Display of catheter tip with beam direction for ultrasound system

• US 20060253032A1
• Filed: 04/26/2005
• Published: 11/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Biosense Webster Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Biosense Webster Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Govari, Assaf, Altmann, Andres Claudio
• Granted Patent: US 7,604,601 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/466
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1492 having a flexible, catheter-like structure, e.g. for heart ablation A61B18/1477 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0035 adapted for acquisition of images from more than one imaging mode, e.g. combining MRI and optical tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0037 Performing a preliminary scan, e.g. a prescan for identifying a region of interest
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/06 Devices, other than using radiation, for detecting or locating foreign bodies for removing same A61B17/50 ; determining position of probes within or on the body of the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/062 using magnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/283 Invasive
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7285 for synchronising or triggering a physiological measurement or image acquisition with a physiological event or waveform, e.g. an ECG signal A61B6/5205, A61B6/541, A61B8/5207, A61B8/543 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/743 Displaying an image simultaneously with additional graphical information, e.g. symbols, charts, function plots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/488 involving pre-scan acquisition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/503 for diagnosis of the heart
• 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 8/06 Measuring blood flow measuring volume flow in general G01F, e.g. G01F1/66, G01F1/72; measuring speed of fluids in general G01P5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0883 for diagnosis of the heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0891 for diagnosis of blood vessels
• 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 8/4416 related to combined acquisition of different diagnostic modalities, e.g. combination of ultrasound and X-ray acquisitions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4483 characterised by features of the ultrasound transducer
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/483 involving the acquisition of a 3D volume of data
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/00 : Three dimensional [3D] modelling, e.g. data description of 3D objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/00 : Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2210/41 : Medical

Abstract

A medical imaging system for imaging a patient'"'"'s body includes a catheter having a position sensor and an ultrasonic imaging sensor wherein the position sensor transmits electrical signals indicative of positional information of a portion of the catheter in a patient'"'"'s body and the ultrasonic imaging sensor transmits ultrasonic energy at a target in the patient'"'"'s body, receives ultrasonic echoes reflected from the target in the patient'"'"'s body and transmits signals relating to the ultrasonic echoes reflected from the target in the patient'"'"'s body. A positioning processor is operatively connected to the catheter for determining positional information of the portion of the catheter based on the electrical signals transmitted by the position sensor. The system also includes a display and an image processor operatively connected to the catheter, the positioning processor and the display. The image processor displays on the display a catheter icon in a same orientation as an orientation of the portion of the catheter in the patient'"'"'s body based on positional information derived from the position sensor. The image processor also generates an ultrasonic image of the target based on the signals transmitted by the ultrasonic sensor and depicts in real-time the generated ultrasound image on a display in a same orientation as the orientation of the portion of the catheter in the patient'"'"'s body based on positional information derived from the position sensor.

Claims

1. A medical imaging system for imaging a patient'"'"'s body, the system comprising:

a catheter comprising a position sensor and an ultrasonic imaging sensor, the position sensor transmitting electrical signals indicative of positional information of a portion of the catheter in a patient'"'"'s body and the ultrasonic imaging sensor transmitting ultrasonic energy at a target in the patient'"'"'s body, receiving ultrasonic echoes reflected from the target in the patient'"'"'s body and transmitting signals relating to the ultrasonic echoes reflected from the target in the patient'"'"'s body;

a positioning processor operatively connected to the catheter for determining positional information of the portion of the catheter based on the electrical signals transmitted by the position sensor;

a display; and

an image processor operatively connected to the catheter, the positioning processor and the display, the image processor displaying on the display a catheter icon in a same orientation as an orientation of the portion of the catheter in the patient'"'"'s body based on positional information derived from the position sensor, the image processor also generating an ultrasonic image of the target based on the signals transmitted by the ultrasonic sensor and depicting in real-time the generated ultrasound image on a display in a same orientation as the orientation of the portion of the catheter in the patient'"'"'s body based on positional information derived from the position sensor.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the catheter icon is used for directing the transmitted ultrasonic energy at a target in the patient'"'"'s body from the ultrasonic sensor of the catheter in a particular direction.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the catheter icon is used for directing the transmitted ultrasonic energy at a target in the patient'"'"'s body from the ultrasonic sensor of the catheter in a particular orientation.

4. The system according to claim 2, wherein the catheter icon is also used for directing the transmitted ultrasonic energy at a target in the patient'"'"'s body from the ultrasonic sensor of the catheter in a particular orientation.

5. The system according to claim 2, wherein the orientation of the ultrasonic image is depicted on the display in real-time as the same orientation of the portion of the catheter as the catheter is moved within the patient'"'"'s body.

6. The system according to claim 5, further comprising using a beam icon to depict the orientation of the ultrasonic image in real-time in the same orientation of the portion of the catheter.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the beam icon is depicted on the display in a color.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the beam icon is a web-like depiction.

9. The system according to claim 7, wherein the beam icon is a fan-like depiction.

10. The system according to claim 2, further comprising an orientation icon depicted on the display in a same orientation as the ultrasonic image depicted on the display.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the orientation icon comprises a shape of the target imaged with the catheter.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the target comprises an anatomical structure.

13. The system according to claim 2, wherein the ultrasonic image is a two-dimensional image.