Method and System For Patient-Specific Modeling of Blood Flow

• US 20120053921A1
• 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 8,249,815 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 703/11
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Abstract

Embodiments include a system for planning treatment for a patient. The system may include at least one computer system configured to receive patient-specific data regarding 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, and determine a first fractional flow reserve within the anatomical structure of the patient based on the three-dimensional model and information regarding a physiological condition of the patient. The at least one computer system may be further configured to receive input from a user regarding a plan of treatment, modify the physiological condition of the patient based on the received input, and determine a second fractional flow reserve within the anatomical structure of the patient based on the modified physiological condition of the patient.

Claims

1. A system for planning treatment for a patient, the system comprising:

at least one computer system configured to;

receive patient-specific data regarding 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 a first fractional flow reserve within the anatomical structure of the patient based on the three-dimensional model and information regarding a physiological condition of the patient;

receive input from a user regarding a plan of treatment;

modify the physiological condition of the patient based on the received input; and

determine a second fractional flow reserve within the anatomical structure of the patient based on the modified physiological condition of the patient.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one computer system is further configured to modify the physiological condition of the patient based on input received from a user, the input including a selection of a plan of treatment for the patient.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein:

the selected plan of treatment is associated with a change in at least one of a cardiac output, a level of exercise, a level of hyperemia, or a medication for the patient; and

the at least one computer system is further configured to modify the physiological condition of the patient based on the selected plan of treatment.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the at least one computer system is further configured to modify the physiological condition of the patient by changing a parameter relating to blood flow through the anatomical structure of the patient.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the changed parameter relating to blood flow includes at least one of a coronary artery resistance, an aortic blood pressure, or a heart rate.

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

determine a difference between the first fractional flow reserve and the second fractional flow reserve at a plurality of locations within the anatomical structure of the patient.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the anatomical structure of the patient includes 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.

8. 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.

9. A method for planning treatment for a patient using at least one computer system, the method comprising:

inputting into 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, a first fractional flow reserve within the anatomical structure of the patient based on the three-dimensional model and information regarding a physiological condition of the patient;

modifying, using the at least one computer system, the physiological condition of the patient; and

determining, using the at least one computer system, a second fractional flow reserve within the anatomical structure of the patient based on the modified physiological condition of the patient.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein:

modifying the physiological condition of the patient includes changing a parameter relating to blood flow through the anatomical structure of the patient; and

the changed parameter includes at least one of a coronary artery resistance, an aortic blood pressure, or a heart rate.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

creating, using the at least one computer system, a three-dimensional simulation including the first fractional flow reserve; and

creating, using the at least one computer system, a reduced-order model based on the three-dimensional simulation;

wherein the second fractional flow reserve is determined using the reduced-order model.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the reduced-order model is a lumped parameter model.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein modifying the physiological condition of the patient is based on a first input received from the user, the first input indicating a first plan of treatment selected by the user, and the method further comprises:

modifying, using the at least one computer system, the physiological condition of the patient separately from the first input and based on a second input received from the user, the second input indicating a second plan of treatment selected by the user; and

determining, using the at least one computer system, a third fractional flow reserve within the anatomical structure of the patient based on the physiological condition modified based on the second input; and

comparing the first and second plans of treatment by comparing the second fractional flow reserve and the third fractional flow reserve.

14. A system for planning treatment for a patient, the system comprising:

at least one computer system configured to;

receive patient-specific imaging data regarding 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 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 and including information regarding a physiological condition of the patient;

modify the physiological condition of the patient; and

determine second information regarding the blood flow characteristic at a plurality of locations within at least the portion of the plurality of coronary arteries based on the modified physiological condition of the patient, each of the first information and the second information including at least one of blood pressure, blood velocity, blood flow rate, or fractional flow reserve within at least the portion of the plurality of coronary arteries.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the input received from the user indicates a change in at least one of a cardiac output, a heart rate, a stroke volume, a blood pressure, a level of exercise or exertion, a level of hyperemia, or a medication for the patient.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the at least one computer system is further configured to modify the physiological condition of the patient by changing a parameter relating to blood flow within at least the portion of the plurality of coronary arteries.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the changed parameter relating to blood flow includes at least one of a coronary artery resistance, an aortic blood pressure, or a heart rate.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the at least one computer system is further configured to determine a difference between the first information and the second information at the plurality of locations.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the at least one computer system is further configured to:

prepare a first three-dimensional simulation of at least the portion of the plurality of coronary arteries indicating the first information; and

prepare a second three-dimensional simulation of at least the portion of the plurality of coronary arteries indicating the second information.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the first and second information are indicated on the respective first and second three-dimensional simulations using colors or shading, and changes in the first and second information are indicated by changes in color or shading.

21. A method for planning treatment for a patient using at least one computer system, the method comprising:

inputting into 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 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 and including information regarding a physiological condition of the patient;

inputting into the at least one computer system information regarding a plan of treatment;

modifying, using the at least one computer system, the physiological condition of the patient based on the information regarding the plan of treatment; and

determining, using the at least one computer system, second information regarding the blood flow characteristic at a plurality of locations within at least the portion of the plurality of coronary arteries based on the modified physiological condition of the patient, each of the first information and the second information including at least one of blood pressure, blood velocity, blood flow rate, or fractional flow reserve within at least the portion of the plurality of coronary arteries.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the plan of treatment is associated with a change in at least one of a cardiac output, a heart rate, a stroke volume, a blood pressure, a level of exercise or exertion, a level of hyperemia, or a medication for the patient.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the information regarding the plan of treatment is input by a user, and the method further includes:

preparing a first three-dimensional simulation of at least the portion of the plurality of coronary arteries indicating the first information for displaying to the user; and

preparing a second three-dimensional simulation of at least the portion of the plurality of coronary arteries indicating the second information for displaying to the user.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the first and second information are indicated on the respective first and second three-dimensional simulations using colors or shading, and changes in the first and second information are indicated by changes in color or shading.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the plurality of locations are in three dimensions.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the physiological condition of the patient is modified by changing a parameter relating to blood flow within at least the portion of the plurality of coronary arteries.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the changed parameter relating to blood flow includes at least one of a coronary artery resistance, an aortic blood pressure, or a heart rate.