are adjusted based on the displacement. This results in a time-based sequence of three dimensional images and targeted ultrasound images of the feature that identify changes in the position, size, location, and/or shape of the feature.

Claims

1. A method of using a processor circuit executing a plurality of computer-executable instructions for monitoring one or more anatomical features of a patient, comprising:

controlling an ultrasound imaging probe to acquire first three-dimensional image data including a first three-dimensional image of a volume of interest including at least one of the anatomical features;

locating a three-dimensional feature, corresponding to the at least one anatomical feature, within the first three-dimensional image;

based on a surface of the three-dimensional feature, controlling the ultrasound imaging probe to acquire a first two-dimensional image along a first plane position that intersects a region of the three-dimensional feature;

based on the first two-dimensional image, determining displacement of the three-dimensional feature relative to a previous point in time; and

controlling the ultrasound imaging probe to change the first plane position for subsequent two-dimensional image capture based on the determined displacement.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising:

controlling the ultrasound imaging probe to acquire two or more two-dimensional images that include the region of interest;

locating the at least one two-dimensional feature in each of the two or more two-dimensional images;

and

estimating a corresponding displacement of the three-dimensional feature using the two-dimensional features.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the three-dimensional feature is visible in a given two-dimensional image acquired by the ultrasound imaging probe;

in response to determining that the three-dimensional feature is not visible in the given two-dimensional image, reconstructing a second three-dimensional image of the volume of interest.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first two-dimensional image comprises a reconstructed image generated using an acquired plurality of two-dimensional images corresponding to one or more of different imaging probe positions or different imaging probe orientations.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first two-dimensional image comprises a two-dimensional image acquired according to one or more of a specified imaging probe position or a specified imaging probe orientation.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising determining whether the displacement of the three-dimensional feature meets or exceeds a predetermined threshold.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein controlling the ultrasound imaging probe to alter the parameter for acquisition of image data includes controlling the ultrasound imaging probe to acquire second three-dimensional image data including a second three-dimensional image when the displacement of the three-dimensional feature meets or exceeds the predetermined threshold.

8. The method of claim 7, comprising controlling the ultrasound imaging probe to acquire the first three-dimensional image data and the second three-dimensional image data at a first image acquisition rate.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein controlling the ultrasound imaging probe to acquire the first two-dimensional image includes controlling the ultrasound imaging probe to acquire two-dimensional image data including a plurality of two-dimensional images at a second image acquisition rate.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the second image acquisition rate is greater than the first image acquisition rate.

11. The method of claim 6, comprising controlling the ultrasound imaging probe to acquire two-dimensional image data including an additional two-dimensional image when the displacement of the three-dimensional feature does not meet or exceed the predetermined threshold.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first plane position intersects a center of the region of the three-dimensional feature, further comprising:

based on the surface of the three-dimensional feature, controlling the ultrasound imaging probe to acquire a second two-dimensional image along a second plane position that intersects a portion of the region of the three-dimensional feature offset from the center of the region;

producing a two-dimensional curve based on an intersection of the first and second planes of the first and second two-dimensional images and the three-dimensional feature;

determining where the two-dimensional curve best fits grayscale values of the three-dimensional feature to determine the displacement.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first three-dimensional image data and the first two-dimensional image are acquired using ultrasound signals, and wherein the first and second planes are orthogonal.

14. A system for controlling an ultrasound imaging probe to monitor an anatomical feature of a patient, comprising:

a memory circuit for storing instructions and image data; and

a processor circuit for executing the instructions to;

control the ultrasound imaging probe to acquire first three-dimensional image data from the ultrasound imaging probe including a first three-dimensional image of a volume of interest including the anatomical feature;

locate a three-dimensional feature, corresponding to the at least one anatomical feature, within the first three-dimensional image;

based on a surface of the three-dimensional feature, control the ultrasound imaging probe to acquire a first two-dimensional image along a first plane position that includes intersects a region of the three-dimensional feature;

based on the first two-dimensional image, determine displacement of the three-dimensional feature relative to a previous point in time; and

