Combination of Multi-Modality Imaging Technologies

• US 20080281181A1
• Filed: 05/13/2005
• Published: 11/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: The Research Foundation for The State University of New York (State University of New York)
• Original Assignee: The Research Foundation for The State University of New York (State University of New York)
• Inventors: Liang, Jerome, Manzione, James V.
• Application Number:
  US11/587,467
• Publication Number:
  US 20080281181A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/407
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/032 Transmission computed tomography [CT]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/037 Emission tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/466 adapted to display 3D data
• 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 6/507 for determination of haemodynamic parameters, e.g. perfusion CT
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/583 using calibration phantoms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/10 for stereotaxic surgery, e.g. frame-based stereotaxis

Abstract

Different applications for multiple imaging technologies are provided to advance patient care. In one aspect, a 3-D imaging device is used to identify the location of target region in a patient, such as a tumor or aneurysm, for instance. The location information is then used to control a device used in performing a surgical or other intervention, further imaging or a diagnostic or therapeutic procedure (920). The device can operate fully automatically, as a robot, or can assist a manual procedure performed by a physician. In another aspect, the invention provides a technique for obtaining an improved image of the vasculature in a patient (1020). In another aspect, images from multiple imaging technologies are combined or fused (1120) to achieve synergistic benefits.

Claims

1. A method for positioning a device for accessing a target region in a patient, comprising:

determining (910) at least one of a particular path and a particular viewpoint for accessing the target region based on at least one 3-D image of the target region obtaining by imaging the target region; and

controlling (920) the device for accessing the target region according to the at least one of a particular path and a particular viewpoint.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the device for accessing the target region comprises a radiographic imaging system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one 3-D image of the target region is obtained from a 3-D imaging system employing at least one of computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), and ultrasound.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one 3-D image of the target region comprises a fusion of different images from different 3-D imaging systems employing at least one of computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), and ultrasound.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one of a particular path and a particular viewpoint for accessing the target region is determined manually by a physician by viewing the at least one 3-D image.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one of a particular path and a particular viewpoint for accessing the target region is determined automatically using software that evaluates the at least one 3-D image.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the device for accessing the target region comprises a robot.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the device for accessing the target region is used in performing at least one of;

(a) a surgical or other intervention, (b) further imaging, and (c) a diagnostic and/or therapeutic procedure; and

the device operates automatically, as a robot.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the device for accessing the target region is used in performing at least one of;

(a) a surgical or other intervention, (b) further imaging, and (c) a diagnostic and/or therapeutic procedure; and

the device assists a manual procedure performed by a physician.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

arranging in a controlled relationship to one another, (a) an imaging device for imaging the target region, (b) the device for accessing the target region, and (c) a patient support.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

imaging the target region using a CT system to obtain data for reducing the number of angiograms that are needed to visualize an aneurysm.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the target region is in the head or brain of the patient, further comprising:

delivering a contrast agent in the aorta rather than in arteries in the head or brain prior to imaging the target region.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the target region is anywhere in the body of the patient, further comprising:

delivering a contrast agent in the aorta or other proximal blood vessel rather than selectively in arteries and/or veins in the target region prior to imaging the target region.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating at least one of a 2D and a 3D virtual image of the target region to permit accessing the target region by at least one of a transvascular route and a percutaneous route.

15. A program storage device tangibly embodying software instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, perform a method for positioning a device for accessing a target region in a patient, the method comprising:

determining (910) at least one of a particular path and a particular viewpoint for accessing the target region based on at least one 3-D image of the target region obtaining by imaging the target region; and

controlling (920) the device for accessing the target region according to the at least one of a particular path and a particular viewpoint.

16. A method for obtaining an image of vasculature in a target region in a patient, comprising:

imaging (1000) the target region using a 3-D imaging device without injection of a contrast agent to obtain a first image;

imaging (1010) the target region using the 3-D imaging device with injection of the contrast agent to obtain a second image; and

obtaining (1020) a subtraction image comprising the vasculature in which the contrast agent is carried based on differences between the first and second images.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein:

the 3-D imaging device comprises a multi-slice CT scanner.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein:

both the first and second images are obtained without repositioning the patient with respect to the 3-D imaging device.

19. A program storage device tangibly embodying software instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, perform a method for obtaining an image of vasculature in a target region in a patient, the method comprising:

accessing a first image obtained by imaging the target region using a 3-D imaging device without injection of a contrast agent (1000);

accessing a second image obtained by imaging the target region using the 3-D imaging device with injection of the contrast agent (1010); and

obtaining a subtraction image comprising the vasculature in which the contrast agent is carried based on differences between the first and second images (1020).

20. A method for providing an image of a target region of a patient, comprising:

imaging (1110) the target region of the patient using different imaging devices to obtain different images;

wherein the different imaging devices are arranged in a controlled relationship to one another (1100) to maintain an alignment of the target region with respect to each of the imaging devices; and

fusing (1120) the different images to obtain a fused image.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein:

the different images are 3-D images obtained from different 3-D imaging systems employing at least one of computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), and ultrasound.

22. A program storage device tangibly embodying software instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, perform a method for providing an image of a target region of a patient, the method comprising:

accessing different images obtained by imaging the target region of the patient using different imaging devices (1110);

wherein the different imaging devices are arranged in a controlled relationship to one another (1100) to maintain an alignment of the target region with respect to each of the imaging devices; and

fusing (1120) the different images to obtain a fused image.