System, storage medium for a computer program, and method for displaying medical images

• US 20080086051A1
• Filed: 09/20/2006
• Published: 04/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Voegele, James W.
• Application Number:
  US11/524,216
• Publication Number:
  US 20080086051A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/424
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0005 combining images e.g. side-by-side, superimposed or tiled
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/2736 Gastroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/31 for the rectum, e.g. proctoscopes, sigmoidoscopes , colonoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2051 Electromagnetic tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/364 Correlation of different images or relation of image positions in respect to the body
• 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 5/065 Determining position of the probe employing exclusively positioning means located on or in the probe, e.g. using position sensors arranged on the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/743 Displaying an image simultaneously with additional graphical information, e.g. symbols, charts, function plots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4254 using sensors mounted on the probe
• 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 90/36 Image-producing devices or illumination devices not otherwise provided for

Abstract

A medical system includes a display monitor, a catheter insertable into a body lumen, at least one sensor attached to the catheter and adapted to provide position data, an imager adapted to provide image data of the patient, and a computer. The computer is adapted to perform steps including receiving the position data and the image data, calculating a position indication of the at-least-one sensor using at least the position data, creating an image representation of the patient using at least the image data, and displaying on the display monitor a registered overlay image using at least the image representation of the patient and the position indication of the at-least-one position sensor. A storage medium contains a program readable by a digital computer which instructs the digital computer to perform the previously described steps. A method for visualizing a position of a catheter within a patient performs the above-described steps.

Claims

1. A medical system comprising:

a) a display monitor;

b) a catheter having a distal end insertable into a body lumen of a patient;

c) at least one sensor attached to the catheter and adapted to provide position data;

d) an imager adapted to provide image data of the patient; and

e) a computer adapted to receive the position data and the image data, to calculate a position indication of the at-least-one sensor using at least the position data, to create an image representation of the patient using at least the image data, and to display on the display monitor a registered overlay image using at least the image representation of the patient and the position indication of the at-least-one position sensor.

2. The medical system of claim 1, wherein the image data includes internal image data of the patient describing at least a portion of the body lumen, and wherein the image representation is an internal image representation of the patient including at least the portion of the body lumen.

3. The medical system of claim 2, wherein the internal image data describes a plurality of internal organs of the patient different from the body lumen, and wherein the internal image representation of the patient includes the plurality of internal organs.

4. The medical system of claim 3, wherein the internal image representation of the patient includes the entire body lumen.

5. The medical system of claim 1, wherein the image representation is a torso representation of the patient.

6. The medical system of claim 1, wherein the catheter has a working length, and wherein the at-least-one sensor includes a plurality of spaced apart sensors attached to the catheter along the working length of the catheter.

7. The medical system of claim 1, wherein the at-least-one sensor includes exactly one sensor disposed proximate the distal end of the catheter, and wherein the computer is adapted to display on the monitor a registered overlay image of the image representation of the patient and a plurality of position indications of the one sensor calculated at different times.

8. The medical system of claim 1, wherein the overlay image is a three-dimensional manipulative image, and also including a computer input device operatively connected to the computer to allow a user to manipulate the three-dimensional-manipulative image on the display monitor.

9. The medical system of claim 1, wherein the overlay image is a two-dimensional non-manipulative image.

10. The medical system of claim 1, wherein the computer is adapted to calculate and to display on the display monitor at least one numerical relationship derived from the position data and the image data.

11. A storage medium containing a program readable by a digital computer which instructs the digital computer to:

a) receive position data from at least one sensor attached to a catheter having a distal end insertable into a body lumen of a patient;

b) receive image data of the patient from an imager;

c) calculate a position indication of the at-least-one sensor using at least the position data;

d) create an image representation of the patient using at least the image data; and

e) display on a display monitor a registered overlay image using at least the image representation of the patient and the position indication of the at-least-one position sensor.

12. The storage medium of claim 11, wherein the image representation is a torso representation of the patient.

13. The storage medium of claim 11, wherein the image data includes internal image data of the patient describing at least a portion of the body lumen, and wherein the image representation is an internal image representation of the patient including at least the portion of the body lumen.

14. The storage medium of claim 13, wherein the internal image data describes a plurality of internal organs of the patient different from the body lumen, and wherein the internal image representation of the patient includes the plurality of internal organs.

15. The storage medium of claim 13, wherein the internal image representation of the patient includes the entire body lumen.

16. The storage medium of claim 11, wherein the at-least-one sensor includes exactly one sensor disposed proximate the distal end of the catheter, and wherein the program instructs the digital computer to display on the monitor a registered overlay image of the image representation of the patient and a plurality of position indications of the one sensor calculated at different times.

17. The medical system of claim 11, wherein the catheter has a working length, and wherein the at-least-one sensor includes a plurality of spaced apart sensors attached to the catheter along the working length of the catheter.

18. A method for visualizing a position of a catheter within a patient comprising:

a) receiving position data from at least one sensor attached to a catheter having a distal end insertable into a body lumen of a patient;

b) receiving image data of the patient from an imager;

c) calculating a position indication of the at-least-one sensor using at least the position data;

d) creating an image representation of the patient using at least the image data; and

e) displaying on a display monitor a registered overlay image using at least the image representation of the patient and the position indication of the at-least-one position sensor.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the image representation is a torso representation.

20. The storage medium of claim 18, wherein the image data includes internal image data of the patient including at least a portion of the body lumen, and wherein the image representation is an internal image representation of the patient including at least the portion of the body lumen.