APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MEDICAL IMAGE SEARCHING

• US 20120065511A1
• Filed: 09/09/2011
• Published: 03/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ACIST Medical Systems Incorporated (Bracco SPA)
• Original Assignee: Silicon Valley Medical Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: JAMELLO, Joseph A. III
• Granted Patent: US 9,351,703 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/443
• 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 8/12 in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters catheters per se A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/13 Tomography A61B8/10, A61B8/12 take precedence; tomography for radiation diagnosis A61B6/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/14 Echo-tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/463 characterised by displaying multiple images or images and diagnostic data on one display composite display in devices for short-range imaging with acoustic waves G01S7/52074
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/465 adapted to display user selection data, e.g. icons or menus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/466 adapted to display 3D data 3D imaging and stereoscopic displays in devices for short-range imaging with acoustic waves G01S15/8993 and G01S7/52068, respectively; 3D image rendering G06T15/00; manipulating 3D models for computer graphics G06T19/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/467 characterised by special input means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/565 involving data transmission via a network
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/003 Reconstruction from projections, e.g. tomography
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/00 3D [Three Dimensional] image rendering
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/008 Cut plane or projection plane definition
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/60 : Rotation of whole images or parts thereof
• 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

Abstract

An intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) imaging system and catheter with an intuitive interface for rapid operator interaction using acquired medical images. In an embodiment, an IVUS imaging system and catheter are used to acquire a sequence of a specific area of interest in the human anatomy, for example, tomographic images of a coronary artery. The IVUS imaging system displays at least one tomographic image of the area of interest. The IVUS imaging system generates and displays at least one longitudinal image, wherein the longitudinal image represents a cut-plane of the sequence of tomographic images. The IVUS imaging system further includes a touch screen, wherein the system recognizes touch movements to facilitate searching the sequence of images. Touch movements in a longitudinal direction may pan the longitudinal image in the longitudinal direction. Touch movements in the transverse direction may rotate the cut-plane of the longitudinal image.

Claims

1. An intravascular ultrasound system, comprising:

a catheter configured to produce data;

an interface module coupled to the catheter and configured to receive the data; and

a console having a touch screen coupled to the interface module and configured to;

produce one or more tomographic images from the data;

display the one or more tomographic images; and

receive tactile input from an object at the touch screen to manipulate the one or more tomographic images.

2. The intravascular ultrasound system of claim 1 wherein the console is further configured to display a longitudinal image corresponding to a plurality of tomographic images.

3. The intravascular ultrasound system of claim 1, further comprising a heuristic decision engine configured to analyze the tactile input and to manipulate the one or more tomographic images in only one direction.

4. The intravascular ultrasound system of claim 3, wherein the heuristic decision engine further comprises:

a horizontal screen scrolling heuristic for determining that the tactile input corresponds to a one-dimensional horizontal panning command for the one or more images; and

a vertical screen scrolling heuristic for determining that the tactile input corresponds to a one-dimensional vertical panning command for the one or more images.

5. The intravascular ultrasound system of claim 1, wherein the display further comprises a sterile cover.

6. The intravascular ultrasound system of claim 1, wherein the tactile input from an object further comprises tactile input from a hand.

7. The intravascular ultrasound system of claim 1, wherein the tactile input from an object further comprises tactile input from a gloved hand.

8. The intravascular ultrasound system of claim 1, wherein the tactile input from an object further comprises tactile input from a stylus.

9. A computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions that when executed on a computer cause the computer to:

display at least one image on a display with a touch screen;

detect an object engaging the touch screen;

determine a primary direction of movement of the object engaging the touch screen using at least one heuristic; and

manipulate the at least one image in the primary direction.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 wherein the at least one heuristic comprises a horizontal screen scrolling heuristic for determining that movement of the object engaging the touch screen corresponds to a one-dimensional horizontal panning command for the at least one image.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 wherein the determination of a horizontal movement displays a second image corresponding to manipulated image.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 wherein the at least one heuristic comprises a vertical screen scrolling heuristic for determining that movement of the object engaging the touch screen corresponds to a one-dimensional vertical panning command for the at least one image.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 wherein the at least one heuristic comprises a vertical screen scrolling heuristic for determining that movement of the object engaging the touch screen corresponds to a rotation command for the at least one image.

14. A method in a computing environment, comprising:

displaying at least one of a sequence of tomographic images on a display having a touch screen;

displaying a longitudinal image having a central axis point, the longitudinal image corresponding to the sequence of tomographic images;

displaying, near the longitudinal image, one tomographic image amongst the sequence of tomographic images that corresponds to a selection marker;

detecting a tactile input on the display screen corresponding to a horizontal movement;

in response to the horizontal tactile input, moving the selection marker proportional to the detected horizontal movement to a new position with respect to the longitudinal image; and

displaying a different one of the sequence of tomographic images, the different one corresponding to the new position.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

detecting a tactile input on the display screen corresponding to a vertical movement;

in response to the vertical tactile input, manipulating the display of the longitudinal image proportional to the detected vertical movement.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining whether the vertical movement or the horizontal movement is more prominent; and

disregarding the less prominent movement.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising calculating a lumen area corresponding to the displayed tomographic image.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

determining a lumen area for each tomographic image; and

displaying the tomographic image corresponding to the lowest lumen area calculated.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising receiving the sequence of tomographic images from a catheter coupled to the display.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising receiving the sequence of tomographic images from a server computer coupled to the display.

21. A console, comprising:

a display for displaying one or more images and having a touch screen for receiving tactile input;

a decision engine configured to process detected tactile inputs on the touch screen;

the decision engine further configured to;

determine a weighted average of detected horizontal movements;

determine a weighted average of detected vertical movements;

determine which weighted average is higher;

if the weighted average of the horizontal movements is higher, then change a first image displayed on the display; and

if the weighted average of the vertical movements is higher, then rotate a longitudinal cut-plane of a second image displayed on the display.

22. The console of claim 21, wherein the displayed image is an image of a coronary artery.

23. The console of claim 21, wherein the displayed image is a tomographic image of a portion of human anatomy.

24. The console of claim 21 further comprising a communication module configured to receive a sequence of images, the sequence of images received from a coupled catheter.

25. The console of claim 21 further comprising a communication module configured to receive a sequence of images, the sequence of images received from a communicatively coupled server computer.