METHOD AND DEVICE FOR SIMPLIFYING INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM ELECTRICAL IMPEDANCE TOMOGRAPHY

• US 20150287186A1
• Filed: 11/05/2013
• Published: 10/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Timpel Medical B.V.
• Original Assignee: Timpel S.A.
• Inventors: Holzhacker, Rafael
• Granted Patent: US 9,639,928 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0536 Impedance imaging, e.g. by tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/08 Detecting, measuring or recording devices for evaluating the respiratory organs A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7275 Determining trends in physiological measurement data; Predicting development of a medical condition based on physiological measurements, e.g. determining a risk factor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/743 Displaying an image simultaneously with additional graphical information, e.g. symbols, charts, function plots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/748 Selection of a region of interest, e.g. using a graphics tablet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7485 Automatic selection of region of interest
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/00 Pattern recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/003 Reconstruction from projections, e.g. tomography
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10072 Tomographic images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20021 Dividing image into blocks, subimages or windows
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30004 Biomedical image processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0012 Biomedical image inspection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/11 Region-based segmentation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/12 Edge-based segmentation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/40 Analysis of texture depth or shape recovery from texture G06T7/529
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/40 for processing medical images, e.g. editing
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems

Abstract

A METHOD AND APPARATUS TO SIMPLIFY INFORMATION OBTAINED THROUGH ELECTRICAL IMPEDANCE TOMOGRAPHY, said method comprising the steps of data collection through electrical impedance tomography and the respective processing thereof; the application of at least one algorithm to detect conditions, trends and specific events, so as to allow the identification of at least one region of interest as well as the production of an image including at least such region, which can be pre-defined or defined by the user. The graphical representation of the region of interest can be obtained through the use of a color, texture, figure, contour, etc. The data processed can consist of the impedance values or data derived thereof.

Claims

1. A method to simplify information obtained through electrical impedance tomography, the method comprising:

collecting electrical impedance tomography (EIT) data through operation of an electrical impedance tomography apparatus on a body;

processing the EIT data

to detect one or more specific condition, trend, or event; and

defining at least one region of interest from the EIT data, the at least one region of interest comprising a set of two or more pixels having in common a certain condition, event or trend detected from the EIT data.

2. The method to of claim 1, further comprising:

generating at least a graphical representation for the at least one region of interest that is different than the EIT data; and

displaying an output image on an electronic display, the output image including at least one region of interest with its respective graphical representation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the EIT data includes processing the EIT data directly or processing data derived from the EIT data.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the steps are repeated over time.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one region of interest is automatically defined when data are processed.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one region of interest is pre-defined.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one region of interest is defined by the user.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one region of interest is modified over time.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the graphical representation of the at least one region of interest is represented on the display through use of one or more of the following graphical features:

a color;

a texture;

a figure; and

contours outlining the at least one region of interest.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein the graphical representation of the region of interest indicates the predominance of a certain condition detected from the EIT data in said region of interest, wherein the certain condition is selected from the group consisting of atelectasis, hyperdistention, tidal recruitment, phase-shift ventilation, pulmonary shunt, dead spaces, abnormal dynamic pattern of ventilation, abnormal ventilation distribution, abnormal anatomy, pulmonary hypertension, abnormal volemic status (high or low), pulmonary resistance and pulmonary compliance.

11. The method of claim 2, wherein the graphical representation displayed on the EIT apparatus indicates the occurrence of an event detected from the EIT data in the at least one region of interest, wherein the event is selected from the group consisting of pneumothorax, blockage and selective intubation.

12. The method of claim 2, wherein the graphical representation displayed on the EIT apparatus indicates a trend detected from the EIT data in the at least one region of interest, wherein the trend is selected from the group consisting of a trend related to pneumothorax, blockage and selective intubation.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein two or more pixels of at least one region of interest have corresponding impedance values in the EIT data that are different from each other.

14. The method of claim 2, wherein the graphical representation displays a suggested procedure selected from the group consisting of an alveolar recruitment maneuver, adjustment of the artificial ventilator and a weaning maneuver.

15. The method of claim 9, the graphical representation of at least one region of interest includes a combination of two or more graphical features corresponding to different conditions, events, or trends.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the two or more graphical features are overlapped and simultaneously displayed.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the two or more graphical features are alternately displayed.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the two or more graphical features are displayed in order of priority for the different conditions, events, or trends detected.

19. An apparatus to simplify information obtained through electrical impedance tomography, the apparatus comprising:

an electrical impedance tomography (EIT) apparatus configured to acquire an impedance signal as EIT data;

a processor configured to define regions of interests from processing the EIT data, each region of interest having two or more pixels having a common condition, trend, or event, and to

define graphical representations for the regions of interest

and to generate images including at least one region of interest with its respective graphical representation.

20. The apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising interfaces of the data and of the generated images, containing at least one of the following elements:

an electronic display configured to display the generated images;

a device configured to record the generated images;

a transmitter configured to transmit the generated images;

a printer configured to print the generated images produced;

a user interface configured to define the regions of interest; and

a memory device configured to store said regions of interest.