Method, apparatuses, and systems useful in conducting image guided interventions

• US 10,470,725 B2
• Filed: 01/06/2016
• Issued: 11/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Veran Medical Technologies, Inc. (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Veran Medical Technologies, Inc. (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Edwards, Jerome R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Park, Patricia J
• Application Number:
  US14/989,671
• Publication Number:
  US 20160113600A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,406 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00694 with means correcting for movement of or for synchronisation with the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2051 Electromagnetic tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2072 Reference field transducer attached to an instrument or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3954 magnetic, e.g. NMR or MRI
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3958 emitting a signal
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2576/00 Medical imaging apparatus involving image processing or analysis A61B1/00009, A61B6/52 and A61B8/52 take precedence; image processing per se G06T; details of algorithms for analysing medical images G06T7/0012
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/10 Computer-aided planning, simulation or modelling of surgical operations
• 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 5/7289 Retrospective gating, i.e. associating measured signals or images with a physiological event after the actual measurement or image acquisition, e.g. by simultaneously recording an additional physiological signal during the measurement or image acquisition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/12 Arrangements for detecting or locating foreign bodies
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/541 involving acquisition triggered by a physiological signal
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/36 Image-producing devices or illumination devices not otherwise provided for

Abstract

Methods, apparatuses, and systems relating to image guided interventions on dynamic tissue. One embodiment is a method that includes creating a dataset that includes images, one of the images depicting a non-tissue internal reference marker, being linked to non-tissue internal reference marker positional information, and being at least 2-dimensional. Another embodiment is a method that includes receiving a position of an instrument reference marker coupled to an instrument; transforming the position into image space using a position of a non-tissue internal reference marker implanted in a patient; and superimposing a representation of the instrument on an image in which the non-tissue internal reference marker appears. Computer readable media that include machine readable instructions for carrying out the steps of the disclosed methods. Apparatuses, such as integrated circuits, configured to carry out the steps of the disclosed methods. Systems that include devices configured to carry out steps of the disclosed methods.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

creating a dataset that includes a plurality of images associated with a body part, each of the plurality of images being received from an imaging device, each image depicting a non-tissue internal reference marker;

calculating for each image in the dataset a dataset vector using a position of the non-tissue internal reference marker;

receiving, from a tracker, a current position of the non-tissue internal reference marker and current position of an external reference marker;

calculating a current vector using data associated with the current position of the non-tissue internal reference marker;

using the data associated with the current position of the non-tissue internal reference marker and the dataset vector associated with at least one image of the plurality of images from the dataset;

identifying a match dataset vector (MDV) the MDV being the dataset vector most similar to the current vector, the MDV being associated with the at least one image of the plurality of images from the dataset;

receiving, from the tracker, a current position of an instrument reference marker coupled to an instrument;

applying the transformation linked to the MDV associated with the at least one image of the plurality of images from the dataset to the current position of the instrument reference marker, thus transforming the current position of the instrument reference marker into image space; and

superimposing a representation of the instrument on the at least one image of the plurality of images.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

loading a gated dataset into memory, the gated data set including the plurality of images, one of the images being linked to a sample of a first periodic human characteristic signal.

3. The method of claim 2, where each image is linked to a sample of a first periodic human characteristic signal.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving a second periodic human characteristic signal; and

comparing a sample of the second periodic human characteristic signal to the sample of the first periodic human characteristic signal.

5. The method of claim 4, where the first and second periodic human characteristic signals are electrocardiogram (ECG) signals.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

recognizing a sample of the second periodic human characteristic signal that matches the sample of the first periodic human characteristic signal.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of images are taken using fluoroscopy.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of images are taken using computed tomography (CT).

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of images are taken using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

10. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising machine readable instructions for carrying out the steps of claim 1.