Automatic selection of cranial remodeling device trim lines

• US 20040228519A1
• Filed: 01/07/2004
• Published: 11/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cranial Technologies, Inc. (Cranial Technologies Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cranial Technologies, Inc. (Cranial Technologies Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Littlefield, Timothy R., Pomatto, Jeanne K.
• Granted Patent: US 7,127,101 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/154
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/05891 for the head, e.g. jaws, nose nose correcting A61F5/08
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 50/00 Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0007 Image acquisition
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/10 Constructive solid geometry [CSG] using solid primitives, e.g. cylinders, cubes
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30004 Biomedical image processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2210/41 Medical
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/50 Depth or shape recovery

Abstract

A method and system for producing cranial remodeling devices to correct for head deformities in infants is described. The system operates on three dimensional digital captured data of a head to automatically provide trim line information for each cranial remodeling device.

Claims

1. A method for producing cranial remodeling devices to correct for cranial shape abnormalities comprising:

capturing a three dimensional digital image of a deformed head to produce first digital data; and

utilizing said first digital data to automatically provide cranial remodeling device trim line information for use in fabricating a cranial remodeling device for said deformed head.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

utilizing said first digital data to provide cranial remodeling device type information.

3. A method in accordance with claim 2, wherein:

said cranial remodeling device type information includes device types for treatment of specific types of cranial deformities.

4. A method in accordance with claim 3, wherein:

said specific types of cranial deformities comprise one or more of plagiocephaly, brachycephaly, and scaphocephaly.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1, comprising:

utilizing said first digital data to automatically provide cranial remodeling device configuration style information.

6. A method in accordance with claim 5, wherein:

said cranial remodeling configuration style is selected from a group comprising a right side opening cranial remodeling band, a wide right side opening cranial remodeling band, a left side opening cranial remodeling band, and a wide left side opening cranial remodeling band.

7. A method in accordance with claim 6, comprising:

utilizing said first data to automatically produce a physical model; and

utilizing said physical model and said configuration style to produce a cranial remodeling device for modifying a head shape; and

utilizing said trim line information to cut trim lines in said cranial remodeling device.

8. A method in accordance with claim 1, comprising:

utilizing said first data to automatically produce a physical model; and

utilizing said physical model to produce a cranial remodeling device for modifying a head shape; and

utilizing said trim line information to cut trim lines in said cranial remodeling device.

9. A method for producing cranial remodeling devices to correct for cranial shape abnormalities comprising:

capturing a three dimensional digital image of a head to produce first digital data; and

fabricating a cranial remodeling device for said head; and

utilizing a neural network operating on said first digital data to automatically provide trim line information for said cranial remodeling device.

10. A method in accordance with claim 9, comprising:

utilizing a neural network operating on said first digital data to automatically generate data for fabricating said cranial remodeling device.

11. A method in accordance with claim 10, comprising:

utilizing said first data to automatically produce a physical model of a modified head shape; and

utilizing said physical model to produce said cranial remodeling device.

12. A method for producing a cranial remodeling device to correct for a cranial shape abnormality, comprising:

capturing a digital image of a deformed head to produce first digital data;

automatically processing said first digital data to produce second data corresponding to a desired shape for use in forming a cranial remodeling device;

automatically providing cranial remodeling device information for use in fabricating a cranial remodeling device for said deformed head, said cranial remodeling device information comprising trim lines for a cranial remodeling device.

13. A method in accordance with claim 12, wherein:

said cranial remodeling device information comprises identification of one of a plurality of types of cranial remodeling devices.

14. A method in accordance with claim 13, wherein:

said plurality of types of cranial remodeling devices includes devices for treatment of specific types of cranial deformities.

15. A method in accordance with claim 14, wherein:

said specific types of cranial deformities comprise one or more of plagiocephaly, brachycephaly, and scaphocephaly.

16. A method in accordance with claim 15, wherein:

said cranial remodeling device information comprises selection of one of a right side opening cranial remodeling band, a wide right side opening cranial remodeling band, a left side opening cranial remodeling band, and a wide left side opening cranial remodeling band.

17. A system for producing cranial remodeling devices to correct for cranial shape abnormalities comprising:

a digitizer operable to capture three dimensional digital image data of a patient'"'"'s head to produce first digital data;

a computer;

computer programs operable on said computer such that said computer processes said first digital data to automatically provide cranial remodeling device information for use in fabricating a cranial remodeling device for said head, said information comprises trim line information.

18. A system in accordance with claim 17, wherein:

said cranial remodeling device information comprises identification of one of a plurality of types of cranial remodeling devices.

19. A system in accordance with claim 18, wherein:

said plurality of types of cranial remodeling devices includes devices for treatment of specific types of cranial deformities.

20. A system in accordance with claim 19, wherein:

said specific types of cranial deformities comprise one or more of plagiocephaly, brachycephaly, and scaphocephaly.

21. A system in accordance with claim 18, wherein:

said cranial remodeling device information comprises predetermined design features that may be incorporated in said cranial remodeling device.

