Ultrasonic blood vessel measurement apparatus and method

• US 8,771,191 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2004
• Issued: 07/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FUJIFILM SonoSite, Inc. (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sonosite Incorporated (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Fritz, Helmuth, Fritz, Terry
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Long V.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sakamoto, Colin T
• Application Number:
  US10/976,147
• Publication Number:
  US 20050119555A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,540 Days
• Field of Search: 600/410, 600/425, 600/437, 600/443, 600449-450, 600454-456, 600/463, 600466-467, 600/411, 600/444, 600/445, 600/446, 600/447
• US Class Current: 600/449
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02007 Evaluating blood vessel condition, e.g. elasticity, compliance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0858 involving measuring tissue layers, e.g. skin, interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/461 Displaying means of special interest
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/467 characterised by special input means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/565 involving data transmission via a network
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30101 Blood vessel; Artery; Vein; Vascular
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0012 Biomedical image inspection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/60 Analysis of geometric attributes

Abstract

An apparatus and method for determining the apparent intima-media thickness (IMT) of arteries through acquisition and analysis of ultrasound images comprising an array of pixel intensities. A datum, or datums, may be established across multiple columns of pixels bounding the portion of the image containing either the lumen/intima boundary, the media/adventitia boundary, or both. The datums may be approximate the shape of one more of the lumen, intima, media, and adventitia. Within a bounded portion of the image, a method may search for intensity gradients having characteristics indicating the gradients represent probable locations of the lumen/intima and media/adventitia boundaries. An IMT measurement is calculated based on the location of the lumen/intima and media/adventitia boundaries. An IMT measurement may be adjusted for sloping or tapering of an artery wall.

Claims

1. A method of operating a computing device to re-measure a tissue structure measurement from an image, the method comprising:

capturing a first image that includes tissue structure features;

accepting first operator input indicating a location of a layer of tissue in a measurement region within the first image for use in determining an intima-media thickness (IMT) measurement of the tissue structure;

determining an orientation of the layer of tissue relative to one or more boundaries of the measurement region;

measuring the IMT of the tissue structure using the first operator input;

storing at least a portion of the first operator input and information with respect to the first image, wherein the information with respect to the first image comprises measurement parameters and record data;

capturing a second image that includes at least a portion of the tissue structure features captured in the first image;

accepting second operator input indicating a location of the layer of tissue in the second image;

registering the second image, wherein registering the second image comprises aligning the layer of tissue in the second image based on the orientation of the layer of tissue in the first image and on the second operator input; and

re-measuring IMT of the tissue structure in the registered second image using the second operator input and the first image measurement parameters and record data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second images comprise ultrasound images.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second images comprise magnetic resonance imaging images.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein accepting the first operator input comprises:

accepting information identifying a point in the image to serve as the center of the measurement region.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein accepting the first operator input comprises:

accepting information with respect to a height of the measurement region.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein accepting the first operator input comprises:

accepting information with respect to a width of the measurement region.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the information with respect to the first image stored comprises a signature uniquely identifying the first image.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the information with respect to the first image stored comprises the first image.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the information with respect to the first image comprises information with respect to a machine capturing the first image.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing information with respect to an algorithm used in the measuring an aspect of the tissue structure.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the information with respect to the algorithm comprises information with respect to an algorithm used to locate a layer of tissue in the first image.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the information with respect to the algorithm comprises information with respect to an algorithm used to eliminate noise in the first image.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the information with respect to the algorithm comprises values of sources of error.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein determining an orientation of the layer of tissue comprises:

analyzing an intensity of the first image at positions therein.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

locating a tissue boundary of the tissue structure by analyzing an intensity gradient with respect to a portion of the first image.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using the re-measurement in training an operator of a machine capturing the first image.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using the re-measurement in validating the proficiency of an operator of a machine capturing the first image.

18. A diagnostic ultrasound system providing re-measurement of a tissue structure from an image, the system comprising:

an image capturing device configured to provide first and second images that include the tissue structure features;

a user interface configured to accept first operator input regarding a location of a layer of tissue in a measurement region of the first image for use in measurement of an intima-media thickness (IMT) of the tissue structure, wherein the user interface is further configured to receive second operator input regarding a location of the layer of tissue in the second image;

a memory having data structures that include one or more executable modules, wherein the memory is configured to store at least a portion of the first operator input and measurement parameters and record information with respect to the first image; and

a processor, wherein the processor is configured to execute modules stored on the memory for

identifying one or more tissue structure features in the first image,

measuring an IMT of the tissue structure in the first image using the first operator input,

determining an orientation of the layer of tissue in the image relative to one or more boundaries of the measurement region;

registering the second image, wherein registering the second image includes aligning the layer of tissue in the second image based on the second operator input and on the orientation of the layer of tissue in the first image, and

measuring an IMT of the tissue structure in the registered second image using the measurement parameters and record information with respect to the first image.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the first image capturing device comprises an ultrasound system.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the first image capturing device comprises a magnetic resonance imaging system.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the portion of the first operator input stored in the memory comprises information identifying a point in the first image to serve as the center of the measurement region.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the portion of the input stored in the memory comprises information with respect to a height of the measurement region.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the portion of the input stored in the memory comprises information with respect to a width of the measurement region.

24. The system of claim 18, wherein the information with respect to the first image stored in the memory comprises a signature uniquely identifying the first image.

25. The system of claim 18, wherein the information with respect to the first image stored in the memory comprises the first image.

26. The system of claim 18, wherein the information with respect to the first image stored in the memory comprises information with respect to a machine capturing the first image.

27. The system of claim 18, wherein the memory further stores information with respect to an algorithm used in the measurement of the tissue structure.

28. A method of operating a computer system to provide tissue structure measurements from a series of images, the method comprising:

identifying a datum corresponding to a location of a layer of tissue within a first image of the series of images;

measuring an intima-media thickness (IMT) of tissue appearing in the first image using the datum;

determining an orientation of the layer of tissue in the first image;

registering a successive second image of the series of images, wherein registering the second image includes aligning the layer of tissue in the second image based on the orientation of the layer of tissue in the first image; and

adapting the datum to revise the measurement of the IMT of the tissue in the first image using an IMT measurement of the tissue in the second image.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein identifying the datum further comprises:

analyzing an intensity of the first image at positions therein.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein identifying the datum further comprises:

locating a tissue boundary by analyzing an intensity gradient with respect to a portion of the first image.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein adapting the datum comprises:

accommodating a change between the first image and the second image.

32. The method of claim 28, wherein identifying the datum comprises:

accepting operator input regarding an aspect of the first image for use in measurement of the IMT of the tissue.