APPARATUS AND METHOD OF INTRACRANIAL IMAGING

• US 20160296154A1
• Filed: 11/12/2014
• Published: 10/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ArcheOptix Biomedical Inc
• Original Assignee: ArcheOptix Biomedical Inc
• Inventors: RILEY, Jason David Richard, SINGH, Venay Kumar
• Application Number:
  US15/036,581
• Publication Number:
  US 20160296154A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2046 Tracking techniques
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2048 using an accelerometer or inertia sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0233 Special features of optical sensors or probes classified in A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0242 for varying or adjusting the optical path length in the tissue
• 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: A61B 5/0037 Performing a preliminary scan, e.g. a prescan for identifying a region of interest
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0042 for the brain
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0059 using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence A61B5/0093, A61B5/1455, A61B5/02416 and A61B5/0261 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0073 by tomography, i.e. reconstruction of 3D images from 2D projections A61B5/0066 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/055 involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1077 Measuring of profiles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1079 using optical or photographic means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4064 Evaluating the brain A61B5/031, A61B5/369, A61B5/14553 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6841 by using templates
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7246 using correlation, e.g. template matching or determination of similarity
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/725 using specific filters therefor, e.g. Kalman or adaptive filters A61B5/316 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence

Abstract

The present invention provides an apparatus and method for detecting and predicting shape and underlying object properties. In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an imaging apparatus having: an array of at least three co-planar electromagnetic transceiver defining a receiving plane; at least one deformable electromagnetic transceiver moveable orthogonally to the receiving plane; a two dimensional (2D) position tracking device configured to track a position of the electromagnetic transceiver on a surface 110 bounding a volume to be imaged; wherein the electromagnetic transceivers are configured to generate data from at least three depths below the surface for use in creating an image of the volume when the apparatus is moved along the surface.

Claims

1. An imaging apparatus comprising:

an array of at least three co-planar electromagnetic transceivers defining a receiving plane;

at least one deformable electromagnetic transceivers moveable orthogonally to the receiving plane;

a two dimensional (2D) position tracking device configured to track a position of the electromagnetic transceiver on a surface bounding a volume to be imaged;

wherein the electromagnetic transceivers are configured to generate data from at least three depths below the surface for use in creating an image of the volume when the apparatus is moved along the surface.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the surface is curved and wherein the image is obtained by continuously realigning the data from two dimensional Cartesian co-ordinates into curvilinear co-ordinates.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic transceivers are optical transceivers.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the optical emitter is a near infra-red (NIR) emitter and the optical receivers are NIR transceivers.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the optical emitter comprises a light emitting diode (LED) and wherein the optical receivers comprise a light receiving diode (LRD) or avalanche photo-diode (APD).

10. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the apparatus is configured to utilize multiple optical wavelengths.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the apparatus is configured to utilize at least one of a temporal multiplexer, band pass filter, and frequency multiplexer to prevent contamination between the multiple optical wavelengths.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an imaging system interconnected with a computer configured to display a three-dimensional (3D) image of the volume.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured for the detection and monitoring of a hematoma and/or a concussion of a subject.

3. An imaging apparatus for a curved surface comprising:

an array of at least three co-planar points defining a receiving plane;

a two dimensional (2D) position tracking device configured to track a position of the device on a surface bounding a volume to be imaged; and

wherein the apparatus is configured to measure the curved surface using a predetermined curved surface measuring means to measure deformation of the position tracking device.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the apparatus further comprises:

a first gyroscope aligned with the two dimensional (2D) position tracking device; and

a second gyroscope spaced apart from the first gyroscope in a direction orthogonal to the receiving plane by a distance.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein one or more additional gyroscopes are implemented.

6. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the apparatus further comprises a displacement sensor configured to measure deformation of the two dimensional (2D) position tracking device moving on the surface.

14. (canceled)

15. A method of intracranial imaging comprising:

providing an imaging apparatus configured for movement along a surface of a cranium to be imaged, the imaging apparatus configured to generate data from at least three depths below the surface for use in creating an image of an intracranial volume;

comparing the optical density of the at least three depths to determine an optical density ratio between the depths; and

monitoring for changes in optical density ratio as a function of time or distance moved by the imaging apparatus along the cranium.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the method further comprises adjusting the number of layers being imaged and/or the rate of movement of the imaging apparatus along the cranial surface in response to a change in the optical density ratio.

18. The method according to claim 15, wherein the method further comprises comparing features of the image with a pre-existing structural image to obtain a registered image location within the cranium, wherein the preexisting structural image comprises at least one of:

a brain atlas and MRI.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the method further comprises creating a preferred path for the imaging device based on the registered image location and the preexisting structural image.

21. The method according to claim 19, wherein the method further comprises placing a head gear that is transparent to NIR electromagnetic radiation on the cranium and indicating the preferred path on the head gear.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the preferred path is indicated with reference to electromagnetic reference signals of the head gear that interact with the imaging apparatus to indicate its position on the head gear or by optically detectable reference indicia on the head gear.

23. The method according to claim 15, wherein the imaging apparatus comprises a transceiver which is a near infra-red (NIR) transceiver and an optical transceiver.

24. The method according to claim 15, wherein the imaging apparatus is configured for the detection and monitoring of a hematoma and/or a concussion of a subject.

17. (canceled)

20. (canceled)

25. A method of intracranial imaging comprising:

providing an imaging apparatus moving along at least three co-planar points defining a receiving plane, and implementing a two dimensional (2D) position tracking device configured to track a position of the device on a surface bounding a volume to be imaged, and wherein the apparatus is configured to measure the curved surface using a pre-determined curved surface measuring means to measure deformation of the position tracking device;

comparing the optical density ratio of the surface based on the curved surface means to measure deformation; and

monitoring for changes in optical density ratio as a function of time or distance moved by the imaging apparatus along the cranium.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the surface measuring means comprises at least one of the following:

one or more gyroscopes and a displacement sensor.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the imaging apparatus further comprises:

a first gyroscope aligned with the two dimensional (2D) position tracking device; and

a second gyroscope spaced apart from the first gyroscope in a direction orthogonal to the receiving plane by a distance.

28. The method of according to claim 27, wherein the imaging apparatus further comprises one or more additional gyroscopes.

29. The apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the imaging apparatus further comprises a displacement sensor configured to measure deformation of the two dimensional (2D) position tracking device moving on the surface.

30. The method according to claim 25, wherein the imaging apparatus is confiqured for the detection and monitoring of a hematoma and/or a concussion of a subject.