AUTOMATIC TRACKING OF A TOOL UPON A VASCULAR ROADMAP

• US 20100161023A1
• Filed: 12/30/2009
• Published: 06/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sync-Rx, Ltd. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Sync-Rx, Ltd. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Tolkowsky, David, COHEN, Ran
• Granted Patent: US 10,307,061 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/1.110
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12036 partial occlusion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1204 temporary occlusion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12136 Balloons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/02 by cooling, e.g. cryogenic techniques devices for cooling specific reflex points of the body within cell-life limits A61H39/06
• 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 18/24 with a catheter A61B18/26, A61B18/28 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00252 for by-pass connections, i.e. connections from heart chamber to blood vessel or from blood vessel to blood vessel
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00694 with means correcting for movement of or for synchronisation with the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00703 correcting for movement of heart, e.g. ECG-triggered
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/1205 Introduction devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22044 with a pointed tip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22094 for crossing total occlusions, i.e. piercing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/105 Modelling of the patient, e.g. for ligaments or bones
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/107 Visualisation of planned trajectories or target regions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/254 being adapted depending on the stage of the surgical procedure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/365 augmented reality, i.e. correlating a live optical image with another image
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/10 Computer-aided planning, simulation or modelling of surgical operations
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/20 Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/25 User interfaces for surgical systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0044 for the heart
• 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 5/7289 : Retrospective gating, i.e. associating measured signals or images with a physiological event after the actual measurement or image acquisition, e.g. by simultaneously recording an additional physiological signal during the measurement or image acquisition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/12 : Arrangements for detecting or locating foreign bodies
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/469 : for selecting a region of interest [ROI]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/481 : involving the use of contrast agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/501 : for diagnosis of the head, e.g. neuroimaging or craniography
• 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 6/5217 : extracting a diagnostic or physiological parameter from medical diagnostic data
• 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 8/0883 : for diagnosis of the heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0891 : for diagnosis of blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/543 : involving acquisition triggered by a physiological signal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/958 : Inflatable balloons for placing stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 : Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10121 : Fluoroscopy
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30048 : Heart; Cardiac
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30101 : Blood vessel; Artery; Vein; Vascular
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/00 : Image enhancement or restoration
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0012 : Biomedical image inspection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0014 : using an image reference approach
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/13 : Edge detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/246 : using feature-based methods, e.g. the tracking of corners or segments
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/62 : of area, perimeter, diameter or volume
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 2201/034 : of medical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/103 : Static body considered as a whole, e.g. static pedestrian or occupant recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/30 : for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment

Abstract

Apparatus and methods are described including generating a road map of a blood vessel in a portion of a subject'"'"'s body. A given feature that is within the portion of the subject'"'"'s body is identified in the road map, the given feature being visible even in images of the portion the generation of which does not include use of a contrast agent. A tool is inserted into the blood vessel, and a current location of a portion of the tool is determined with respect to the given feature, by imaging the tool and the feature. In response to the determined current location, a current position of the tool within the road map is determined. In response to determining the current position of the tool within the road map, the current position of the tool with respect to the road map is displayed. Other embodiments are also described.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

generating a road map of a blood vessel in a portion of a body of a subject;

identifying, in the road map, a given feature that is within the portion of the subject'"'"'s body, the given feature being visible even in images of the portion the generation of which does not include use of a contrast agent;

inserting a tool into the blood vessel;

determining a current location of at least a portion of the tool with respect to the given feature, by imaging the tool and the feature;

in response to the determined current location, determining a current position of the tool within the road map; and

in response to determining the current position of the tool within the road map, displaying the current position of the tool with respect to the road map.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the tool includes a balloon, and wherein inserting the tool comprises inserting the balloon.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the tool includes a replacement valve, and wherein inserting the tool comprises inserting the replacement valve.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the tool includes a stent, and wherein inserting the tool comprises inserting the stent.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the tool includes a wire, and wherein inserting the tool comprises inserting the wire.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the tool includes a catheter, and wherein inserting the tool comprises inserting the catheter.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein generating the road map comprises generating a road map based upon a given phase of a motion cycle of the blood vessel, and wherein determining the current location of the portion of the tool comprises determining the current location of the portion of the tool during the given phase.

8. Apparatus, comprising:

a tool configured to be inserted into a blood vessel of a portion of a body of a subject;

a display; and

at least one processor, comprising;

road-map-generation functionality configured to generate a road map of the blood vessel in the portion of the subject'"'"'s body;

feature-identifying functionality configured to identify, in the road map, a given feature that is within the portion of the subject'"'"'s body, the given feature being visible even in images of the portion the generation of which does not include use of a contrast agent;

tool-location functionality configured to determine a current location of at least a portion of the tool with respect to the given feature, based on a current image of the tool and the feature;

tool-positioning functionality configured, in response to the determined current location of the tool, to determine a current position of the tool within the road map; and

display-driving functionality configured, in response to determining the current position of the tool within the road map, to drive the display to display the current position of the tool with respect to the road map.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the tool comprises a balloon.

10. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the tool comprises a replacement valve.

11. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the tool comprises a stent.

12. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the tool comprises a wire.

13. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the tool comprises a catheter.

14. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the road-map-generation functionality is configured to generate a road map based upon a given phase of a motion cycle of the blood vessel, and wherein the tool-location functionality is configured to determine the current location of the portion of the tool during the given phase.

15. A method, comprising:

generating a road map of a blood vessel in a portion of a body of a subject;

identifying, in the road map, a given feature that is within the portion of the subject'"'"'s body, the given feature being visible even in images of the portion the generation of which does not include use of a contrast agent;

generating an image stream of the blood vessel;

identifying the given feature in the image stream;

registering the road map to the image stream using the identified feature; and

in response to the registration of the road map to the image stream, overlaying the road map on the image stream.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein registering the road map to the image stream comprises automatically registering the road map to the image stream.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein registering the road map to the image stream comprises registering the road map to the image stream in real time.

18. The method according to claim 15, wherein registering the road map to the image stream comprises registering the road map to the image stream in near real time.

19. Apparatus, comprising:

a tool configured to be inserted into a blood vessel of a portion of a body of a subject;

an image-acquisition device configured to acquire an image stream of the blood vessel;

a display; and

at least one processor, comprising;

image-receiving functionality configured to receive the image stream into the processor;

road-map-generation functionality configured to generate a road map of the blood vessel in the portion of the subject'"'"'s body;

road-map-feature-identifying functionality configured to identify, in the road map, a given feature that is within the portion of the subject'"'"'s body, the given feature being visible even in images of the portion the generation of which does not include use of a contrast agent;

image-stream-feature-identifying functionality configured to identify the feature in the image stream;

registration-functionality configured to register the road map to the image stream using the identified feature; and

display-driving functionality configured, in response to the registration of the road map to the image stream, to drive the display to overlay the road map on the image stream.

20. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the registration-functionality is configured to automatically register the road map to the image stream.

21. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the registration-functionality is configured to register the road map to the image stream in real time.

22. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the registration-functionality is configured to register the road map to the image stream in near real time.

23. A method for imaging a portion of a body of a subject that moves as a result of cardiac cyclic activity of the subject and that also undergoes additional motion that is at least partially a result of a respiratory cycle of the subject, the method comprising:

identifying a given phase of the cardiac cyclic activity;

generating a stabilized set of image frames of the portion of the subject'"'"'s body

by outputting a set of image frames corresponding to image frames of the portion acquired during the given phase, and

by image tracking at least the set of image frames to reduce imaged motion of the portion of the subject'"'"'s body associated with the additional motion; and

displaying the tracked set of image frames of the portion of the subject'"'"'s body.