Method of catheter tracking using image information
First Claim
1. A method of tracking the position of an imaging head of a catheter in three-dimensional space within a human body, the method comprising:
- receiving a first image captured by the catheter;
receiving a second image captured by the catheter, wherein the first image comprises a first data location and the second image comprises a second data location corresponding to the first data location;
comparing the first and second images to determine first correlation loss data between the first and second images, wherein determining the first correlation loss data comprises determining a difference in an image property between first image data stored in the first data location and second image data stored in the second data location;
determining a first rate of correlation loss between the first and second image in a direction using the first correlation loss data, wherein determining the first rate of correlation loss comprises determining a rate of change of the first correlation loss data;
determining a first angle of separation between the first and second images using the first rate of correlation loss; and
determining first position data for the second image, relative to the first image, using the the first angle of separation; and
outputting the first position data.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An improved method of tracking a catheter'"'"'s position within a human body does not rely on x-rays, but instead calculates the position of the catheter'"'"'s imaging head by analyzing image data. Such an analysis is able to determine the position of the imaging head in 3 dimensional space, relative to an arbitrarily selected reference image. An image is compared with the reference image, correlation data between corresponding points on the two images are gathered, and a correlation loss rate in a particular direction is determined. This correlation loss rate is modeled to an exponential function, which is evaluated to estimate an angle of separation between the image and the reference image. One or more angles of separation are used to determine a position in three dimensional space of the image, relative to the reference image. By repeating this process for a series of images being gathered by a catheter, the position of the catheter can be determined. Additionally, a 3 dimensional map of lumens in the human body can be created.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method of tracking the position of an imaging head of a catheter in three-dimensional space within a human body, the method comprising:
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receiving a first image captured by the catheter; receiving a second image captured by the catheter, wherein the first image comprises a first data location and the second image comprises a second data location corresponding to the first data location; comparing the first and second images to determine first correlation loss data between the first and second images, wherein determining the first correlation loss data comprises determining a difference in an image property between first image data stored in the first data location and second image data stored in the second data location; determining a first rate of correlation loss between the first and second image in a direction using the first correlation loss data, wherein determining the first rate of correlation loss comprises determining a rate of change of the first correlation loss data; determining a first angle of separation between the first and second images using the first rate of correlation loss; and determining first position data for the second image, relative to the first image, using the the first angle of separation; and outputting the first position data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A computer program stored in a computer-useable medium, the computer program comprising a sequence of instructions which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to execute a method of tracking the position of an imaging head of a catheter within a human body, the method comprising:
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receiving a first image captured by the catheter; receiving a second image captured by the catheter, wherein the first image comprises a first data location and the second image comprises a second data location corresponding to the first data location; comparing the first and second images to determine first correlation loss data between the first and second images, wherein determining the first correlation loss data comprises determining a difference in an image property between first image data stored in the first data location and second image data stored in the second data location; determining a first rate of correlation loss between the first and second image in a direction using the first correlation loss data, wherein determining the first rate of correlation loss comprises determining a rate of change of the first correlation loss data; determining a first angle of separation between the first and second images using the first rate of correlation loss; and determining first position data for the second image, relative to the first image, using the the first angle of separation; and outputting the first position data. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A system for mapping a lumen in a patient, comprising:
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an imaging catheter adapted to capture a plurality of images of the lumen; a computer adapted to receive the captured plurality of images, compute correlation loss data between each of the images and another one of the images by determining a difference in an image property between a first data location in the image and a second data location in the other image, compute rates of correlation loss in at least one direction using the correlation loss data by determining rates of change of the correlation loss data, determine angles of separation between the images using the rates of change of the correlation loss data and create a map of the lumen by determining a position in three dimensions of each of the plurality of images using the angles of separation; and an output device adapted to output the map of the lumen. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification