APPLICATIONS OF SCALING LAWS OF TREE STRUCTURES

• US 20100041981A1
• Filed: 01/22/2008
• Published: 02/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DTherapeutics LLC
• Original Assignee: DTherapeutics LLC
• Inventors: Kassab, Ghassan S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,903,472 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/419
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02007 Evaluating blood vessel condition, e.g. elasticity, compliance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/026 Measuring blood flow A61B3/1233, A61B3/1241 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/055 involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7246 using correlation, e.g. template matching or determination of similarity
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/03 Computed tomography [CT] echo-tomography A61B8/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/504 for diagnosis of blood vessels, e.g. by angiography

Abstract

In at least one embodiment, a method for diagnosing vascular disease is provided, the method comprising the steps of obtaining a vessel image showing a vasculature of a vessel, identifying at least two measurements from the vasculature of the vessel, the measurements relating to at least two parameters, calculating a relationship between the at least two parameters from the at least two measurements to generate one or more vasculature data points, and comparing the one or more vasculature data points to data relative to a model vasculature to determine the extent of vascular disease. In an another embodiment, a method for diagnosing vascular disease in a patient'"'"'s vascular tree is provided, the method comprising the steps of generating a model vascular tree from a minimum energy hypothesis calculation, and comparing the patient'"'"'s vascular tree with the model vascular tree to determine the extent of vascular disease.

Claims

1. A method for diagnosing vascular disease, the method comprising the steps of:

obtaining a vessel image showing a vasculature of a vessel;

identifying at least two measurements from the vasculature of the vessels the measurements relating to at least two parameters;

calculating a relationship between the at least two parameters from the at least two measurements to generate one or more vasculature data points; and

comparing the one or more vasculature data points to data relative to a model vasculature to determine the extent of vascular disease.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the vessel image is an image selected from the group consisting of an angiograph, a computed tomography scan, and magnetic resonance imaging.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least two parameters comprise parameters relating to volume and length from the vasculature of the vessel.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of calculating a relationship between the at least two parameters is performed using a volume-length relation.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of calculating a relationship between the at least two parameters is performed using a resistance-length and volume relation.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least two parameters comprise parameters relating to diameter and length from the vasculature of the vessel.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of calculating a relationship between the at least two parameters is performed using a diameter-length relation.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least two parameters comprise parameters relating to flow rate and diameter from the vasculature of the vessel.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of calculating a relationship between the at least two parameters is performed using a flow rate-diameter relation.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least two parameters comprise parameters relating to resistance, length, and volume from the vasculature of the vessel.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of calculating a relationship between the at least two parameters is performed using a resistance-length and volume relation.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least two parameters comprise parameters relating to flow rate and length from the vasculature of the vessel.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of calculating a relationship between the at least two parameters is performed using a flow rate-length relation.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of comparing the one or more vasculature data points to data relative to a model vasculature is performed by, graphically comparing said data points to data relative to a model vasculature to determine the extent of vascular disease by identifying graphical differences between said data points to data relative to a model vasculature.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of comparing the one or more vasculature data points to data relative to a model vasculature is performed by comparing said data points to data relative to a model vasculature in table form to determine the extent of vascular disease by identifying numerically calculated differences between said data points to data relative to a model vasculature.

45. The system of claim 3, wherein the comparison of the one or more vasculature data points to data relative to a model vasculature is performed by comparing said data points to data relative to a model vasculature in table form to determine the extent of vascular disease by identifying numerically calculated differences between said data points to data relative to a model vasculature.

16. A method for diagnosing vascular disease in a patient'"'"'s vascular tree the method comprising the steps of:

generating a model vascular tree from a minimum energy hypothesis calculation; and

comparing the patient'"'"'s vascular tree with the model vascular tree to determine the extent of vascular disease.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of generating a model vascular tree from a minimum energy hypothesis calculation further comprises the step of calculating a relation-ship between at least two parameters from at least two measurements to generate one or more model vasculature data points within the model vascular tree.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least two parameters comprise parameters relating to volume and length.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of calculating a relationship between the at least two parameters is performed using a volume-length relation.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of calculating a relationship between the at least two parameters is performed using a resistance-length and volume relation.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least two parameters comprise parameters relating to diameter and length.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of calculating a relationship between the at least two parameters is performed using a diameter-length relation.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least two parameters comprise parameters relating to low rate and diameter.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of calculating a relationship between the at least two parameters is performed using a flow rate-diameter relation.

25. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least two parameters comprise parameters relating to resistance, length, and volume.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the step of calculating a relationship between the at least two parameters is performed using a resistance-length and volume relation.

27. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least two parameters comprise parameters relating to flow rate and length.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the step of calculating a relationship between the at least two parameters is performed using a flow rate-length relation.

29. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of comparing the patient'"'"'s vascular tree with the model vascular tree to determine the extent of vascular disease is performed by graphically comparing the patient'"'"'s vascular tree with the model vascular tree to determine the extent of vascular disease by identifying graphical differences between the patient'"'"'s vascular tree with the model vascular tree.

30. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of comparing the patient'"'"'s vascular tree with the model vascular tree to determine the extent of vascular disease is performed by comparing the patient'"'"'s vascular tree with the model vascular tree in table form to determine the extent of vascular disease by identifying numerically calculated differences between the patient'"'"'s vascular tree with the model vascular tree.

