Motility analysis within a gastrointestinal tract

• US 20050281446A1
• Filed: 08/11/2005
• Published: 12/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Given Imaging Limited (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Given Imaging Limited (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Zinaty, Ofra, Meron, Gavriel, Glukhovsky, Arkady
• Granted Patent: US 7,200,253 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/128
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/041 Capsule endoscopes for imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/042 characterised by a proximal camera, e.g. a CCD camera

Abstract

A system and method for measuring and analyzing motility within a body lumen such as the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, where an in vivo imaging device such as a capsule captures images and transmits the images to a processor, which calculates the motility of the device based on comparison of the images. Preferably, the processor compares the intensity of pairs of images or of elements of pairs of images, generates a variance for the compared images, and calculates the motility of the imaging device from the variances. The motility data may be presented to a user in various manners; for example, a plot of motility over time may be generated, or indications of low motility may be presented to the user of the system.

Claims

1-47. -47. (canceled)

48. A system for displaying in-vivo image data of a body lumen comprising:

an in-vivo imaging device configured for moving within a body lumen;

a receiver to receive image frames captured by said in-vivo device; and

a display comprising;

a first window displaying a moving image wherein the moving image includes a series of image frames captured by said in-vivo device; and

a second window displaying information against time, wherein the information corresponds to the image frames being displayed in said first window.

49. The system according to claim 48 wherein the information comprises motility information of said in-vivo device in said lumen.

50. The system according to claim 48 comprising a label on said information.

51. The system according to claim 50 wherein the label is marked by color.

52. The system according to claim 50 wherein clicking on the label enables viewing of a corresponding image frame of said moving image.

53. The system according to claim 50 wherein said label indicates a frame with low motility of the in-vivo device.

54. The system according to claim 48, wherein said display is configured to display a position of the in-vivo device in said body lumen.

55. The system according to claim 54 wherein said display of said position of said device comprises a rendering of a path of said device.

56. The system according to claim 54 wherein said display of position in said body lumen is linked to an image frame in said series captured by said device at said position in said body lumen.

57. The system according to claim 54 wherein said display of position in said body lumen is linked to said information displayed in said second window.

58. The system according to claim 54 wherein said display of position comprises an indication of an area corresponding to an altered pattern of said information.

59. The display according to claim 58 wherein the indication comprises a color change.

60. The display according to claim 48 wherein said images and said information are displayed in real time.

61. A method of displaying data obtained from an in-vivo imaging device configured for moving within a body lumen comprising:

capturing images of a body lumen with an in-vivo imaging device;

displaying a moving image wherein the moving image includes a series of said images;

displaying information against time, wherein the information corresponds to the images being displayed.

62. The method according to claim 61 wherein the information comprises motility of said in-vivo device in said body lumen.

63. The method according to claim 61 wherein the displaying a moving image and the displaying information is in real time.

64. The method according to claim 61 comprising labeling a section of the information.

65. The method according to claim 61 wherein the labeling is by user indication.

66. The method according to claim 61 comprising displaying a position of the in-vivo device in said body lumen.

67. The method according to claim 66 comprising linking said display of said position to said images of said moving image.

68. The method according to claim 66 comprising linking an area of said display of position to an area of said display of information.

69. The method according to claim 66 comprising indicating on said display of position an area corresponding to an altered pattern of said display of information.

70. The method according to claim 69 wherein the indicating is by color change.

71. A method for displaying in vivo data, the method comprising;

storing images received from an in vivo imaging system;

analyzing pixel properties of the stored images;

displaying an image frame on a monitor; and

displaying on the monitor an indication of information based on analysis of pixel properties of the image frame being displayed.

72. The method according to claim 71 wherein the analyzing pixel properties of the stored images comprises analyzing sequential images received from the in vivo device.

73. The method according to claim 71 wherein pixel properties is selected from a group including:

brightness, intensity, and color data.

74. The method according to claim 71 wherein the indication is a color indication.

75. The method according to claim 71 comprising displaying a time elapsed for the image frame being displayed.

76. The method according to claim 71 comprising displaying a series of the images in a moving image.

77. The method according to claim 71 comprising clicking on the indication of information being displayed to display an image frame corresponding to the indication.

78. The method according to claim 71 comprising displaying a plot, the plot comprising a time axis and an indication mark.

79. The method according to claim 78 wherein the indication mark includes color.

80. The method according to claim 78 wherein the plot comprises an in vivo location indication.

81. The method according to claim 71 comprising displaying on the monitor an indication of motility information based on the analysis of pixel properties of the stored images.

82. A system for displaying in vivo data, the system comprising

an in vivo imaging capsule for obtaining and transmitting image data to an external receiver;

a receiver for receiving image data from the capsule, said receiver connected to a monitor;

a monitor to display an image frame, a time axis and a color indication, the color indication corresponding to pixel data analysis of the image data

83. The system according to claim 82 comprising a pointing device for clicking to display an image frame corresponding to the color indication.

84. The system according to claim 82 comprising a pointing device for clicking to display an image frame corresponding to the time axis.

85. The system according to claim 82 wherein the image data is of sequential images.

86. The system according to claim 82 wherein the color indication is to indicate motility of the capsule within the gastrointestinal tract.