Vascular image co-registration

• US 7,930,014 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2006
• Issued: 04/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2005
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: Volcano Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Volcano Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Klingensmith, Jon D., Pool, Nancy Perry, Fry, Stephen M., Huennekens, R. Scott, Kanz, William R., Burgess, Vincent J., Walker, Blair D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Casler; Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): KISH, JAMES M
• Application Number:
  US11/329,609
• Publication Number:
  US 20060241465A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,924 Days
• Field of Search: 600424-427, 600/437, 600453-455, 600/462, 600466-467, 600/407, 600/473, 600/476, 382/159, 382/165, 382/170, 382181-231
• US Class Current: 600/407
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/20 Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0215 by means inserted into the body catheters A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/06 Devices, other than using radiation, for detecting or locating foreign bodies for removing same A61B17/50 ; determining position of probes within or on the body of the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/12 Arrangements for detecting or locating foreign bodies
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4441 the rigid structure being a C-arm or U-arm
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4494 Means for identifying the diagnostic device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/463 characterised by displaying multiple images or images and diagnostic data on one display
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/487 involving fluoroscopy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/504 for diagnosis of blood vessels, e.g. by angiography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/5247 combining images from an ionising-radiation diagnostic technique and a non-ionising radiation diagnostic technique, e.g. X-ray and ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/12 in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters catheters per se A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4494 characterised by the arrangement of the transducer elements devices for short-range imaging using particular transducer elements arrangements under G01S15/8909; arrangements of transducers in generation of mechanical vibrations of infrasonic, sonic or ultrasonic frequency B06B1/0607
• 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 8/543 involving acquisition triggered by a physiological signal

Abstract

A system and method for providing a vascular image are disclosed wherein a single composite display simultaneously provides a first view of a patient including an angiogram image and a second view including an intravascular image rendered from information provided by an imaging probe mounted on a distal end of a flexible elongate member. A cursor, having a position derived from image information provided by a radiopaque marker proximate the imaging probe, is displayed within the angiogram image to correlate the position of the imaging probe to a presently displayed intravascular image and thus provide an easily discernable identification of a position within a patient corresponding to a currently displayed intravascular image. The resulting composite display simultaneously provides: an intravascular image that includes information about a vessel that is not available from an angiogram and a current location within a vessel of a source of intravascular image data from which the intravascular image is rendered.

Claims

1. A system for acquisition and co-registered display of intravascular information, comprising:

an imaging flexible elongate member having a proximal end and a distal end;

an imaging probe located near the distal end of the flexible elongate member, and configured to obtain information for generating an image of a vessel;

a radiopaque marker located near the imaging probe;

a first memory for storing angiogram image data;

a second memory for storing intravascular image data derived from information obtained by the imaging probe;

a third memory for storing radiopaque marker image data, distinct from the angiogram image data, the radiopaque marker image data being derived from information obtained from a fluoroscopic imaging device;

a display processor configured to retrieve and combine data from the first memory, the second memory and the third memory, and further configured to render a composite image including;

an enhanced radiological image derived from the angiogram image data comprising a superimposition of at least a portion of the angiogram data and the radiopaque marker image data and providing a location of the radiopaque marker based upon an actual location during active fluoroscopy and an estimated location during inactive fluoroscopy,

an intravascular image element corresponding to the intravascular image data, wherein the enhanced radiological image and the intravascular image element are displayed proximate each other; and

a cursor, displayed upon the enhanced radiological image, indicative of a location of the imaging probe while acquiring data for the intravascular image element presently displayed on the composite image, said cursor having a position that is based at least in part on third data derived from the radiopaque marker image data stored in the third memory;

wherein the display processor is further configured to calculate an error function based on a difference between the estimated location of the radiopaque marker and the actual location of the radiopaque marker and wherein the display processor further configured to utilize the error function to correct the estimated location of the radiopaque marker for the preceding period of inactive fluoroscopy.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the flexible elongate member is a catheter.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the imaging probe comprises an ultrasound device.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the ultrasound device is a side-firing intravascular ultrasound transducer assembly.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the side-firing intravascular ultrasound transducer assembly comprises an array of transducer elements.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the array of transducer elements are linearly arranged along a lengthwise axis of the flexible elongate member.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein the array of transducer elements are curvilinearly arranged about a lengthwise axis of the flexible elongate member.

8. The system of claim 5 wherein the array of transducer elements are circumferentially arranged about a lengthwise axis of the flexible elongate member.

9. The system of claim 3 wherein the ultrasound device comprises a Doppler transducer.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the flexible elongate member comprises a guidewire.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the flexible elongate member is a guidewire and the imaging probe comprises a pressure sensor.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the radiopaque marker comprises a cylindrical marker band.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the radiopaque marker comprises at least one partially complete cylindrical marker band.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the radiopaque marker comprises two semi-cylindrical marker bands.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the two semi-cylindrical marker bands are skewed in relation to one another along a lengthwise axis of the flexible elongate member.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the display processor further comprises an orientation determination function for determining a relative orientation of the imaging probe within the vessel based upon at least a relative size and position of the two semi-cylindrical marker bands in relation to one another.

17. The system of claim 1 wherein the third data is derived from user-specified points.

18. The system of claim 1 wherein the third data is derived by automated processes that determine a position of the radiopaque marker within a field of view.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the automated processes utilize image pattern recognition to determine the position.

20. The system of claim 1 wherein the third data is derived from a combination of manual user input and automated calculations.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the automated calculations include determination of a predicted path of the imaging probe.

22. The system of claim 1 wherein the display processor further comprises a bookmark function enabling a user to designate particular images of interest in a stored set of images containing at least the intravascular image element.