31. A system for diagnosing vascular disease, the system comprising:

a processor;

a storage medium operably connected to the processor, the storage medium capable of receiving and storing data relative of measurements from a vasculature of a vessel;

wherein the processor is operable to;

obtain a vessel image showing a vasculature of a vessel;

identify at least two measurements from the vasculature of the vessel, the measurements relating to at least two parameters;

calculate a relationship between the at least two parameters from the at least two measurements to generate one or more vasculature data points; and

compare the one or more vasculature data points to data relative to a model vasculature to determine the extent of vascular disease.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the vessel image is an image selected from the group consisting of an angiograph, a computed tomography scan, and magnetic resonance imaging.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein the at least two parameters comprise parameters relating to volume and length from the vasculature of the vessel.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the calculation of a relationship between the at least two parameters is performed using a volume-length relation.

35. The system of claim 33, wherein the step of calculating a relationship between the at least two parameters is performed using a resistance-length and volume relation.

36. The system of claim 31, wherein the at least two parameters comprise parameters relating to diameter and length from the vasculature of the vessel.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the calculation of a relationship between the at least two parameters is performed using a diameter-length relation.

38. The system of claim 31, wherein the at least two parameters comprise parameters relating to flow rate and diameter from the vasculature of the vessel.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the calculation of a relationship between the at least two parameters is performed using a flow rate-diameter relation.

40. The system of claim 31, wherein the at least two parameters comprise parameters relating to resistance, length, and volume from the vasculature of the vessel.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein the calculation of a relationship between the at least two parameters is performed using a resistance-length and volume relation.

42. The system of claim 31, wherein the at least two parameters comprise parameters relating to flow rate and length from the vasculature of the vessel.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein the calculation of a relationship between the at least two parameters is performed using a flow rate-length relation.

44. The system of claim 31, wherein the comparison of the one or more vasculature data points to data relative to a model vasculature is performed by graphically comparing said data points to data relative to a model vasculature to determine the extent of vascular disease by identifying graphical differences between said data points to data relative to a model vasculature.

46. The system of claim 31, further comprising a program stored upon the storage medium, said program operable by the processor upon data relative of measurements from a vasculature of a vessel.

47. The system of claim 31, wherein the system comprises a user system and a server system, and wherein the user system and the server system are operably connected to one another.

48. A system for diagnosing vascular disease in a patient'"'"'s vascular tree, the system comprising:

a processor; and

a storage medium operably connected to the processor, the storage medium capable of receiving and storing data relative of measurements from a vasculature of a vessel;

wherein the processor is operable to;

generate a model vascular tree from a minimum energy hypothesis calculation; and

compare the patient'"'"'s vascular tree with the model vascular tree to determine the extent of vascular disease.

49. The system of claim 48, wherein the generation of a model vascular tree from a minimum energy hypothesis calculation is performed by calculating a relationship between at least two parameters from at least two measurements to generate one or more model vasculature data points within the model vascular tree.

50. The system of claim 49, wherein the at least two parameters comprise parameters relating to volume and length.

51. The system of claim 50, wherein the calculation of a relationship between the at least two parameters is performed using a volume-length relation.

52. The system of claim 50, wherein the calculation of a relationship between the at least two parameters is performed using a resistance-length and volume relation.

53. The system of claim 49, wherein the at least two parameters comprise parameters relating to diameter and length.

54. The system of claim 53, wherein the calculation of a relationship between the at least two parameters is performed using a diameter-length relation.

55. The system of claim 49, wherein the at least two parameters comprise parameters relating to flow rate and diameter.

56. The system of claim 55, wherein the calculation of a relationship between the at least two parameters is performed using a flow rate-diameter relation.

57. The system of claim 49, wherein the at least two parameters comprise parameters relating to resistance, length, and volume.

58. The system of claim 57, wherein the calculation of a relationship between the at least two parameters is performed using a resistance-length and volume relation.

59. The system of claim 49, wherein the at least two parameters comprise parameters relating to flow rate and length.

60. The system of claim 59, wherein the calculation of a relationship between the at least two parameters is performed using a flow rate-length relation.

61. The system of claim 48, wherein the comparison of the patient'"'"'s vascular tree with the model vascular tree to determine the extent of vascular disease is performed by graphically comparing the patient'"'"'s vascular tree with the model vascular tree to determine the extent of vascular disease by identifying graphical differences between the patient'"'"'s vascular tree with the model vascular tree.

62. The system of claim 48, wherein the comparison of the patient'"'"'s vascular tree with the model vascular tree to determine the extent of vascular disease is performed by comparing the patient'"'"'s vascular tree with the model vascular tree in table form to determine the extent of vascular disease by identifying numerically calculated differences between the patient'"'"'s vascular tree with the model vascular tree.

63. The system of claim 48, further comprising a program stored upon the storage medium, said program operable by the processor upon data relative of measurements from a vasculature of a vessel.

64. The system of claim 48, wherein the system comprises a user system and a server system, and wherein the user system and the server system are operably connected to one another.

65. A program having a plurality of program steps to be executed on a computer having a processor and a storage medium to analyze data relative of measurements from a vasculature of a vessel, the program operable to:

obtain a vessel image showing a vasculature of a vessel;

identify at least two measurements from the vasculature of the vessel, the measurements relating to at least two parameters;

calculate a relationship between the at least two parameters from the at least to measurements to generate one or more vasculature data points; and

compare the one or more vasculature data points to data relative to a model vasculature to determine the extent of vascular disease.

66. A program having a plurality of program steps to be executed on a computer having a processor and a storage medium to analyze data relative of measurements from a vasculature of a vessel, the program operable to:

generate a model vascular tree from a minimum energy hypothesis calculation; and

compare the patient'"'"'s vascular tree with the model vascular tree to determine the extent of vascular disease.

67-79. -79. (canceled)