Method and system for providing information from a patient-specific model of blood flow

• US 8,768,669 B1
• Filed: 02/11/2014
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Heartflow Inc.
• Original Assignee: Heartflow Inc.
• Inventors: Hart, Gregory R., Stevens, John H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thangavelu, Kandasamy
• Application Number:
  US14/177,677
• Publication Number:
  US 20140173486A1
• Time in Patent Office: 140 Days
• Field of Search: 703/1, 703/9, 703/11, 600/416, 600/419, 600/508, 600/509, 600/504, 600/425, 604/8
• US Class Current: 703/6
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/104 Modelling the effect of the tool, e.g. the effect of an implanted prosthesis or for predicting the effect of ablation or burring
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2576/023 for the heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/10 Computer-aided planning, simulation or modelling of surgical operations
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02007 Evaluating blood vessel condition, e.g. elasticity, compliance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/022 by applying pressure to close blood vessels, e.g. against the skin; Ophthalmodynamometers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/026 Measuring blood flow A61B3/1233, A61B3/1241 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0263 using NMR
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/055 involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7275 Determining trends in physiological measurement data; Predicting development of a medical condition based on physiological measurements, e.g. determining a risk factor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7278 Artificial waveform generation or derivation, e.g. synthesising signals from measured signals A61B5/327 takes precedence
• 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 5/7445 Display arrangements, e.g. multiple display units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/748 Selection of a region of interest, e.g. using a graphics tablet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/03 Computed tomography [CT] echo-tomography A61B8/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/032 Transmission computed tomography [CT]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/466 adapted to display 3D data
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/504 for diagnosis of blood vessels, e.g. by angiography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/5217 extracting a diagnostic or physiological parameter from medical diagnostic data
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/06 Measuring blood flow measuring volume flow in general G01F, e.g. G01F1/66, G01F1/72; measuring speed of fluids in general G01P5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 : Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 : Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 : Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 : using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/20 : Design optimisation, verification or simulation optimisation, verification or simulation of circuit designs G06F30/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/00 : 3D [Three Dimensional] image rendering
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/00 : Three dimensional [3D] modelling, e.g. data description of 3D objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/20 : Editing of 3D images, e.g. changing shapes or colours, aligning objects or positioning parts
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/04 : involving 3D image data
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/24 : involving graphical user interfaces [GUIs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2210/41 : Medical
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/2016 : Rotation, translation, scaling
• CPC Class Codes: G16B 5/00 : ICT specially adapted for modelling or simulations in systems biology, e.g. gene-regulatory networks, protein interaction networks or metabolic networks
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 : for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/50 : for simulation or modelling of medical disorders
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 : Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation

Abstract

Embodiments include a system for providing blood flow information for a patient. The system may include at least one computer system including a touchscreen. The at least one computer system may be configured to display, on the touchscreen, a three-dimensional model representing at least a portion of an anatomical structure of the patient based on patient-specific data. The at least one computer system may also be configured to receive a first input relating to a first location on the touchscreen indicated by at least one pointing object controlled by a user, and the first location on the touchscreen may indicate a first location on the displayed three-dimensional model. The at least one computer system may be further configured to display first information on the touchscreen, and the first information may indicate a blood flow characteristic at the first location.

Claims

1. A method for providing patient-specific blood flow information using at least one computer system, the at least one computer system including a touchscreen, the method comprising:

displaying, on the touchscreen, a three-dimensional model generated based on patient-specific data, the three-dimensional model representing at least a portion of an anatomical structure of the patient;

receiving a first input relating to a first location on the touchscreen indicated by a user, the first location on the touchscreen indicating a first location in the displayed three-dimensional model;

displaying, on the touchscreen, at least one blood flow characteristic value at the first location in the three-dimensional model indicated by the first input; and

determining and dynamically updating a display of the at least one blood flow characteristic value as a user drags a finger or a pointing object across the touchscreen.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the display of the at least one blood flow characteristic value is generated based on a location of the finger or the pointing object relative to the displayed three-dimensional model of the anatomical structure of the patient.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