23. The system of claim 1 wherein the enhanced radiological image includes a calculated path of the imaging probe.

24. The system of claim 1 wherein the display processor further comprises-a slider function associated with the cursor that enables a user to reposition the cursor to a point of interest on the enhanced radiological image through a user interface control, and in response displays a particular instance of the intravascular image element associated with the point of interest.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein the estimated location is based at least in part on a calculated path of the imaging probe and wherein the calculated path is updated based on the error function that is calculated based on a difference between the estimated location of the radiopaque marker and the actual location of the radiopaque marker.

26. A method for acquiring and displaying intravascular information in a system including an imaging flexible elongate member having a proximal end and a distal end, an imaging probe located near the distal end of the flexible elongate member, and configured to obtain information for generating an image of a vessel, and a radiopaque marker located near the imaging probe, the method comprising the steps of:

storing angiogram image data in a first memory;

storing intravascular image data derived from information obtained by the imaging probe in a second memory;

storing radiopaque marker image data, distinct from the angiogram image data, in a third memory, the radiopaque marker image data being derived from information obtained from a fluoroscopic imaging device;

combining, by a display processor, data retrieved from the first memory, the second memory and the third memory to render a composite image including;

an enhanced radiological image derived from the angiogram image data comprising a superimposition of at least a portion of the angiogram data and the radiopaque marker data and providing a location of the radiopaque marker based upon an actual location during active fluoroscopy and an estimated location during inactive fluoroscopy, and

an intravascular image element corresponding to the intravascular image data, wherein the enhanced radiological image and the intravascular image element are displayed proximate each other; and

displaying a cursor upon the enhanced radiological image, indicative of a location of the imaging probe while acquiring data for the intravascular image element presently displayed on the composite image, said cursor having a position that is based at least in part on third data derived from the radiopaque marker image data previously stored in the third memory;

wherein the estimated location is based on a calculated path of the imaging probe, and wherein an error function is calculated based on a difference between the estimated location of the radiopaque marker and the actual location of the radiopaque marker when active fluoroscopy is resumed after inactive fluoroscopy and wherein the error function is utilized to correct the calculated path.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the flexible elongate member is a catheter.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein the imaging probe comprises an ultrasound device.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the ultrasound device comprises a Doppler transducer.

30. The method of claim 26 wherein the flexible elongate member is a guidewire and the imaging probe comprises a pressure sensor.

31. The method of claim 26 wherein the radiopaque marker comprises two semi-cylindrical marker bands that are skewed in relation to one another along a lengthwise axis of the flexible elongate member and wherein the method comprises determining an orientation of the imaging probe based upon at least a relative size and position of the two semi-cylindrical marker bands in relation to one another.

32. The method of claim 26 wherein the third data is derived from user-specified points.

33. The method of claim 26 wherein the third data is derived by automated processes that determine a position of the radiopaque marker within a field of view.

34. The method of claim 26 wherein the third data is derived from a combination of manual user input and automated calculations.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein the automated calculations determine a predicted path of the imaging probe.

36. The method of claim 26 further comprising storing a user-designated set of particular images of interest in a stored set of images containing at least the intravascular image element.

37. The method of claim 26 further comprising incorporating a calculated path of the imaging probe within the enhanced radiological image.

38. The method of claim 26 further comprising providing a slider function associated with the cursor that enables a user to reposition the cursor to a point of interest on the enhanced radiological image through a user interface control, and in response display a particular instance of the intravascular image element associated with the point of interest.

39. The method of claim 26, wherein the calculated path is calculated using a first multiplication coefficient if the imaging probe is being pulled through the vessel and a second multiplication coefficient if the imaging probe is being pushed through the vessel.

40. A system for acquisition and co-registered display of intravascular information, comprising:

an imaging flexible elongate member having a proximal end and a distal end;

an imaging probe located near the distal end of the flexible elongate member, and configured to obtain information for generating an image of a vessel;

a radiopaque marker located near the imaging probe;

a first memory portion for storing angiogram image data;

a second memory portion for storing intravascular image data derived from information obtained by the imaging probe;

a third memory portion for storing radiopaque marker image data, the radiopaque marker image data being derived from information obtained from a fluoroscopic imaging device;

a display processor configured to retrieve and combine data from the first memory portion, the second memory portion and the third memory portion, and further configured to render a composite image including;

an enhanced radiological image derived from the angiogram image data comprising a superimposition of at least a portion of the angiogram data and the radiopaque marker image data and providing a location of the radiopaque marker based upon an actual location during active fluoroscopy and an estimated location during inactive fluoroscopy, wherein an error function is calculated based on a difference between the estimated location of the radiopaque marker and the actual location of the radiopaque marker when active fluoroscopy is resumed after inactive fluoroscopy and wherein the error function is utilized to correct the estimated location of the radiopaque marker for the preceding period of inactive fluoroscopy,

an intravascular image element corresponding to the intravascular image data, wherein the enhanced radiological image and the intravascular image element are displayed proximate each other; and

a cursor, displayed upon the enhanced radiological image, indicative of a location of the imaging probe while acquiring data for the intravascular image element presently displayed on the composite image, said cursor having a position that is based at least in part on third data derived from the radiopaque marker image data stored in the third memory portion.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the calculated path is calculated using a first multiplication coefficient if the imaging probe is being pulled through the vessel and a second multiplication coefficient if the imaging probe is being pushed through the vessel.

42. The system of claim 40, wherein the imaging flexible elongate member is a catheter.

43. The system of claim 40, wherein the imaging flexible elongate member is a guidewire.

44. The system of claim 40, wherein the imaging probe includes an ultrasound transducer.

45. The system of claim 40, wherein the imaging probe includes a pressure sensor.