TECHNIQUES AND METHODS FOR STORING AND TRANSFERRING REGISTRATION, ATLAS, AND LEAD INFORMATION BETWEEN MEDICAL DEVICES

• US 20140039577A1
• Filed: 08/01/2013
• Published: 02/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Kothandaraman, Sridhar, Moffitt, Michael A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,604,067 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/59
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/107 Visualisation of planned trajectories or target regions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/364 Correlation of different images or relation of image positions in respect to the body
• 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: A61N 1/0529 Electrodes for brain stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0534 Electrodes for deep brain stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36062 Spinal stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37235 Aspects of the external programmer

Abstract

A neurostimulator system includes a portable component configured for storing patient-specific data, and an external control device configured for obtaining the patient-specific data from the portable component. The portable component is an implantable neurostimulator, a patient'"'"'s remote controller, and/or an external charger. The patient-specific data is imaging-related data. A method of storing data in a neurostimulation system includes generating patient-specific data, and storing the patient-specific data in at least one of the portable components. A method for programming the implantable neurostimulator includes receiving the patient-specific data from the portable component, simulating a volume of tissue activation for each of one or more candidate stimulation parameters, wherein the simulation is based at least in part on the patient-specific data, selecting at least one of the candidate stimulation parameters, and programming the implantable neurostimulator with the selected stimulation parameters.

Claims

1. A method of storing data in a neurostimulation system comprising at least one portable component selected from the group consisting of an implantable neurostimulator coupled to a plurality of electrodes implanted within the tissue of a patient, a patient'"'"'s remote controller used for telemetrically controlling the implantable neurostimulator, and an external charger for transcutaneously charging the implantable neurostimulator, the method comprising:

generating patient-specific imaging-related data; and

storing the patient-specific imaging-related data in the at least one portable component.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the patient-specific imaging-related data comprises generating imaging data of the tissue of the patient.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the imaging data comprises at least one of magnetic resonance imaging data, diffusion tensor imaging data, and computed tomography scan data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the patient-specific imaging-related data comprises generating a transformation data set using a transformation procedure that transforms a generic 3D atlas into a patient-specific 3D atlas.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the transformation data set comprises lead orientation information.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the transformation data set comprises a 4×

4 matrix.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the transformation procedure comprises identifying at least three anatomical reference points in an image of the patient'"'"'s brain, and, based on locations of three corresponding reference points in the generic 3D atlas, transforming the generic 3D atlas into a patient-specific 3D atlas.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least three anatomical reference points are an anterior commissure, a posterior commissure, and a mid-commissural point of the patient'"'"'s brain.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the patient-specific imaging-related data comprises performing a registration process between a series of magnetic resonance images and a computed tomography scan image, wherein the series of magnetic resonance images is obtained prior to implanting the plurality of electrodes, and the computer tomography scan image is obtained after implanting the plurality of electrodes.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the portable component comprises the implanted neurostimulator.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the portable component comprises the remote controller.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the portable component comprises the external charger.

13. A neurostimulator system comprising:

a portable component configured for storing patient-specific imaging-related data, the portable component selected from the group consisting of;

an implantable neurostimulator, a patient'"'"'s remote controller used for telemetrically controlling the implantable neurostimulator, and an external charger for transcutaneously charging the implantable neurostimulator; and

an external control device configured for obtaining the patient-specific imaging-related data from the portable component, generating a patient-specific anatomical atlas from the patient-specific image-related data, and programming the portable component with at least one stimulation parameter based on the patient-specific anatomical atlas.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the patient-specific imaging-related data is imaging data for the tissue of the patient.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the imaging data comprises at least one of magnetic resonance imaging data, diffusion tensor imaging data, and computed tomography scan data.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the patient-specific imaging-related data is a transformation data set, and wherein the external control device is further configured for generating the patient-specific anatomical atlas from the transformation data set and a general anatomical atlas.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the transformation data set comprises lead orientation information.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the transformation data set comprises a 4×

4 matrix.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the external control device is configured for simulating a volume of tissue activation for each of one or more candidate stimulation parameters, wherein the simulation is based at least in part on the patient-specific imaging-related data, and selecting at least one of the candidate stimulation parameters, and programming the implantable neurostimulator with the selected stimulation parameters.

20. A method for programming an implantable neurostimulator coupled to a plurality of electrodes that are implanted within the tissue of a patient, comprising:

receiving patient-specific imaging-related data from a portable component selected from the group consisting of;

the implantable neurostimulator, a patient'"'"'s remote controller used for telemetrically controlling the implantable neurostimulator, and an external charger for transcutaneously charging the implantable neurostimulator;

generating a patient-specific anatomical atlas from the patient-specific image-related data; and

programming the portable component with at least one stimulation parameter based on the patient-specific anatomical atlas.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the patient-specific imaging-related data comprises imaging data for the tissue of the patient.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the imaging data comprises at least one of magnetic resonance imaging data, diffusion tensor imaging data, and computed tomography scan data.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the patient-specific imaging-related data is a transformation data set, and wherein the method further comprises using the transformation data set to transform a general atlas into a patient-specific atlas.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the transformation data set comprises lead orientation information.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the transformation data set comprises a 4×

4 matrix.

26. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

simulating a volume of tissue activation for each of one or more candidate stimulation parameters, wherein the simulation is based at least in part on the patient-specific imaging-related data;

selecting at least one of the candidate stimulation parameters; and

programming the implantable neurostimulator with the selected stimulation parameters.