METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PATIENT-SPECIFIC MODELING OF BLOOD FLOW

• US 20120053919A1
• Filed: 11/07/2011
• Published: 03/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Heartflow Inc.
• Original Assignee: Heartflow Inc.
• Inventors: Taylor, Charles A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,311,750 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 703/9
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• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0044 for the heart
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• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02007 Evaluating blood vessel condition, e.g. elasticity, compliance
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• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/50 : for simulation or modelling of medical disorders
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• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 : Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation

Abstract

Embodiments include a system for providing patient-specific cardiovascular information using a web site. The system may include at least one computer system configured to allow a remote user to access a web site, receive patient-specific data regarding at least a portion of a geometry of an anatomical structure of the patient, and create a three-dimensional model representing at least a portion of the anatomical structure of the patient based on the patient-specific data. The at least one computer system may be further configured to determine information regarding a blood flow characteristic within the anatomical structure of the patient based on the three-dimensional model and a physiological condition of the patient, and communicate display information regarding a first three-dimensional simulation of at least the portion of the anatomical structure of the patient to the remote user using the web site. The three-dimensional simulation may include the determined information.

Claims

1. A system for providing patient-specific cardiovascular information using a web site, the system comprising:

at least one computer system configured to;

allow a remote user to access a web site;

receive patient-specific data regarding at least a portion of a geometry of an anatomical structure of the patient;

create a three-dimensional model representing at least a portion of the anatomical structure of the patient based on the patient-specific data;

determine information regarding a blood flow characteristic within the anatomical structure of the patient based on the three-dimensional model and a physiological condition of the patient; and

communicate display information regarding a first three-dimensional simulation of at least the portion of the anatomical structure of the patient to the remote user using the web site, the three-dimensional simulation including the determined information regarding the blood flow characteristic.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one computer system is further configured to:

receive, via the web site, input from the remote user selecting a plan of treatment for the patient.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the at least one computer system is further configured to:

modify at least one of the three-dimensional model or the physiological condition of the patient based on the received input; and

determine second information regarding the blood flow characteristic within the anatomical structure of the patient based on the received input.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the at least one computer system is further configured to:

communicate display information regarding a second three-dimensional simulation of at least the portion of the anatomical structure of the patient to the remote user using the web site, the second three-dimensional simulation including the determined second information regarding the blood flow characteristic.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the information regarding the blood flow characteristic within the anatomical structure of the patient is further determined based on a stored physics-based model relating to the anatomical structure of the patient.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the anatomical structure of the patient includes at least one of a portion of a plurality of arteries in the patient'"'"'s heart, neck, head, thorax, abdomen, arms, or legs.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the information includes at least one of a blood pressure, blood velocity, blood flow rate, or fractional flow reserve within the patient'"'"'s anatomical structure.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one computer system is further configured to:

receive patient-specific data regarding a plurality of patients; and

determine the information regarding the blood flow characteristic for the plurality of patients.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one computer system is configured to allow a plurality of remote users to securely access the web site.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one computer system is configured to communicate display information regarding the three-dimensional model to the remote user using the web site.

11. A method for providing patient-specific cardiovascular information using a web site, the method comprising:

allowing, using at least one computer system, a remote user to access a web site;

receiving, using the at least one computer system, patient-specific data regarding a geometry of an anatomical structure of the patient;

creating, using the at least one computer system, a three-dimensional model representing at least a portion of the anatomical structure of the patient based on the patient-specific data;

determining, using the at least one computer system, information regarding a blood flow characteristic within the anatomical structure of the patient based on the three-dimensional model and a physiological condition of the patient; and

communicating, using the at least one computer system, display information regarding a first three-dimensional simulation of at least the portion of the anatomical structure of the patient to the remote user using the web site, the three-dimensional simulation including the determined information regarding the blood flow characteristic.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving, using the at least one computer system, input from the remote user selecting a plan of treatment for the patient using the web site.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

modifying, using the at least one computer system, at least one of the three-dimensional model or the physiological condition of the patient based on the received input; and

determining, using the at least one computer system, second information regarding the blood flow characteristic of at least the portion of the anatomical structure of the patient based on the received input.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

communicating, using the at least one computer system, display information regarding a second three-dimensional simulation of the anatomical structure of the patient to the remote user using the web site, the second three-dimensional simulation including the determined second information regarding the blood flow characteristic.

