Vascular image processing

• US 20060036167A1
• Filed: 07/05/2005
• Published: 02/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Shina Systems Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Shina Systems Ltd.
• Inventors: Shina, Yuval
• Application Number:
  US11/175,637
• Publication Number:
  US 20060036167A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/433
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7292 Prospective gating, i.e. predicting the occurrence of a physiological event for use as a synchronisation signal
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/12 Arrangements for detecting or locating foreign bodies
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/481 involving the use of contrast agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/504 for diagnosis of blood vessels, e.g. by angiography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/5247 combining images from an ionising-radiation diagnostic technique and a non-ionising radiation diagnostic technique, e.g. X-ray and ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/541 involving acquisition triggered by a physiological signal
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/12 in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters catheters per se A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/5238 for combining image data of patient, e.g. merging several images from different acquisition modes into one image for image registration algorithms G06T7/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/543 involving acquisition triggered by a physiological signal

Abstract

A method of estimating a position of a foreign object in the body, comprising: (a) providing a 3D data set of at least one blood vessel; (b) acquiring at least one 2D projection image of the vessel including the object; (c) registering the 2D projection image of the vessel to the 3D data set; and (d) using the registration to estimate a 3D position of said object restricted to be in a blood vessel, according to said 3D data set.

Claims

1. A method of estimating a position of a foreign object in the body, comprising:

(a) providing a 3D data set of at least one blood vessel;

(b) acquiring at least one 2D projection image of the vessel including the object;

(c) registering the 2D projection image of the vessel to the 3D data set; and

(d) using the registration to estimate a 3D position of said object restricted to be in a blood vessel, according to said 3D data set.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said object comprises a catheter.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said using comprises estimating a current position of said object based on an initial position of said object and an estimate of movement of said object along said vessel, using a measure of said vessel in said 3D data set.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein acquiring comprises acquiring an image with contrast material.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein further images are acquired without contrast material and for the purpose of detecting said object.

6. A method according to claim 2, comprising reconstructing a 3D IVUS data set using said position and IVUS data acquired by an IVUS head at said position for a plurality of IVUS head positions.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein an orientation of said IVUS head is determined using a centerline of said blood vessel extracted from said 3D data set.

8. A method according to claim 6, wherein reconstructing a 3D IVUS data set comprises arranging a plurality of IVUS images using said 3D data set as a scaffold.

9. A method according to claim 2, wherein registering comprises segmenting said 3D data set to extract a vascular tree.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein said projection image comprises a projected vascular tree and wherein registering comprises matching said vascular tree with said projected vascular tree.

11. A method according to claim 2, wherein said 3D data set comprises a CT data set.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein acquiring comprises only acquiring a single projection image at a time.

13. A method according to claim 2, comprising enhancing said 3D data set with said 2D projection image.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein enhancing comprises enhancing multiple projection images.

15. A method according to claim 13, wherein enhancing comprises adding angiography data from said projection image to said 3D data set.

16. A method according to claim 2, comprising enhancing said 2D projection image with information from said 3D data set.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein enhancing comprises indicating vulnerable plaque.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein said vulnerable plaque comprises soft plaque.

19. A method according to claim 2, wherein said image is an image of the heart.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein acquiring comprises acquiring a heart-phase gated image.

21. A method according to claim 20, wherein using comprises using a gated image for a first position estimation and not limiting said using to a same phase of the heart for at least one subsequent image.

22. A method according to claim 20, comprising comparing images between phases to determine an amount of motion of said object relative to said vessel, caused by a heart phase.

23. A method according to claim 1, wherein registering comprises estimating an initial relative orientation of said projection using a sensor on an imager used to acquire said projection image.

24. A method of image enhancement, comprising:

(a) providing a 3D data set of a patient including information not readily discernable in an x-ray angiography image;

(b) providing an x-ray angiography image of the patient; and

(c) generating an enhanced 2D image including at least an indication of some of said information.

25. A method according to claim 24, comprising identifying at least one structural feature in said 3D data set and using said feature for said enhancing.

26. A method according to claim 25, wherein said identifying comprises segmenting said 3D data set.

27. A method according to claim 24, wherein said 3D data set comprises a CT data set.

28. A method according to claim 24, wherein said indication comprises an indication of vulnerable plaque.

29. A method according to claim 24, wherein said indication comprises an indication of outer remodeling.

30. A method according to claim 24, wherein said 3D data set has a resolution lower than that of said 2D image.

31. A method according to claim 24, comprising enhancing said 2D image with information from a data set of another modality.

32. A method according to claim 24, wherein generating comprises registering said image with said 3D data set.

33. A method of collecting IVUS data into a 3D data set, comprising:

(a) providing a 3D data set;

(b) providing a plurality of IVUS images;

(c) collecting said IVUS images into a 3D data set by at least one of;

(i) arranging said IVUS images in space using said 3D data set as a scaffold;

(ii) segmenting said IVUS images according to said 3D data set; and

(iii) correcting said IVUS images according to said 3D data set.

34. A method according to claim 33, wherein arranging comprises determining an orientation of at least one image by matching said image to said data set.

35. A method according to claim 33, wherein arranging comprises aligning an axis of said IVUS with a centerline of a vessel determined from said 3D data set.

36. A method according to claim 33, wherein segmenting comprises segmenting said 3D data set and segmenting at least one IVUS image according to said 3D data set segmentation.

37. A method according to claim 36, wherein segmenting at least one IVUS image comprises identifying an IVUS value as belonging to a tissue type based on a segmentation of the 3D data set.

38. A method according to claim 33, wherein correcting comprises correcting for an effect of a shadow.

39. A method according to claim 33, comprising adding angiographic information from a projection image to said collected 3D data set.

40. A method according to claim 33, wherein said 3D data set is of a lower resolution than said IVUS images.

41. A method according to claim 33, wherein said collected 3D data set includes information extracted from said 3D data set.

42. A method according to claim 41, wherein said information comprises at least one surface.

43. A method according to claim 41, wherein said information comprises at least one tissue identification.

44. A method according to claim 41, wherein said information comprises at least one bend or bifurcation location.

45. A method according to claim 33, wherein collecting comprises at least two of (i)-(iii).

46. A method according to claim 33, wherein collecting comprises all three of (i)-(iii).

47. A method according to claim 33, comprising cleaning up said collected 3D data set.

48. A method according to claim 47, wherein cleaning up comprises removing tissue indications belonging to a vessel other than a vessel of interest.

49. Apparatus comprising:

(a) a data input for x-ray projection data from an x-ray detector;

(b) a data input for IVUS data from an IVUS imager;

(c) a display; and

(d) a controller adapted and configured to generate a display using said IVUS data, based on a single projection from said detector.

50. Apparatus according to claim 49, comprising a data input for a 3D data set and wherein said controller is adapted to use said data set for generating said display.

51. Apparatus according to claim 49, wherein said controller is adapted to use multiple projection images.

52. Apparatus according to claim 49, wherein said apparatus comprises a C-arm imager.