Method for positioning a catheter in a vessel, and device for implementing the method
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for in vivo positioning of a catheter relative to a vessel, comprising the steps of:
- (a) injecting a contrast agent into a vessel and generating a three-dimensional image of the vessel with the contrast agent by irradiating an examination region containing said vessel from a plurality of different exposure directions and obtaining a plurality of first individual images of the vessel respectively from the exposure directions without stereotactic instrument, and combining said first individual images to form said three-dimensional image;
(b) obtaining a second individual image of said examination region containing said vessel, with a catheter inserted in said vessel, by irradiating said examination region from a selected exposure direction initially uncorrelated with any of said first images;
(c) selecting one of said first individual images in said plurality of first individual images forming said three-dimensional image, obtained at an exposure direction which corresponds most closely to said exposure direction of said second individual image; and
(d) combining said one of said first individual images selected in step (c) with said second individual image obtained in step (b) to form a combination image of said vessel with said catheter inserted therein, said combination image showing a position of the catheter in the vessel, and displaying said combination image.
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Abstract
In a method for positioning a catheter that has been inserted into a vessel and a device for implementing the method, the road map technique is used, wherein as a mask image, a three-dimensional mask image of the vessel which is composed of number of individual mask images is employed. From these individual mask images, that individual mask image is selected whose exposure direction corresponds optimally to the exposure direction of an instantaneously captured individual image, in order to combine this selected individual mask image with the instantaneously captured mask image and to display the resulting combined image.
149 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for in vivo positioning of a catheter relative to a vessel, comprising the steps of:
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(a) injecting a contrast agent into a vessel and generating a three-dimensional image of the vessel with the contrast agent by irradiating an examination region containing said vessel from a plurality of different exposure directions and obtaining a plurality of first individual images of the vessel respectively from the exposure directions without stereotactic instrument, and combining said first individual images to form said three-dimensional image;
(b) obtaining a second individual image of said examination region containing said vessel, with a catheter inserted in said vessel, by irradiating said examination region from a selected exposure direction initially uncorrelated with any of said first images;
(c) selecting one of said first individual images in said plurality of first individual images forming said three-dimensional image, obtained at an exposure direction which corresponds most closely to said exposure direction of said second individual image; and
(d) combining said one of said first individual images selected in step (c) with said second individual image obtained in step (b) to form a combination image of said vessel with said catheter inserted therein, said combination image showing a position of the catheter in the vessel, and displaying said combination image. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
obtaining an additional second individual image of said examination region containing said vessel, with said catheter inserted in said vessel, by irradiating said examination region from an additional selected exposure direction;
selecting an additional one of said first individual images in said plurality of first individual images, forming said three-dimensional image, obtained at an exposure direction which corresponds most closely to said additional exposure direction of said additional second individual image; and
combining said additional one of said first individual images with said additional second individual image to form an additional combination image of said vessel with said catheter inserted therein, said additional combination image showing a position of the catheter in the vessel viewed from a different direction from said combination image, and displaying said additional combination image together with said combination image.
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14. An apparatus for in vivo positioning of a catheter relative to a vessel, comprising:
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a non-stereotactic radiological exposure device for irradiating an examination region, containing a vessel with a contrast agent injected therein, from a plurality of different exposure directions for obtaining a plurality of first individual images of the vessel from the respective exposure directions;
a first memory for storing said first individual images and for combining said first individual images to form a three-dimensional image;
said radiological exposure device obtaining a second individual image of said examination region containing said vessel, with a catheter inserted in said vessel, by irradiating said examination region from a selected exposure direction initially uncorrelated with any of said first images;
a second memory for storing said second individual image;
an image processor connected to said first and second memories for selecting one of said first individual images forming said three-dimensional image from said first memory which was obtained at an exposure direction which corresponds most closely to said exposure direction of said second individual image, and for combining said one of said first individual images with said second individual image from said second memory to form a combination image of said vessel with said catheter inserted therein, said combination image showing a position of the catheter in the vessel; and
a monitor connected to said image processor for displaying said combination image. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification