Method and apparatus for fixing the anatomical orientation of a displayed ultrasound generated image
First Claim
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1. A diagnostic apparatus for use with a patient having a body defining an exterior surface, the apparatus comprising:
- a catheter, carrying a first ultrasonic transducer for transmitting ultrasound and receiving resultant echoes, adapted to be inserted into the patient'"'"'s body;
a second ultrasonic transducer adapted to be placed in spaced relation to the catheter at one of a location within the patient'"'"'s body and a location associated with the exterior surface of the patient'"'"'s body;
a display device for displaying an image corresponding to the echoes received by the first ultrasonic transducer and defining an angular orientation; and
a processing device, operably connected to at least the first and second ultrasonic transducers, including means for comparing the angular orientation of the image to a predetermined angular orientation and means for reorienting the image.
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Abstract
A diagnostic apparatus including a catheter carrying a first ultrasonic transducer adapted to be inserted into a patient, a second ultrasonic transducer adapted to be placed in spaced relation to the catheter at either a known location within the patient'"'"'s body or a known location associated with the exterior surface of the patient'"'"'s body, a processing device operably connected to at least the first ultrasonic transducer, and a display device.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A diagnostic apparatus for use with a patient having a body defining an exterior surface, the apparatus comprising:
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a catheter, carrying a first ultrasonic transducer for transmitting ultrasound and receiving resultant echoes, adapted to be inserted into the patient'"'"'s body;
a second ultrasonic transducer adapted to be placed in spaced relation to the catheter at one of a location within the patient'"'"'s body and a location associated with the exterior surface of the patient'"'"'s body;
a display device for displaying an image corresponding to the echoes received by the first ultrasonic transducer and defining an angular orientation; and
a processing device, operably connected to at least the first and second ultrasonic transducers, including means for comparing the angular orientation of the image to a predetermined angular orientation and means for reorienting the image. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
a second catheter adapted to be inserted into the patient'"'"'s body, the second catheter carrying the second ultrasonic transducer.
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3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second ultrasonic transducer comprises a plurality of second ultrasonic transducers.
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4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second ultrasonic transducer comprises a hand-held ultrasonic transducer.
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5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:
an ultrasonic energy source operably connected to the second ultrasonic transducer.
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6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5, further comprising:
a manually operable switch operably connected to the ultrasonic energy source.
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7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the ultrasonic energy source supplies ultrasonic energy at a substantially constant rate.
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8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the ultrasonic energy source supplies ultrasonic energy intermittently.
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9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:
a position indicator displayed by the display device, the position indicator being indicative of a location of the second ultrasonic transducer relative to the first ultrasonic transducer.
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10. A diagnostic method for use with a patient having a body defining an exterior surface, comprising the steps of:
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inserting a catheter, carrying a first ultrasonic transducer, into the patient'"'"'s body;
positioning a second ultrasonic transducer in spaced relation to the catheter at one of a location within the patient'"'"'s body and a location associated with the exterior surface of the patient'"'"'s body;
transmitting first ultrasound signals with the first ultrasonic transducer and receiving resultant echoes of the first ultrasound signals with the first ultrasonic transducer;
transmitting second ultrasound signals with the second ultrasonic transducer and receiving the second ultrasound signals with the first ultrasonic transducer;
generating an image corresponding to at least the echoes of the first ultrasound signals received by the first ultrasonic transducer, the image defining and image orientation;
comparing the image orientation to a predetermined image orientation;
reorienting the image if the image orientation does not correspond to the predetermined image orientation; and
displaying the image. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
displaying an image corresponding to the second ultrasound signals received by the first ultrasonic transducer.
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12. A method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising the steps of:
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moving the second ultrasonic transducer to one of a second location within the patient'"'"'s body and a second location associated with the exterior surface of the patient'"'"'s body;
transmitting additional first ultrasound signals with the first ultrasonic transducer and receiving resultant echoes of the additional first ultrasound signals with the first ultrasonic transducer; and
transmitting additional second ultrasound signals with the second ultrasonic transducer and receiving the additional second ultrasound signals with the first ultrasonic transducer.
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13. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the step of positioning a second ultrasonic transducer in spaced relation to the catheter comprises positioning the second ultrasonic transducer on the exterior surface of the patient'"'"'s body.
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14. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the step of positioning a second ultrasonic transducer in spaced relation to the catheter comprises inserting a second catheter, carrying the second ultrasonic transducer, into the patient'"'"'s body.
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15. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the second ultrasonic transducer comprises a plurality of second ultrasonic transducers and the step of positioning a second ultrasonic transducer in spaced relation to the catheter comprises positioning second ultrasonic transducers in spaced relation to one another and to the catheter.
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16. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the step of inserting the catheter into the patient'"'"'s body comprises inserting the catheter into the patient'"'"'s heart.
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17. A method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising the step of:
displaying an anatomical orientation indicator.
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18. A diagnostic apparatus for use with a patient having a body defining an exterior surface, the apparatus comprising:
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a catheter, carrying a first ultrasonic transducer for transmitting ultrasound and receiving resultant echoes, adapted to be inserted into the patient'"'"'s body;
a second ultrasonic transducer adapted to be placed in spaced relation to the catheter at one of a location within the patient'"'"'s body and a location associated with the exterior surface of the patient'"'"'s body;
a display device for displaying an image corresponding to the echoes received by the first ultrasonic transducer and defining an angular orientation; and
a processing device, operably connected to at least the first and second ultrasonic transducers, that compares the angular orientation of the image to a predetermined angular orientation and reorients the image based on the comparison. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
a second catheter adapted to be inserted into the patient'"'"'s body, the second catheter carrying the second ultrasonic transducer.
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20. An apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein the second ultrasonic transducer comprises a plurality of second ultrasonic transducers.
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21. An apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein the second ultrasonic transducer comprises a hand-held ultrasonic transducer.
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22. An apparatus as claimed in claim 18, further comprising:
an ultrasonic energy source operably connected to the second ultrasonic transducer.
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23. An apparatus as claimed in claim 22, further comprising:
a manually operable switch operably connected to the ultrasonic energy source.
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24. An apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein the ultrasonic energy source supplies ultrasonic energy at a substantially constant rate.
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25. An apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein the ultrasonic energy source supplies ultrasonic energy intermittently.
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26. An apparatus as claimed in claim 18, further comprising:
a position indicator displayed by the display device, the position indicator being indicative of a location of the second ultrasonic transducer relative to the first ultrasonic transducer.
Specification