15. A system for providing patient-specific cardiovascular information using a web site, the system comprising:

at least one computer system configured to;

allow a remote user to access a web site;

receive patient-specific imaging data regarding at least a portion of a geometry of at least a portion of an anatomical structure of the patient;

create a three-dimensional model representing at least the portion of the anatomical structure based on the patient-specific imaging data, the three-dimensional model representing at least a portion of an aorta and at least a portion of a plurality of coronary arteries emanating from the portion of the aorta, the three-dimensional model including portions representing a plurality of outlets for blood flow formed by the plurality of coronary arteries;

determine first information regarding a blood flow characteristic at a plurality of locations within at least the portion of the plurality of coronary arteries based on the three-dimensional model and at least one physics-based model, the at least one physics-based model representing a blood flow through at least one of the plurality of outlets, the at least one physics-based model having less than three dimensions;

communicate display information regarding a first three-dimensional simulation of at least the portion of the plurality of coronary arteries to the remote user using the web site, the first three-dimensional simulation including the determined first information regarding the blood flow characteristic;

receive input from the remote user regarding a plan of treatment for the patient using the web site;

modify at least one of the three-dimensional model or the at least one physics-based model based on the received input to form at least one modified model; and

determine second information regarding the blood flow characteristic within at least the portion of the plurality of coronary arteries based on the at least one modified model.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein each of the first information and the second information includes fractional flow reserve.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the at least one computer system is further configured to:

receive the patient-specific imaging data for a plurality of patients; and

determine the information regarding the blood flow characteristic for the plurality of patients.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the at least one computer system is further configured to allow a plurality of remote users to securely access the web site.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the at least one computer system is further configured to communicate display information regarding a second three-dimensional simulation of at least the portion of the plurality of coronary arteries to the remote user using the web site, the second three-dimensional simulation including the determined second information regarding the blood flow characteristic.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein:

the plan of treatment includes a plan to insert a stent in the patient at the selected location; and

the three-dimensional model is modified by widening one of the plurality of coronary arteries represented by the three-dimensional model.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein:

the plan of treatment includes a plan to add a bypass in the patient at the selected location; and

the three-dimensional model is modified by adding a bypass segment connecting a lumen represented by the three-dimensional model to one of the plurality of coronary arteries.

22. The system of claim 15, wherein:

the first three-dimensional simulation includes the first information and the unmodified three-dimensional model; and

the at least one computer system is further configured to communicate display information regarding a second three-dimensional simulation of at least the portion of the plurality of coronary arteries to the remote user using the web site, the second three-dimensional simulation including the determined second information regarding the blood flow characteristic and the modified three-dimensional model.

23. A method for providing patient-specific cardiovascular information using a web site, the method comprising:

allowing, using at least one computer system, a remote user to access a web site;

receiving, using the at least one computer system, patient-specific imaging data regarding a geometry of at least a portion of an anatomical structure of the patient;

creating, using the at least one computer system, a three-dimensional model representing at least the portion of the anatomical structure based on the patient-specific imaging data, the three-dimensional model representing at least a portion of an aorta and at least a portion of a plurality of coronary arteries emanating from the portion of the aorta, the three-dimensional model including portions representing a plurality of outlets for blood flow formed by the plurality of coronary arteries;

determining, using the at least one computer system, first information regarding a blood flow characteristic at a plurality of locations within at least the portion of the plurality of coronary arteries based on the three-dimensional model and at least one physics-based model, the at least one physics-based model representing a blood flow through at least one of the plurality of outlets, the at least one physics-based model having less than three dimensions;

communicating, using the at least one computer system, display information regarding a first three-dimensional simulation of at least the portion of the plurality of coronary arteries to the remote user using the web site, the three-dimensional simulation including the determined first information regarding the blood flow characteristic;

receiving, using the at least one computer system, input from the remote user regarding a plan of treatment for the patient using the web site;

modifying, using the at least one computer system, at least one of the three-dimensional model or the at least one physics-based model based on the received input to form at least one modified model; and

determining, using the at least one computer system, second information regarding the blood flow characteristic within at least the portion of the plurality of coronary arteries based on the at least one modified model.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

communicating display information regarding a second three-dimensional simulation of at least the portion of the plurality of coronary arteries to the remote user using the web site, the second three-dimensional simulation including the determined second information regarding the blood flow characteristic.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein:

the plan of treatment includes a plan to insert a stent in the patient at the selected location; and

the three-dimensional model is modified by widening one of the plurality of coronary arteries represented by the three-dimensional model.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein:

the plan of treatment includes a plan to add a bypass in the patient at the selected location; and

the three-dimensional model is modified by adding a bypass segment connecting a lumen represented by the three-dimensional model to one of the plurality of coronary arteries.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein:

the first three-dimensional simulation includes the first information and the unmodified three-dimensional model; and

the method further comprises communicating display information regarding a second three-dimensional simulation of at least the portion of the plurality of coronary arteries to the remote user using the web site, the second three-dimensional simulation including the determined second information regarding the blood flow characteristic and the modified three-dimensional model.

28. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

receiving patient-specific imaging data regarding a plurality of patients; and

determining the information regarding the blood flow characteristic for the plurality of patients.

29. The method of claim 23, wherein each of the first information and the second information includes fractional flow reserve.