Method and apparatus for positioning an instrument relative to a patients body during a medical procedure

• US 6,529,617 B1
• Filed: 11/06/2000
• Issued: 03/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Francine J. Prokoski
• Original Assignee: Francine J. Prokoski
• Inventors: Prokoski, Francine J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mancuso, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): MILLER, MARTIN E
• Application Number:
  US09/706,618
• Time in Patent Office: 848 Days
• Field of Search: 382/115, 382/118, 382/128, 382/130, 600/473, 600/474, 600/475, 600/310, 600/427, 600/429, 128/922, 128/897
• US Class Current: 382/128
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/015 By temperature mapping of body part
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1171 based on the shapes or appearances of their bodies or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1176 Recognition of faces
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7264 Classification of physiological signals or data, e.g. using neural networks, statistical classifiers, expert systems or fuzzy systems neural networks per se G06N3/00; expert systems per se G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/14 Vascular patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/171 Local features and components; Facial parts eye characteristics G06V40/18; Occluding parts, e.g. glasses; Geometrical relationships
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation

Abstract

A method and apparatus for annotation of medical imagery to facilitate patient identification, diagnosis, and treatment is characterized by an imaging device for producing a first signal representative of sensed characteristics of the individual and a minutiae generator which receives the first signal and produces a second signal representative of minutiae of the individual, the minutiae corresponding to specific branch points of blood vessels of the individual. A minutiae data generator analyzes the characteristics of minutiae and produces a third signal representative of the characteristics which is stored in a minutiae database for each of the plurality of known individuals and their medical conditions. The minutiae and minutiae data may be used to annotate medical imagery to facilitate subsequent image comparison by providing standardized registration points and time-varying characteristics. A minutiae matcher pairs corresponding second signals and third signals from a current patient with those from a database record, and the paired signals are used to align the images and compare them. The minutiae analysis techniques of the invention can be used to identify medical patients, assist in the diagnosis of medical conditions, and detect and monitor the use of alcohol and drugs, including anesthesia.

Claims

1. A non-invasive automated method for continuously controlling the re-aligning the position of an instrument relative to specific locations on a patient'"'"'s body during a medical procedure, comprising the steps of:

(a) generating thermal images of the patient using a non-invasive imaging device spaced from the patient prior to and during use of the instrument on the patient;

(b) using a minutiae generator to identify minutiae in the vicinity of a specific location of interest on the patient from said thermal image, said minutiae corresponding with specific branch points of blood vessels of the patient;

(c) generating a reference minutiae pattern for a stationary patient;

(d) generating a reference position of the instrument with respect to said reference minutiae pattern;

(e) detecting deviation from said reference minutiae pattern owing to movement of the patient and from said instrument reference position owing to displacement of the instrument; and

(f) continuously repositioning the instrument with respect to said reference minutiae pattern to accurately position the instrument for the medical procedure.

2. Non-invasive apparatus for continuously controlling and re-aligning the position of an instrument relative to specific locations on a patient'"'"'s body during a medical procedure, comprising:

(a) non-invasive imaging means spaced from the patient for continuously generating thermal images of the patient prior to and during use of the instrument on the patient;

(b) minutiae generator means for identifying minutiae in the vicinity of a specific location of interest on the patient from said thermal image, said minutiae corresponding with specific branch points of blood vessels of the patient;

(c) means for generating a reference minutiae pattern for a stationary patient;

(d) means for generating a reference position of the instrument with respect to said reference minutiae pattern;

(e) means for detecting deviation from said reference minutiae pattern owing to movement of the patient and from said instrument reference position owing to displacement of the instrument; and

(f) means for continuously repositioning the instrument with respect to said reference minutiae pattern to accurately position the instrument for the medical procedure.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said imaging device comprises a passive thermal imaging device.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said imaging device comprises a passive thermal imaging device.