Computer simulation of live organ

• US 5,273,038 A
• Filed: 12/03/1991
• Issued: 12/28/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: William C. Beavin
• Original Assignee: William C. Beavin
• Inventors: Beavin, William C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Ruth S.
• Application Number:
  US07/801,914
• Time in Patent Office: 756 Days
• Field of Search: 128/653.1, 128/653.2, 128/708, 128/731, 128/733, 364/578, 364/413.14, 364/413.22
• US Class Current: 600/416
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/319 Circuits for simulating ECG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7239 using differentiation including higher order derivatives
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/00 Three dimensional [3D] modelling, e.g. data description of 3D objects
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 23/30 Anatomical models G09B23/281 - G09B23/288 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/50 for simulation or modelling of medical disorders

Abstract

A computer system receives two dimensional slice data of a heart or other organ to be simulated in three dimensions. It also receives chemical composition data of the heart or other organ, and chemical composition data of other parts of the body. These data are put in the computer memory. Then a Voxel View or three dimensional volume rendering program forms images of the organ to be studied. For example, with the heart it generates images of the atria and ventricle. Diagnostic data obtained from a patient conveniently with electrical measurement signals including an electro-cardiagram electro-myogram, electro-encephalogram, and other diagnostic measured electrical signals obtained from a patient are fed into the system and are placed in computer memory. Physiological data of the patient, including the strength, weakness and other parameters of the organ, is also considered diagnostic data and is supplied into the system. This can be done manually with a keyboard or mouse, or may be supplied from a hard disk, a floppy disk or a tape. This is also fed into memory and is used to modify the three dimensional image data of the organ. This data is then synchronized with the electrical signal diagnostic data. Conveniently the first derivative of the electrical data signal is taken, and P and Q waves determined from the derivative. From this information the organ, including sub-parts, may be simulated. This data may be fed in black and white or preferably in color to a device which shows the organ for visualization, operation simulation, or training.

Claims

1. An organ image generating computer system comprising:

means for obtaining nuclear magnetic resonance imaging data directly from a patient;

means for obtaining patient chemical composition tomography scan data directly from a patient;

means for detecting electrical diagnostic data from a patient;

a computer system including means for inputting said imaging data, said scan data and said diagnostic data into a three dimensional volume rendering program;

means for processing said inputted data within said computer system to form an organ image and any movement of said organ; and

means for transmitting said organ image to a display device where said organ image and any movement of said organ is displayed.

2. An organ image generating system according to claim 1 wherein said means for detecting electrical diagnostic data includes means for detecting electrocardiogram data.

3. An organ image generating system according to claim 1 wherein said means for detecting electrical diagnostic data includes means for detecting electromyogram data.

4. An organ image generating system according to claim 1 wherein said means for detecting electrical diagnostic data includes means for detecting electroencephalogram data.

5. A system according to claim 1 wherein said display device is a Cathode Ray Tube (CRT).

6. A method of modelling an animal organ comprising:

providing an image generator computer system;

supplying to said computer system image data from a nuclear magnetic resonance imaging machine;

supplying to said computer system chemical composition computerized tomography scan data;

supplying electrical diagnostic data from a patient to said computer system;

processing said image data and scan data in said computer system with a volume rendering computer program to form a three dimensional image;

processing said diagnostic data in said computer system with said three dimensional image to form an organ image and any movement of said organ;

transmitting said organ image to a display device; and

displaying said organ image and any movement thereof in said display device.

7. An organ computer simulation system comprising:

a computer having a computer memory;

electrode means for obtaining at least one diagnostic data waveform from a patient;

diagnostic data waveform input means for supplying said diagnostic data waveform into said computer;

means for obtaining organ cross sectional slice data from a patient;

slice data input means for supplying said organ slice data into said computer;

means for obtaining chemical composition data from said patient;

input means for supplying said chemical composition data into said computer;

computer processing means in said computer for processing said diagnostic data, said slice data, said chemical composition data to define an organ sub-part waveform;

means for calculating any organ movement of said organ as a result of changes in said sub-part waveform;

and means for displaying said organ and any movement thereof resulting from changes in said sub-part waveform.

8. An organ simulation system comprising:

a computer having a computer memory;

electrode means for obtaining diagnostic data from a patient having an organ to be simulated;

diagnostic data electrical input means for supplying said diagnostic data into said computer memory;

imaging means for obtaining cross sectional slice data from said patient;

slice data electrical input means for supplying said slice data to said computer memory;

chemical composition electrical input means for supplying chemical composition data relative to said patient into said memory;

means for accessing said diagnostic data, said slice data and said chemical composition data from said computer memory;

means for transferring said diagnostic data, slice data, and chemical composition data to a computer processor;

processing means in said computer for taking the first derivative of said diagnostic data with respect to time to define a diagnostic waveform;

means for synchronizing said diagnostic waveform with said slice data and chemical composition data to define a combination wave for illustrating of said organ;

means within said computer for calculating movement of said organ based upon changes in said combination wave; and

means for displaying in color said organ and any movement thereof based on changes in said combination wave for observation.

9. A heat computer simulation system comprising:

a computer having a computer memory;

electrode means for obtaining at least one diagnostic data wave form from a patient;

said computer memory including diagnostic memory means for storing said diagnostic data wave form within said memory;

imaging means for obtaining cross sectional slice data from a patient;

slice data input means for supplying said slice data to said computer memory;

chemical composition electrical input means for supplying chemical composition data relative to said patient into said memory;

said memory including means for storing said slice data and said chemical composition data within said system;

accessing means for accessing said slice data and said chemical composition data from said memory;

transferring means for transferring said slice data and said chemical composition data to at least one image generating computer processor;

said image generating processor processing said slice and chemical composition data to define heart sub-part atria and ventricle three dimensional data;

means for transferring said three dimensional data to a physiological model processor;

means for processing said three dimensional data in said physiological model processor in a loop;

means for accessing said diagnostic data waveform from said diagnostic data memory means;

means for transferring said diagnostic data wave form to said physiological model processor and into said loop;

means for taking the first derivative of said diagnostic data waveform with respect to time to obtain the direction and rate of change of a diagnostic data waveform in said loop;

manual means for modifying one of said chemical composition data, and slice data as a result of the direction and rate of change of said diagnostic data waveform;

means for synchronizing said diagnostic data waveform and said three dimensional data to define P and Q wave waveform signals;

means for computing a compression factor based on said P wave and said Q wave signals, said P wave compressing the atria and filling the ventricle, and the Q wave filling the atria and compressing the ventricle;

graphic image means for continuously simulating the heart and any movement thereof as a result of said modification of said slice, and chemical composition data; and

cathode ray tube means for displaying said heart and any movement thereof in color for observation.

10. A method of simulating an organ in a computer system comprising:

obtaining diagnostic data from a patient with electrical contacts attached to said patient;

forming an image from cross-sectional slice data of the patient'"'"'s organ;

supplying said slice data to a computer simulation system;

transferring said slice data to an image generator computer processor in said computer simulation system;

processing said slice data within said image generator computer processor to define said patient'"'"'s organ data;

supplying said organ data to a physiological model processor within said computer simulation system;

supplying said diagnostic data to said physiological model processor to obtain a diagnostic data waveform;

synchronizing said diagnostic data waveform with said organ data, within said processor;

processing said organ data and diagnostic data waveform to obtain a synchronized wave;

drawing the organ, with a graphic image system based on said synchronized wave;

transferring the drawn image to a display device; and

displaying any movement of the organ based on said synchronized wave for observation in said display device.

11. A method of simulating an organ in a computer system comprising:

obtaining diagnostic data from a patient with electrical contacts attached to said patient;

obtaining chemical composition data relative to the patient;

supplying said chemical composition data to a computer simulation system;

forming an image from cross sectional slice data of the patient'"'"'s organ;

supplying said slice data to said computer simulation system;

transferring said slice data and chemical composition data to an image generator computer processor in said computer simulator system;

processing said chemical composition data and said slice data within said image generator computer processor to define said patient'"'"'s organ data;

supplying said organ data to a physiological model processor within said computer simulation system;

supplying said diagnostic data to said physiological model processor to obtain a diagnostic data waveform;

synchronizing said diagnostic data waveform with said organ data, within said processor;

processing said organ data and diagnostic data waveform to obtain a synchronized wave;

drawing the organ, with a graphic image system based on said synchronized wave;

transferring the drawn image to a display device; and

displaying any movement of the organ based on said synchronized wave for observation in said display device.