22. A system in accordance with claim 21, wherein:

said predetermined design features comprise predetermined structural configurations.

23. A system in accordance with claim 22, wherein:

said predetermined structural configurations are selected from a group comprising one or more of a right anterior corner, a left anterior corner, a right posterior corner, a left posterior corner, a ¼

posterior cap, and a lengthwise strut across top of band.

24. A system in accordance with claim 18, wherein:

said cranial remodeling device information comprises a selection of a device style from a group comprising one or more of a right side opening cranial remodeling band, a wide right side opening cranial remodeling band, a left side opening cranial remodeling band, and a wide left side opening cranial remodeling band.

25. A system in accordance with claim 18, comprising:

said computer utilizing said first data to automatically produce a physical model from which said cranial remodeling device is produced.

26. A system for producing cranial remodeling devices to correct for cranial shape abnormalities comprising:

a digitizer operable to capture a digital image of a patient'"'"'s head to produce first digital data; and

a computer; and

one or more trainable computer programs operable on said computer and responsive to said first digital data to automatically provide cranial remodeling device information for use in fabricating a cranial remodeling device for said deformed head, said information comprising trim line information.

27. A system in accordance with claim 26, wherein:

said one or more trainable computer programs comprise one or more neural networks.

28. A system in accordance with claim 26, comprising:

a trim machine responsive to said computer to trim automatically trim a cranial remodeling device.

29. A system in accordance with claim 28, comprising:

a milling machine responsive to said computer to produce a model of a modified head for use in fabricating said cranial remodeling device.

30. A method for producing cranial remodeling devices to correct for cranial shape abnormalities comprising:

capturing a three dimensional digital image of a head to produce first digital data; and

utilizing a plurality of neural networks responsive to said first digital data to automatically select a cranial remodeling device type, to automatically select a cranial remodeling device style and to automatically select cranial remodeling features for use in fabricating a cranial remodeling device for said head.

31. A method in accordance with claim 30, wherein:

said cranial remodeling device type information includes device types for treatment of specific types of cranial deformities.

32. A method in accordance with claim 31, wherein:

said specific types of cranial deformities comprise one or more of plagiocephaly, brachycephaly, and scaphocephaly.

33. A method in accordance with claim 30, comprising:

34. A method in accordance with claim 30, wherein:

said cranial remodeling configuration style is selected from a group comprising a right side opening cranial remodeling band, a wide right side opening cranial remodeling band, a left side opening cranial remodeling band, and a wide left side opening cranial remodeling band.

35. A method for producing cranial remodeling devices to correct for cranial shape abnormalities comprising:

capturing a three dimensional digital image of a head to produce first digital data;

fabricating a cranial remodeling device for said head; and

utilizing a plurality of neural networks operating on said first digital data to automatically select a cranial remodeling device type, a cranial remodeling device style and cranial remodeling device features.

36. A system for producing cranial remodeling devices to correct for cranial shape abnormalities comprising:

data representative of a three dimensional digital image of a patient'"'"'s head;

a computer;

trainable computer programs operable on said computer to automatically provide cranial remodeling device type, style and feature information for use in fabricating a cranial remodeling device for said head.

37. A system in accordance with claim 36, wherein:

said cranial remodeling device type is selected from devices for treatment of specific types of cranial deformities.

38. A system in accordance with claim 37, wherein:

said specific types of cranial deformities comprise one or more of plagiocephaly, brachycephaly, and scaphocephaly.

39. A system in accordance with claim 36, wherein:

said feature information comprises predetermined structural configurations.

40. A system in accordance with claim 39, wherein:

said predetermined structural configurations are selected from a group comprising one or more of a right anterior corner, a left anterior corner, a right posterior corner, a left posterior corner, a fractional anterior top, a fractional posterior cap, and a strut.

41. A system in accordance with claim 36, wherein:

said style is selected from a group comprising one or more of a right side opening cranial remodeling band, a wide right side opening cranial remodeling band, a left side opening cranial remodeling band, and a wide left side opening cranial remodeling band.

42. A system in accordance with claim 36, wherein:

said trainable computer programs comprise a plurality of neural networks.

43. A system in accordance with claim 42, wherein:

said cranial remodeling device type is selected from devices for treatment of specific types of cranial deformities.

44. A system in accordance with claim 43, wherein:

said specific types of cranial deformities comprise one or more of plagiocephaly, brachycephaly, and scaphocephaly.

45. A system in accordance with claim 42, wherein:

said feature information comprises predetermined structural configurations.

46. A system in accordance with claim 45, wherein:

said predetermined structural configurations are selected from a group comprising one or more of a right anterior corner, a left anterior corner, a right posterior corner, a left posterior corner, a fractional anterior top, a fractional posterior cap, and a strut.

47. A system in accordance with claim 42, wherein:

said style is selected from a group comprising one or more of a right side opening cranial remodeling band, a wide right side opening cranial remodeling band, a left side opening cranial remodeling band, and a wide left side opening cranial remodeling band.