Method of imaging an extremity of a patient

• US 8,170,641 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2009
• Issued: 05/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Biomet Manufacturing, LLC (Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Biomet Manufacturing, LLC (Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Belcher, Nathan E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Ruth S
• Application Number:
  US12/389,930
• Publication Number:
  US 20100217109A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,166 Days
• Field of Search: 600/410, 600/407, 600/414, 600/416, 600/420, 600/425, 600/426, 600/430, 600/436, 600/438, 600/443
• US Class Current: 600/407
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/00 Measuring for diagnostic purposes radiation diagnosis A61B6/00; diagnosis by ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves A61B8/00; Identification of persons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/055 involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/103 Detecting, measuring or recording devices for testing the shape, pattern, colour, size or movement of the body or parts thereof, for diagnostic purposes A61B5/08 takes precedence; measuring aids for tailors A41H1/00; measuring instruments specially adapted for dentistry A61C19/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4528 Joints A61B5/4533, A61B5/4538 take precedence

Abstract

A method of imaging a body part of a patient can include acquiring a first, second and third sets of image data from a first, second and third anatomical reference areas. The first, second and third sets of image data can then be compiled to produce a legend of the body part. The legend can have positional information of the first, second and third anatomical reference areas. A fourth, fifth and sixth sets of image data of the first, second and anatomical reference areas can be acquired. The fourth, fifth and sixth sets of image data can have increased image information relative to the first, second and third sets of image data, respectively. The locations of the fourth, fifth and sixth sets of image data relative to the first, second and third sets of image data can be correlated using the legend to determine a characteristic of the body part.

Claims

1. A method of imaging an extremity of a patient, the method comprising:

securing the patient to a table and restraining the patient to the table;

locating a first, a second and a third anatomical reference area of the extremity corresponding to an ankle, a knee and a hip;

acquiring a first, a second and a third set of image data from the first, second and third anatomical reference areas, respectively while the first, second and third anatomical reference areas are immobilized relative to the table;

compiling the first, second and third sets of image data to produce a map having known positional information of the first, second and third anatomical reference areas relative to each other;

subsequent to the patient moving relative to the table, acquiring a fourth, a fifth and a sixth set of image data of the first, second and third anatomical reference areas of the extremity, respectively, the fourth, the fifth and the sixth sets of image data having increased image information relative to the first, second and third sets of image data, respectively;

correlating locations of the fourth, fifth and sixth sets of image data relative to the first, second and third sets of image data using the map; and

determining a characteristic of the extremity based on the correlating.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein acquiring the first, second and third set of image data comprises:

acquiring only ten or less images for each of the first, second and third sets of image data.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein acquiring the first, second and third set of image data comprises:

acquiring only five or less images for each of the first, second and third sets of image data.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein two of the only ten or less images from at least one of the first, second and third sets of image data are planar images on intersecting planes.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

performing a localizer scan on each of the first, second and third anatomical reference areas prior to acquiring the first, second and third sets of image data.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein the fifth set of image data is a bulk image scan of the second anatomical reference area comprising a greater quantity of image scans compared to the second set of image data.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the fourth and sixth sets of image data each comprise a greater quantity of image scans compared to the first and third sets of image data, respectively.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the characteristic of the extremity is a mechanical axis of a tibia and femur, respectively, relative to the knee.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising at least one of:

moving the patient relative to the table between the acquiring of the fourth and fifth set of image data; and

moving the patient relative to the table between the acquiring of the fifth and sixth set of image data.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein acquiring the fifth set of image data comprises using a send/receive imaging coil.

11. A method of imaging an extremity of a patient, the method comprising:

performing a localizer scan on each of an ankle, a knee and a hip;

subsequent to performing the localizer scan, acquiring a first, a second and a third set of image data from the ankle, knee and hip of the extremity, respectively while the extremity is immobilized;

mobilizing the extremity;

compiling the first, second and third sets of image data to produce a map of the extremity, the map having positional information of the ankle, knee and hip relative to each other, wherein each of the first, second and third sets of image data consists of less than five planar images for each of the first, second and third sets of image data;

repositioning the extremity in an immobilized state subsequent to the mobilizing;

acquiring a fourth, a fifth and a sixth set of image data of the ankle, knee and hip, respectively, the fourth, fifth and sixth sets of image data each having more image information relative to the first, second and third sets of image data, respectively;

correlating locations of the fourth, fifth and sixth set of image data relative to the first, second and third sets of image data using the map; and

determining a characteristic of the extremity based on the correlating.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the fifth set of image data is a bulk image scan of the knee acquired with a send/receive imaging coil.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the characteristic of the extremity is a mechanical axis of a tibia and femur, respectively, relative to the knee.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising at least one of:

moving the patient relative to the table between the acquiring of the fourth and fifth set of image data; and

moving the patient relative to the table between the acquiring of the fifth and sixth set of image data.

15. A method of imaging an extremity of a patient, the method comprising:

locating an ankle, knee and hip of the extremity;

securing the patient to a table and restraining the patient to the table, such that the patient'"'"'s ankle, knee and hip are all immobilized relative to the table;

acquiring a first, second and third set of image data from the ankle, knee and hip, respectively;

compiling the first, second and third sets of image data to produce a legend of the extremity, the legend having known positional information of the ankle, knee and hip relative to each other;

acquiring a fourth image data set of the ankle while the patient is immobilized relative to the table in a first position;

subsequent to the patient moving relative to the table to a second position, acquiring a fifth image data set of the knee while the patient is immobilized in a third position;

subsequent to the patient moving to a fourth position relative to the table, acquiring a sixth image data set of the hip while the patient is immobilized in a fifth position;

correlating locations of the fourth, fifth and sixth sets of image data relative to the first, second and third sets of image data using the legend; and

determining a mechanical axis of a tibia and femur, respectively, relative to the knee based on the correlating.