control the ultrasound imaging probe to change the first plane position for subsequent two-dimensional image capture based on the determined displacement.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the instructions cause the processor circuit to:

control the ultrasound imaging probe to acquire two or more two-dimensional images that include the region of interest;

locate the at least one two-dimensional feature in each of the two or more two-dimensional images; and

estimate a corresponding displacement of the three-dimensional feature using the two-dimensional features.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the first plane position intersects a center of the region of the three-dimensional feature, and wherein the instructions cause the processor circuit to:

based on the surface of the three-dimensional feature, control the ultrasound imaging probe to acquire a second two-dimensional image along a second plane position that intersects a portion of the region of the three-dimensional feature offset from the center of the region;

produce a two-dimensional curve based on an intersection of the first and second planes of the first and second two-dimensional images and the three-dimensional feature;

determine where the two-dimensional curve best fits grayscale values of the three-dimensional feature to determine the displacement.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the instructions cause the processor circuit to:

determine whether the three-dimensional feature is visible in a given two-dimensional image acquired by the ultrasound imaging probe;

in response to determining that the three-dimensional feature is not visible in the given two-dimensional image, reconstruct a second three-dimensional image of the volume of interest.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the instructions cause the processor circuit to:

control the ultrasound imaging probe to acquire two-dimensional image data including a plurality of two-dimensional images at a two-dimensional acquisition rate; and

control the ultrasound imaging probe to acquire the first three-dimensional image data and the second three-dimensional image data at a three-dimensional acquisition rate, wherein the two-dimensional acquisition rate is greater than the three-dimensional acquisition rate.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the first two-dimensional image comprises a reconstructed image generated using an acquired plurality of two-dimensional images corresponding to one or more of different imaging probe positions or different imaging probe orientations.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the first two-dimensional image comprises a two-dimensional image acquired according to one or more of a specified imaging probe position or a specified imaging probe orientation.

21. The system of claim 14, wherein the instructions cause the processor circuit to obtain second three-dimensional image data including a second three-dimensional image when the displacement meets or exceeds the threshold.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the instructions cause the processor circuit to control the ultrasound imaging probe to acquire additional two-dimensional image data including an additional two-dimensional image when the displacement does not meet or exceed the threshold.

23. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions, which, when executed by a processor circuit, cause the processor circuit to control an ultrasound imaging probe to monitor one or more anatomical features of a patient, the medium comprising instructions to:

control the ultrasound imaging probe to acquire first three-dimensional image data including a first three-dimensional image of a volume of interest including at least one of the anatomical features;

locate a three-dimensional feature within the three-dimensional image corresponding to the at least one anatomical feature;

based on a surface of the three-dimensional feature, control the ultrasound imaging probe to acquire a first two-dimensional image along a first plane position that intersects a region of the three-dimensional feature;

based on the first two-dimensional image, determine displacement of the three-dimensional feature relative to a previous point in time; and

control the ultrasound imaging probe to change the first plane position for subsequent two-dimensional image capture based on the determined displacement.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the one or more anatomical features of a patient comprise at least one of a target lesion, a subset of a target lesion, an implanted fiducial, a surface fiducial, an implanted fiducial seed, or combinations thereof.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the medium further comprises instructions to:

based on the surface of the three-dimensional feature, control the ultrasound imaging probe to acquire a second two-dimensional image along a second plane position that intersects a portion of the region of the three-dimensional feature offset from the center of the region;

produce a two-dimensional curve based on an intersection of the first and second planes of the first and second two-dimensional images and the three-dimensional feature;

determine where the two-dimensional curve best fits grayscale values of the three-dimensional feature to determine the displacement.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the first two-dimensional image comprises a reconstructed image generated using an acquired plurality of two-dimensional images corresponding to one or more of different imaging probe positions or different imaging probe orientations.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the at least one three-dimensional image comprises a reconstructed image generated using an acquired plurality of images corresponding to one or more of different imaging probe positions or different imaging probe orientations.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the first two-dimensional image comprises a two-dimensional image acquired according to one or more of a specified imaging probe position or a specified imaging probe orientation.