Imaging method for enhanced visualization of vessels in an examination region of a patient and medical system for performing the method

• US 8,693,758 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2011
• Issued: 04/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Healthineers AG (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Klingenbeck, Klaus
• Primary Examiner(s): Koziol, Stephen R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Azima, Shaghayegh
• Application Number:
  US13/094,855
• Publication Number:
  US 20110268333A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,077 Days
• Field of Search: 382/131, 382/132, 382/128, 600/425, 600/424, 600/434, 600/431
• US Class Current: 382/131
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/364 Correlation of different images or relation of image positions in respect to the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0071 by measuring fluorescence emission
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0073 by tomography, i.e. reconstruction of 3D images from 2D projections A61B5/0066 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0084 for introduction into the body, e.g. by catheters A61B5/1459 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/489 Blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7425 Displaying combinations of multiple images regardless of image source, e.g. displaying a reference anatomical image with a live image geometric transforms for image registration G06T3/14; enhancement using image fusion G06T5/50; algorithms for registration of images G06T7/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4417 related to combined acquisition of different diagnostic modalities
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4441 the rigid structure being a C-arm or U-arm
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4458 the source unit or the detector unit being attached to robotic arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4464 the source unit or the detector unit being mounted to ceiling
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/481 involving the use of contrast agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/485 involving fluorescence X-ray imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/504 for diagnosis of blood vessels, e.g. by angiography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/507 for determination of haemodynamic parameters, e.g. perfusion CT
• 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 8/0816 using echo-encephalography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0891 for diagnosis of blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4416 related to combined acquisition of different diagnostic modalities, e.g. combination of ultrasound and X-ray acquisitions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/5238 for combining image data of patient, e.g. merging several images from different acquisition modes into one image for image registration algorithms G06T7/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/36 Image-producing devices or illumination devices not otherwise provided for

Abstract

An imaging method for enhanced visualization of vessels in an examination region of a patient, in particular during an intervention, is proposed. A 3D reconstruction image of the examination region is generated using a preoperatively recorded 3D image dataset of the examination region. At least one current 2D fluorescence image of the examination region is recorded by a fluorescence angiography. The vessels are identified. The 3D image dataset with the image dataset of the 2D fluorescence or ultrasound image is registered based on the result of the identification. The 3D reconstruction image and the 2D image are overplayed. The overlaid images are 3D played back.

Claims

1. An imaging method for enhancing a visualization of blood vessels in an examination region of a patient during an operation, comprising:

generating a 3D reconstruction image of the examination region using a preoperatively recorded 3D image dataset of the examination region;

recording at least one current 2D image of the examination region by an image recording device;

identifying the blood vessels from the 2D image;

registering the 3D image dataset with image dataset of the 2D image based on the identification;

applying a model of attenuated displacements based on a depth of penetration of the operation to the preoperatively 3D image dataset during the registration;

repeating the applying layer by layer if the operation penetrates further in the depth for updating the preoperatively recorded 3D image dataset to reflect a current situation;

overlaying the 3D reconstruction image and the 2D image; and

playing back the overlaid image.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the preoperatively recorded 3D image dataset is a DSA dataset.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

preoperatively acquiring the 3D image dataset of the examination region by digital subtraction angiography;

generating the 3D reconstruction image of the examination region from the 3D image dataset;

identifying the blood vessels in the 3D reconstruction image;

recording the at least one current 2D image of the examination region the image recording device;

identifying the blood vessels in the current 2D image;

registering image dataset of the 3D reconstruction image with image dataset of the 2D image based on the identifications;

overlaying the 3D reconstruction image and the 2D image;

continuously playing back the overlaid image; and

repeating the steps of recording the at least one current 2D image to continuously playing back the overlaid image at a selectable time interval.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the 2D image of the examination region is a 2D fluorescence image recorded by a fluorescence angiography or a 2D ultrasound image recorded by an ultrasound scanner.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the 2D fluorescence image is recorded by an ICG angiography.

6. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the 2D fluorescence image is recorded continuously.

7. A medical imaging system for enhancing a visualization of blood vessels in an examination region of a patient during an operation, comprising:

a DSA X-ray system for generating a 3D image dataset of the examination region;

an image device for generating a current 2D image of the examination region;

an image storage for buffering the 3D image dataset and the 2D image;

a DSA image processing device for generating a 3D reconstruction image from the 3D image dataset and identifying the blood vessels in the 3D reconstruction image, applying a model of attenuated displacements based on a depth of penetration of the operation to the 3D image dataset during the registration, and repeating the applying layer by layer if the operation penetrates further in the depth for updating the 3D image dataset to reflect a current situation;

an image processing device for identifying the blood vessels in the 2D image;

a registration device for registering the 3D reconstruction image and the current 2D image based on the identification;

an overlaying device for overlaying the 3D reconstruction image and the 2D image; and

a 3D display device for playing back the overlaid image.

8. The medical imaging system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the image device for recording the current 2D image is an ICG angiography device and the image processing device for identifying the blood vessels in the 2D image is an ICG image processing device.

9. The medical imaging system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the ICG angiography device comprises a light source and a camera for capturing the current 2D image that are integrated into a surgical microscope.