Sensor Guided Catheter Navigation System

• US 20090163810A1
• Filed: 10/11/2006
• Published: 06/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carnegie Mellon University, University of Pittsburgh of The Commonwealth System of Higher Education
• Original Assignee: Carnegie Mellon University, University of Pittsburgh of The Commonwealth System of Higher Education
• Inventors: Zhong, Hua, Schwartzman, David, Kanade, Takeo
• Granted Patent: US 7,981,038 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/443
• 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 5/065 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 6/032 Transmission computed tomography [CT]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/5205 involving processing of raw data to produce diagnostic data
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/541 involving acquisition triggered by a physiological signal
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0841 for locating instruments
• 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 8/4254 using sensors mounted on the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/461 Displaying means of special interest
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/5207 involving processing of raw data to produce diagnostic data, e.g. for generating an image reconstruction G06T11/00
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10016 Video; Image sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10081 Computed x-ray tomography [CT]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10136 3D ultrasound image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20076 Probabilistic image processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30021 Catheter; Guide wire
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30048 Heart; Cardiac
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/344 involving models

Abstract

A method and a system for producing images of a subject, such as the heart of a human being. The method may comprise acquiring ultrasound images of the subject with a catheter comprising a position sensor. The method may also comprise capturing a plurality of 4D surface registration points in the acquired ultrasound images corresponding to points on the subject. The method may also comprise registering, in space and time, a high-resolution 4D model of the subject with the plurality of 4D surface registration points. The method may also comprise displaying high resolution, real-time images of the subject during a medical procedure based on the registration of the high resolution 4D model to the 4D surface registration points. Embodiments of the present invention are especially useful in left atrium ablation procedures.

Claims

1. A method for producing images of a subject comprising:

acquiring ultrasound images of the subject with a catheter comprising a position sensor;

capturing a plurality of 4D surface registration points in the acquired ultrasound images corresponding to points on the subject; and

registering, in space and time, a high resolution 4D model of the subject with the plurality of 4D surface registration points.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying high resolution, real-time images of the subject during a medical procedure based on the registration of the high resolution 4D model to the 4D surface registration points.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of registering comprises registering the high resolution 4D model of the subject with the plurality of 4D surface registration points based on data regarding the position of the catheter and a timing signal.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the timing signal comprises an ECG signal.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the subject is the heart of a human being.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising constructing the high resolution 4D model of the subject from a series of 3D models at successive time points.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising generating the series of 3D models prior to acquiring the ultrasound images.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein generating the series of 3D models comprises generating a series of 3D CT scans of the subject at successive time points.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein registering the high resolution 4D model of the subject with the plurality of 4D surface registration points comprises determining a transformation function that aligns the 4D surface registration points to the 4D model so that 4D surface registration points are on the 4D model.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein determining the transformation function comprises iteratively determining the transformation function until either the transformation function does not change more than a certain threshold or the alignment error is below a certain threshold.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein registering the high resolution 4D model of the heart with the plurality of 4D surface registration points further comprises refining the registration based on a free-form non-rigid registration.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the subject is a heart of a human being, and wherein the step of generating the series of 3D CT scans of the subject at successive time points comprises generating a series of 3D CT scans of the heart at successive points of a cardiac cycle of the heart.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the catheter further comprises an interventional device.

14. A computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

capture a plurality of 4D surface registration points from a plurality of input ultrasound images corresponding to points on a subject; and

register, in space and time, a high resolution 4D model of the subject with the plurality of surface registration points.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the subject is a heart of a human being.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 14, further comprising instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to display high resolution, real-time images of the subject during a medical procedure on the subject based on the registration of the high resolution 4D model to the 4D surface registration points.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16, further comprising instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to construct the high resolution 4D model of the subject from a series of 3D models at successive time points.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the series of 3D models comprises a series of 3D CT scans taken at successive time points.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 14, further comprising instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to register the high resolution 4D model of the subject with the plurality of 4D surface registration points by determining a transformation function that aligns the 4D surface registration points to the 4D model so that 4D surface registration points are on the 4D model.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19, further comprising instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine the transformation function by iteratively determining the transformation function until either the transformation function does not change more than a certain threshold or the alignment error is below a certain threshold.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 20, further comprising instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to refine the registration based on a free-form non-rigid registration.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the subject is a heart of a human being, and wherein the series of 3D CT scans of the subject at successive time points comprises a series of 3D CT scans of the heart at successive points of a cardiac cycle of the heart.

23. A catheter navigation system comprising:

a catheter comprising an ultrasound transducer and a magnetic position sensor;

a position tracking system for tracking the position of the catheter based on signals received by the magnetic position sensor;

an image processing module in communication with the catheter and the position tracking system for;

capturing a plurality of 4D surface registration points from a plurality of ultrasound images of a subject acquired by the catheter; and

registering a high resolution 4D model of the subject with the plurality of 4D surface registration points.

24. The catheter navigation system of claim 23, further comprising a display in communication with the image processing module for displaying high resolution, real-time images of the subject during a medical procedure based on the registration of the high resolution 4D model to the 4D surface registration points.

25. The catheter navigation system of claim 23, wherein the image processing module is for registering the high resolution 4D model of the subject with the plurality of 4D surface registration points by determining a transformation function that aligns the 4D surface registration points to the 4D model so that 4D surface registration points are on the 4D model.

26. The catheter navigation system of claim 25, wherein the image processing module is for determining the transformation function by iteratively determining the transformation function until either the transformation function does not change more than a certain threshold or the alignment error is below a certain threshold.

27. The catheter navigation system of claim 26, wherein the image processing module is for refining the registration based on a free-form non-rigid registration.

28. The catheter navigation system of claim of 25, wherein the high resolution 4D model is based on 3D CT scans of the subject generated at successive time points.

29. The catheter navigation system of claim 28, wherein the subject is a heart of a human being, and wherein the series of 3D CT scans comprises a series of 3D CT scans of the heart at successive points of a cardiac cycle of the heart.

30. A method of performing a medical procedure on a subject comprising:

inserting, by a clinician, a first catheter into the subject, wherein the first catheter comprises an ultrasonic transducer;

acquiring ultrasound images of the subject with the first catheter;

capturing, with a programmed computer device in communication with the catheter, a plurality of 4D surface registration points in the acquired ultrasound images corresponding to points on the a portion of the subject; and

registering, with the programmed computer device, a high resolution 4D model of the subject with the plurality of surface registration points.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising displaying, on a display in communication with the computing device, high resolution, real-time images of the subject during the medical procedure based on the registration of the high resolution 4D model to the 4D surface registration points.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein the first catheter further comprises an interventional device, and further comprising:

navigating, by the clinician, the position of the first catheter based on the displayed high resolution images; and

performing, by the clinician, a procedure using the interventional device on the subject.

33. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

inserting a second catheter into the subject, wherein the second catheter comprises an interventional device;

navigating, by the clinician, the position of the second catheter based on the displayed high resolution images; and

performing, by the clinician, a procedure on the subject with the interventional device of the second catheter.

34. The method of claim 30, wherein the subject comprises a heart of a human being.