Diagnostic imaging simulator

• US 20020088926A1
• Filed: 11/14/2001
• Published: 07/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: 1St Share Pty., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: 1St Share Pty., Ltd.
• Inventors: Prasser, Stephen Daniel
• Application Number:
  US09/993,182
• Publication Number:
  US 20020088926A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/221
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/00 Diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves imaging of objects using sonar G01S15/00
• 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: G09B 23/286 for scanning or photography techniques, e.g. X-rays, ultrasonics

Abstract

A diagnostic imaging simulator is disclosed that includes a three-beam emitting mobile hand piece. The-mobile hand piece is moved around a reference surface that mimics an anatomical region of a patient. A detector identifies the position of the three beams on the surface and a location determining device determines the location of the mobile hand piece from those positions. A display then displays an image associated with the location of the mobile hand piece, which is preferably an image corresponding to that provided by a real imaging machine in a similar position.

Claims

1. A diagnostic imaging simulator comprising:

a mobile hand piece for emitting at least three spaced beams;

a reference surface;

a detector for detecting the positions of the at least three beams on the reference surface;

a location determining device for determining the location of the mobile hand piece relative to the reference surface using the incidence of the at least three beams on the reference surface; and

a display for displaying an image associated with the location of the mobile hand piece.

2. The diagnostic imaging simulator of claim 1, wherein the mobile hand piece is elongate with a central longitudinal axis.

3. The diagnostic imaging simulator of claim 1, wherein the mobile hand piece has a contact region for contacting the reference surface.

4. The diagnostic imaging simulator of claim 1, wherein the mobile hand piece comprises at least three spaced beam sources.

5. The diagnostic imaging simulator of claim 4, wherein at least two of the spaced beam sources are located in positions removed from the contact region of the hand piece.

6. The diagnostic imaging simulator of claim 4, wherein one of the beam sources is sited in the mobile hand piece to produce a beam along a central longitudinal axis of the mobile hand piece.

7. The diagnostic imaging simulator of claim 4, wherein the at least three spaced beam sources are laser diodes.

8. The diagnostic imaging simulator of claim 7, wherein each laser diode is an infrared laser diode.

9. The diagnostic imaging simulator of claim 4, wherein the at least three spaced beam sources are orientated to produce divergent beams.

10. The diagnostic imaging simulator of claim 4, wherein the at least three spaced beam sources are orientated to produce parallel beams.

11. The diagnostic imaging simulator of claim 4, wherein the at least three spaced beam sources are orientated to produce convergent beams.

12. The diagnostic imaging simulator of claim 1 comprising four spaced beam sources.

13. The diagnostic imaging simulator of claim 12, wherein one of the four spaced beam sources is orientated to produce a central beam relative to the other beams.

14. The diagnostic imaging simulator of claim 1, wherein the reference surface is located intermediate the mobile hand piece and the detector.

15. The diagnostic imaging simulator of claim 1, wherein the reference surface transmits the at least three spaced beams.

16. The diagnostic imaging simulator of claim 1, wherein the reference surface is a model of an anatomical region.

17. The diagnostic imaging simulator of claim 16, wherein the anatomical region is at least the thorax of a person.

18. The diagnostic imaging simulator of claim 1, wherein the detector is a camera.

19. The diagnostic imaging simulator of claim 18, wherein the camera is a charge-coupled device (“

CCD”

) camera.

20. The diagnostic imaging simulator of claim 1, wherein the location determining device comprises a processor in signal connection with the detector, the location determining device programmed to determine the location of the mobile hand piece.

21. The diagnostic imaging simulator of claim 1, wherein the location determining device is programmed to determine the location by establishing position, rotation and angle of inclination of the mobile hand piece relative to the reference surface.

22. The diagnostic imaging simulator of claim 20, wherein the processor is a computer.

23. The diagnostic imaging simulator of claim 22, wherein the location determining device is programmed to determine the location of the mobile hand piece in two dimensions.

24. The diagnostic imaging simulator of claim 22, wherein the location determining device is programmed to determine the location of the mobile hand piece in three dimensions.

25. The diagnostic imaging simulator of claim 1, wherein the display is a video display unit.

26. The diagnostic imaging simulator of claim 1, wherein the image is a video sequence.

27. The diagnostic imaging simulator of claim 1, wherein the image is an image of an anatomical structure.

28. The diagnostic imaging simulator of claim 1, further comprising a library of stored video images, each video image associated with a respective location of the mobile hand piece.

29. The diagnostic imaging simulator of claim 28, wherein the video images are three dimensional computer generated models.

30. The diagnostic imaging simulator of claim 1, further comprising a beam identifier for identifying each beam.

31. The diagnostic imaging simulator of claim 30, wherein the beam identifier comprises a controller to control emission of the beams.

32. The diagnostic imaging simulator of claim 31, wherein the controller comprises a sequential activator for emitting the beams sequentially.

33. A method of simulating a diagnostic imaging apparatus including the steps of:

transmitting at least three spaced beams from individual sources on a mobile hand piece;

detecting the relative positions of the spaced beams on a reference surface spaced from at least two of the sources;

determining the location of the mobile hand piece from the relative position of the at least three beams; and

displaying an image associated with the position of the mobile hand piece.

34. The method of claim 33, further including the step of transmitting a fourth beam.

35. The method of claim 33, further including the step of identifying individual beams.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the step of identifying individual beams includes the step of transmitting the beams sequentially.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the step of determining the location of the mobile hand piece further comprises the step of calculating inclination of the mobile hand piece using the equation:

39. The method of claim 38, further including calculating an angle a using the equation:

aα

180−

(b+c)

where a is an angle between the central longitudinal axis of the mobile hand piece and the anatomical surface.

40. The method of claim 37, wherein the step of determining the location of the mobile hand piece further comprises the step of calculating rotation angle c of the mobile hand piece using the equation:

37. A method of simulating a diagnostic imaging apparatus including the steps of:

placing a mobile hand piece on a model of an anatomical surface;

transmitting at least three laser beams from the mobile hand piece;

detecting the relative position of the three laser beams with a camera spaced from the model;

determining the location of the mobile hand piece from the relative position of the laser beams; and

displaying a video image of an anatomical structure associated with the position of the mobile hand piece.