forming a pin at the first location, the pin being movable by the user within the three-dimensional model; and

updating, on the touchscreen, the at least one blood flow characteristic value in the anatomical structure as the pin is moved by the user.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

updating the at least one blood flow characteristic value in the anatomical structure at a plurality of locations in the three-dimensional model and indicating the at least one blood flow characteristic value on the displayed three-dimensional model using at least one of shading, patterns, or coloring.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

rotating the displayed three-dimensional model in response to the user swiping a surface of the touchscreen, an amount and a direction of rotation depending on a characteristic of the swipe.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

adjusting a zoom on the displayed three-dimensional model in response to the user pinching two of a plurality of pointing objects located at separate locations with respect to the touchscreen, an amount of the zoom depending on a characteristic of the pinch.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

switching between operating in a first mode for receiving the first input and at least one subsequent input requesting the at least one blood flow characteristic value, and operating in a second mode for receiving a request for modeling a coronary intervention based upon an intervention input received on the touchscreen.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, while operating in a treatment modeling mode, an intervention input relating to an intervention location on the touchscreen, the intervention input indicating a modification of the three-dimensional model and causing the computer system to generate a display of a coronary intervention at a location of the three-dimensional model corresponding to the intervention location on the touchscreen.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the intervention input includes a selection of a stent or a bypass, and a change in a location or a size of the selected stent or bypass.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the display of the coronary intervention indicates at least one selected stent characteristic chosen from stent length, proximal diameter, and distal diameter.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

providing a split screen including a first portion and a second portion, the two portions being configured to receive different intervention inputs indicating different modifications of the respective displayed three-dimensional models.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the first input and at least one subsequent input from at least one pointing object controlled by the user, where the at least one pointing object includes at least one digit of the user or a stylus.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one blood flow characteristic value is chosen from at least one of a pressure gradient value, a fractional flow reserve value, a pressure value, a flow rate value, and a velocity value.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the anatomical structure of the patient includes at least a portion of an aorta and at least a portion of a plurality of coronary arteries emanating from the portion of the aorta.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the at least one blood flow characteristic value includes a fractional flow reserve value indicating a ratio between a pressure at a location in the plurality of coronary arteries and a pressure at a location upstream from the location in the plurality of coronary arteries.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the display of the at least one blood flow characteristic value further comprises at least one of a computed fractional flow reserve model and a computed pressure gradient model.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the display of the at least one blood flow characteristic value further comprises geometry information chosen from at least one of vessel inner diameter and thickness.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the anatomical structure of the patient includes at least one of a portion of a plurality of arteries in the patient'"'"'s heart, neck, head, thorax, abdomen, arms, or legs.

19. A system for providing patient-specific blood flow information for a patient, the system comprising at least:

a display device including a touchscreen and being configured to;

(i) display a three-dimensional model generated based on patient-specific data, the three-dimensional model representing at least a portion of an anatomical structure of the patient; and

(ii) display at least one blood flow characteristic value at a location in the three-dimensional model indicated by a user input;

a processor configured to;

(i) receive a user input relating to a first location on the touchscreen indicated by a user, the first location on the touchscreen indicating a first location in the displayed three-dimensional model; and

(ii) determine and dynamically update a display, on the touchscreen, of the at least one blood flow characteristic value as a user drags a finger or a pointing object across the touchscreen.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium for use on at least one touchscreen computer system containing computer-executable programming instructions for providing patient-specific blood flow information, the instructions being executable by the at least one touchscreen computer system for:

displaying, on the touchscreen, a three-dimensional model generated based on patient-specific data, the three-dimensional model representing at least a portion of an anatomical structure of the patient;

receiving a first input relating to a first location on the touchscreen indicated by a user, the first location on the touchscreen indicating a first location in the displayed three-dimensional model;

displaying, on the touchscreen, at least one blood flow characteristic value at the first location in the three-dimensional model indicated by the first input; and

determining and dynamically updating a display of the at least one blood flow characteristic value as a user drags a finger or a pointing object across the touchscreen.