SWIPE TO SEE THROUGH ULTRASOUND IMAGING FOR INTRAOPERATIVE APPLICATIONS

• US 20150359517A1
• Filed: 05/04/2015
• Published: 12/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Tan, Wei
• Application Number:
  US14/702,976
• Publication Number:
  US 20150359517A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0841 for locating instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0858 involving measuring tissue layers, e.g. skin, interfaces
• 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 8/4245 involving determining the position of the probe, e.g. with respect to an external reference frame or to the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4254 using sensors mounted on the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4444 related to the probe
• 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 8/466 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 8/483 involving the acquisition of a 3D volume of data
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/5207 involving processing of raw data to produce diagnostic data, e.g. for generating an image reconstruction G06T11/00

Abstract

An ultrasound system has an ultrasound probe, a processing unit, and a display. The ultrasound probe includes a sensor configured to detect the position and orientation of the ultrasound probe and an ultrasound scanner configured to generate a plurality of ultrasound images. The processing unit is in communication with the sensor and the ultrasound scanner and configured to create a three-dimensional model from the position and orientation of the ultrasound probe when each of the plurality of ultrasound images is generated. The display in communication with the processing unit and configured to output a view of a first layer of the three-dimensional model and configured to output a view of a second layer of the three-dimensional model in response to an intraoperative swipe across the display by a user.

Claims

1. A ultrasound system comprising:

an ultrasound probe including;

a sensor configured to provide the position and the orientation of the ultrasound probe; and

an ultrasound scanner configured to generate a plurality of ultrasound images;

a processing unit in communication with the sensor and the ultrasound scanner, the processing unit configured to create a three-dimensional model from the position and the orientation of the ultrasound probe when each of the plurality of ultrasound images is generated; and

a display configured to output a view of a first layer of the three-dimensional model and configured to output a view of a second layer of the three-dimensional model different from the first layer in response to an intraoperative swipe across the display by a user.

2. The ultrasound system of claim 1, wherein the first and second layers are parallel to one another.

3. The ultrasound system of claim 1, wherein the second layer is a subsurface layer deeper than the first layer.

4. The ultrasound system of claim 1 further including a positional field generator configured to generate a three-dimensional field about a patient.

5. The ultrasound system of claim 4, wherein the positional field generator generates a three-dimensional magnetic field.

6. The ultrasound system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a magnetic sensor.

7. The ultrasound system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a marker disposed on the ultrasound probe.

8. The ultrasound system of claim 7 further including a laparoscope including a positional field generator configured to generate a three-dimensional positional field within a body cavity of a patient, the sensor configured to identify the position and the orientation of the ultrasound probe within the positional field.

9. The ultrasound system of claim 1, wherein the display includes a sensor configured to detect an intraoperative swipe across the display.

10. The ultrasound system of claim 1, wherein the display is a touch screen display configured to detect an intraoperative swipe across the display.

11. A method for viewing tissue layers comprising:

capturing a plurality of ultrasound images of a body cavity of a patient with an ultrasound probe;

recording the position and the orientation of the ultrasound probe with a sensor;

creating a three-dimensional model having a plurality of subsurface layers;

viewing a first layer of the plurality of subsurface layers on a display; and

interopertively swiping across the display to view a second layer of the plurality of subsurface layers different from the first layer.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein generating the three-dimensional model includes associating the plurality of ultrasound images with the position and the orientation of the ultrasound probe.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein swiping the display peels off the first layer of the plurality of subsurface layers to display the second layer that is deeper than the first layer.

14. The method of claim 11 further including inserting a surgical instrument into a body cavity of a patient and visualizing the position of the surgical instrument within at least one of the first and second layers.

15. The method of claim 14 further including interopertively updating the position of the surgical instrument on the display.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein creating a plurality of subsurface layers includes adjusting thickness of at least one of the plurality of subsurface layers in response to biological structures within a body cavity of a patient.