Methods and systems for physiologic structure and event marking

• US 7,606,402 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2003
• Issued: 10/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company LLC (GE Healthcare Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company LLC (GE Healthcare Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Viggen, Kjetil, Heimdal, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Long V
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cattungal; Sanjay
• Application Number:
  US10/457,244
• Publication Number:
  US 20040249259A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,325 Days
• Field of Search: 600/300, 600/437, 600/425, 600/443, 382/128, 382/131
• US Class Current: 382/128
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/352 Detecting R peaks, e.g. for synchronising diagnostic apparatus; Estimating R-R interval
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/00 Diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves imaging of objects using sonar G01S15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/463 characterised by displaying multiple images or images and diagnostic data on one display composite display in devices for short-range imaging with acoustic waves G01S7/52074
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/467 characterised by special input means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/469 for selection of a region of interest
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/543 involving acquisition triggered by a physiological signal
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52073 Production of cursor lines, markers or indicia by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52074 Composite displays, e.g. split-screen displays; Combination of multiple images or of images and alphanumeric tabular information
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52084 related to particular user interfaces special user input means for ultrasonic medical diagnostic devices A61B8/467
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52087 using synchronization techniques control of medical diagnostic ultrasound devices involving acquisition triggered by a physiological signal A61B8/543

Abstract

A medical imaging system includes image acquisition circuitry, a memory, and a processor coupled to the image acquisition circuitry and memory. The processor executes a physiologic marker program out of the memory. The marker program obtains physiologic marker definitions for events shown in a first dataset image, determines physiologic markers associated with the marker definitions, and superimposes the physiologic markers on a second dataset image that does not necessarily show the event.

Claims

1. A medical imaging system comprising:

image acquisition circuitry;

a display;

a memory;

an input for positioning a point-caliper on the display;

a processor coupled to the image acquisition circuitry, the display, the input and the memory; and

a physiologic marker program stored in the memory for execution by the processor, the physiologic marker program configured to obtain from a position of the point-caliper on a first dataset image a physiologic marker definition for an event, determine a physiologic marker associated with the marker definition, and superimpose the physiologic marker on a second dataset; and

wherein the event is one of a heart valve opening, a heart valve closing, or a time offset from one of a heart valve opening or a heart valve closing.

2. The medical imaging system of claim 1, wherein the event is visible on the first dataset image, and not visible on the second dataset image.

3. The medical imaging system of claim 1, wherein the image comprises a temporal axis and a physiologic axis.

4. The medical imaging system of claim 1, wherein the marker definition comprises a time offset from a trigger condition.

5. The medical imaging system of claim 4, wherein the trigger condition is a physiologic event.

6. The medical imaging system of claim 5, wherein the trigger condition is an Electrocardiogram QRS event.

7. The medical imaging system of claim 1, wherein the marker definition comprises a heart valve marker definition.

8. The medical imaging system of claim 7, wherein the heart valve marker definition is one of a valve opening definition and valve closing definition.

9. The medical imaging system of claim 7, wherein the heart valve marker definition is one of an aortic valve opening definition and an aortic valve closing definition.

10. The medical imaging system of claim 7, wherein the heart valve marker definition is one of a mitral valve opening definition and a mitral valve closing definition.

11. The medical imaging system of claim 1, wherein the image comprises a physiologic axis, and wherein the physiologic marker extends along the physiologic axis.

12. The medical imaging system of claim 11, wherein the image comprises a temporal axis and an Electrocardiogram trace along the temporal axis.

13. A method for medical imaging, the method comprising the steps of:

positioning a point-caliper on a first dataset image;

obtaining from the first dataset image a physiologic marker definition for an event, the marker definition being based at least in part on the point-caliper;

determining a physiologic marker associated with the marker definition; and

superimposing the physiologic marker on a second dataset image on a display; and

wherein the event is one of a heart valve opening, a heart valve closing, or a time offset from one of a heart valve opening or a heart valve closing.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first dataset image shows the event, and wherein the second dataset image does not show the event.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of superimposing comprises the step of superimposing the physiologic marker on a cine-loop display of the region of interest.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the image comprises a temporal axis and a physiologic axis.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first dataset image comprises, along the physiologic axis, at least one of M-mode, B-mode, PW-Doppler, CAMM, tissue velocity imaging, and strain rate imaging data.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the second dataset image comprises at least one of M-mode, B-mode, PW-Doppler, tissue velocity imaging, CAMM, and strain rate imaging data.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the marker definition comprises a time offset from a trigger condition.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the trigger condition is a physiologic event.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the trigger condition is an Electrocardiogram QRS event.

22. The method of claim 13, wherein the marker definition comprises a heart valve marker definition.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the heart valve marker definition is one of a valve opening definition and valve closing definition.

24. The method of claim 13, wherein the region of interest is a heart, and further comprising the step of displaying an Electrocardiogram (ECG) trace on the display.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of superimposing comprises the step of superimposing the physiologic marker on a cine-loop display of the region of interest and an ECG trace marker that indicates a temporal position for the cine-loop display.

26. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of obtaining comprises the step of obtaining the marker definition using the point-caliper.

27. A machine readable medium storing instructions that cause an imaging system that obtains images of a region of interest to perform a method comprising the steps of:

positioning a point-caliper on a first dataset image;

obtaining from the first dataset image a physiologic marker definition for an event, the marker definition being based at least in part on the point-caliper;

determining a physiologic marker associated with the marker definition; and

superimposing the physiologic marker on a second dataset image on a display; and

wherein the event is one of a heart valve opening, a heart valve closing, or a time offset from one of a heart valve opening or a heart valve closing.

28. The machine readable medium of claim 27, wherein the step of superimposing comprises the step of superimposing the physiologic marker on a time-motion display of the second dataset image.

29. The machine readable medium of claim 27, wherein the second dataset image comprises a temporal axis and a physiologic axis.

30. The machine readable medium of claim 27, wherein the marker definition comprises a heart valve marker definition.

31. The machine readable medium of claim 30, wherein the heart valve marker definition is one of a valve opening definition and valve closing definition.

32. The machine readable medium of claim 27, wherein the first dataset image shows the event, and wherein the second dataset image does not show the event.