METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR FACILITATING AN IMAGE GUIDED MEDICAL PROCEDURE

• US 20110026786A1
• Filed: 06/07/2010
• Published: 02/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Healthineers AG (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Corp. (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Mohamed, Ashraf
• Granted Patent: US 8,934,684 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/128
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/40 for processing medical images, e.g. editing
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

A method for facilitating an image guided medical procedure, utilizing images relating to the procedure, wherein the method includes performing a planning stage, including: obtaining a plurality of pre-procedural images, registering and fusing together the plurality of pre-procedural images, and extracting entities, or data objects, based on the pre-procedural images; performing an intervention stage, including: obtaining intra-procedural images, registering and fusing the pre-procedural and intra-procedural images, registering and fusing the entities with the intra-procedural images, and segmenting selected ones of the entities, based on the intra-procedural images; and performing an assessment stage, including: obtaining post-procedural images, registering and fusing the pre-procedural, the intra-procedural, and the post-procedural images, registering and fusing the entities with the post-procedural images, segmenting selected ones of the entities based on the post-procedural images. Supporting the planning, intervention, and assessment stages of the procedure is via a unified workflow and user interface.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating an image guided medical procedure, utilizing images relating to said procedure, said method comprising:

performing a planning stage, comprising;

obtaining a plurality of pre-procedural images,

registering and fusing together said plurality of pre-procedural images, and

extracting entities, based on said pre-procedural images;

performing an intervention stage, comprising;

obtaining intra-procedural images,

registering and fusing said pre-procedural and intra-procedural images,

registering and fusing said entities with said intra-procedural images, and

segmenting selected ones of said entities, based on said intra-procedural images; and

performing an assessment stage, comprising;

obtaining post-procedural images,

registering and fusing said pre-procedural, said intra-procedural, and said post-procedural images,

registering and fusing said entities with said post-procedural images, and

segmenting selected ones of said entities based on said post-procedural images.

2. A method for facilitating an image guided medical procedure as recited in claim 1, wherein:

said extracting entities includes any of segmenting an image area, segmenting a feature, segmenting a tumor, segmenting a treated tumor, segmenting a device, simulating a device, segmenting a vessel tree, planning a needle trajectory, tracking a needle position, and segmented, simulated, and planned entities.

3. A method for facilitating an image guided medical procedure as recited in claim 1, comprising:

presenting information for a physician by utilizing a specific application assistant program file providing text messages and guidance hints on tasks available during said stages in a user interface, organizing applicable workflow, and wherein said tasks are respectively dependent on any of

(a) previously performed tasks,

(b) a modality of at least one loaded image, and

(c) a part of a patient'"'"'s body visible in said at least one loaded image.

4. A method for facilitating an image guided medical procedure as recited in claim 3, comprising

generating said application assistant program file by utilizing a particular development tool adapted therefor.

5. A method for facilitating an image guided medical procedure as recited in claim 3, comprising obtaining said information from a respective header associated with said at least one loaded image.

6. A method for facilitating an image guided medical procedure as recited in claim 3, comprising utilizing said user interface for said planning, intervention, and assessment stages.

7. A method for facilitating an image guided medical procedure as recited in claim 1, comprising utilizing a single user interface for said stages such that a software module associated therewith performs in accordance with at least one of:

(a) sharing various image and data components efficiently,

(b) performing a specific task during one of said stages,

(c) performing said specific task in a plurality of said stages, and

(d) performing other tasks in a plurality of said stages.

8. A method for facilitating an image guided medical procedure as recited in claim 7, comprising:

developing an application assistant for facilitating said image guided medical procedure by;

utilizing a computer program having a graphical programming approach, and utilizing entered data, including data on;

types of images to be handled by said application assistant,

tasks involved at steps of said method,

pre-required conditions necessary before a stage of said method, and

user mouse button clicks for identifying anatomical landmarks on an image being displayed on a workstation display monitor;

presenting a plurality of views for each workflow step, including a user interface view and an action view;

utilizing said user interface view for defining user interface view components and a layout thereof as presented to a user;

defining by said action view of a workflow step preconditions to be met before said workflow step is begun, and inputs to said step from previous steps, including any of images, segmented structures, and necessary tasks to act on said input and like items;

providing, by said user interface components defined in said user interface view triggers that invoke a service task to perform a required action; and

running said application assistant for facilitating said image guided medical procedure.

9. A method for facilitating an image guided medical procedure as recited in claim 8, wherein said developing an application assistant comprises:

utilizing user interface view components of a type as may include push buttons, radio buttons and text boxes and the like;

performing a required action of a type as may include a user button click on said user interface to trigger a registration service task to register an external MRI image to a real-time angiographic X-ray image, and like tasks;

making available data and images from one stage available to a subsequent stage, including fused images comprising data from a plurality of images from at least one stage; and

providing guidance for a physician during a stage of said procedure by way of said user interface.

10. A method for facilitating an image guided medical procedure as recited in claim 9, including supporting planning, intervention, and assessment stages of said procedure via a unified workflow and user interface.

11. A method for facilitating an image guided medical procedure as recited in claim 10, wherein said providing guidance for a physician, comprises:

making available data derived from header information of a respective image.

12. A method for facilitating an image guided medical procedure as recited in claim 11,

wherein said providing guidance to a physician, comprises:

utilizing a respective application assistant program to provide step by step guidance through tasks required in a specific clinical procedure.

13. A method for facilitating an image guided medical procedure, utilizing images relating to said procedure, said method comprising:

supporting planning, intervention, and assessment stages of said procedure via a unified workflow and user interface;

making available data and images from one stage available to a subsequent stage, including fused images comprising data from a plurality of images from at least one stage; and

providing guidance for a physician during a stage of said procedure by way of said UI.

14. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein said making available data and images includes:

making available data on fused images comprising data from a plurality of stages; and

making available data on fused images comprising data from entities.

15. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein said making available data and images includes:

making available data on fused images comprising data from a plurality of stages; and

making available data on fused images comprising data from entities including data from a plurality of stages.

16. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein said providing guidance for a physician comprises:

making available data derived from header information of a respective image.

17. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein said providing guidance for a physician comprises:

utilizing a respective application assistant program to provide step by step guidance through tasks required in a specific clinical procedure.

18. A system for facilitating an image guided medical procedure, utilizing images relating to said procedure, said system comprising:

a memory device means for storing a program and other data; and

a processor means in communication with said memory device, said processor being operative with said program for;

supporting planning, intervention, and assessment stages of said procedure via a unified workflow and user interface;

making available data and images from one stage available to a subsequent stage, including fused images comprising data from a plurality of images from at least one stage; and

providing guidance for a physician during a stage of said procedure by way of said user interface.

19. A development tool for assisting an application developer by facilitating the design of an application assistant for a method for facilitating an image guided medical procedure, comprising:

a computer program utilizing a graphical programming approach, and utilizing entered data, including data on;

the type of images to be handled by said application assistant,

tasks involved at steps of said method,

pre-required conditions necessary before a stage of said method, and

user mouse button clicks for identifying anatomical landmarks on an image associated with said method and being displayed on a workstation display monitor; and

presenting a plurality of views for each workflow step, including a user interface view and an action view, wherein;

(a) said user interface view is utilized for defining user interface view components and a layout thereof as presented to a user, and

(b) said action view of a workflow step defines preconditions to be met before said workflow step is begun, and inputs to said step from previous steps, including any and all of images, segmented structures, and necessary tasks to act on said input and like items; and

wherein said user interface components defined in said user interface view provide triggers that invoke a service task to perform a required action,

20. A development tool as recited in claim 19, wherein:

said user interface view components are of a type as may include push buttons, radio buttons and text boxes and the like; and

said required action is of a type as may include a user button click on said user interface to trigger a registration service task to register an external MRI image to a real-time angiographic X-ray image, and like tasks.