Multi-modal medical imaging

• US 8,831,708 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2012
• Issued: 09/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Healthineers AG (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Paladini, Gianluca
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Long V.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOFFA, ANGELA MARIE
• Application Number:
  US13/419,574
• Publication Number:
  US 20130172739A1
• Time in Patent Office: 909 Days
• Field of Search: 600/436, 600/439, 600/446, 601/2
• US Class Current: 600/436
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2048 using an accelerometer or inertia sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2051 Electromagnetic tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2065 Tracking using image or pattern recognition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/378 using ultrasound
• 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 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/037 Emission tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4258 for detecting non x-ray radiation, e.g. gamma radiation A61B6/037 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4405 the apparatus being movable or portable, e.g. handheld or mounted on a trolley
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4417 related to combined acquisition of different diagnostic modalities
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4458 the source unit or the detector unit being attached to robotic arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/481 involving the use of contrast agents
• 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 6/547 involving tracking of position of the device or parts of the device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/08 Detecting organic movements or changes, e.g. tumours, cysts, swellings A61B8/02 - A61B8/06 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/145 characterised by scanning multiple planes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4218 characterised by articulated arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4245 involving determining the position of the probe, e.g. with respect to an external reference frame or to the patient
• 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 8/4444 related to the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4483 : characterised by features of the ultrasound transducer
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/483 : involving the acquisition of a 3D volume of data
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/486 : involving arbitrary m-mode
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/5261 : combining images from different diagnostic modalities, e.g. ultrasound and X-ray
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/37 : Surgical systems with images on a monitor during operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0052 : using the same transducer for therapy and imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/00 : Ultrasound therapy lithotripsy A61B17/22, A61B17/225; massage using supersonic vibration A61H23/00 ; using ultrasound for introducing media into the body A61M37/0092
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/02 : Localised ultrasound hyperthermia hyperthermia in general A61F7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/161 : Applications in the field of nuclear medicine, e.g. in vivo counting apparatus for radiation diagnosis A61B6/00

Abstract

A nuclear probe and ultrasound transducer are interconnected, such as being in a same hand-held housing. The interconnection aligns the coordinate systems in a known spatial relationship. The ultrasound data is used to detect transducer offset or change in position without a tracking sensor. The radiation detected by the nuclear probe may be reconstructed into an image based on the detected transducer position since the nuclear probe moves with the ultrasound transducer. Both anatomical and functional imaging may be provided together without the complications of calibration and tracking. Where a therapeutic transducer is included, therapy may also be provided. The anatomical and functional information identifies the regions for treatment. The same device, already positioned correctly based on the functional and anatomical imaging, is then used for treatment with high intensity focused ultrasound.

Claims

1. A probe for multi-modal medical imaging and therapy, the probe comprising:

an ultrasound transducer comprising a plurality of elements in an array, wherein the array comprises an N×

M arrangement of elements wherein both N and M are integers greater than 1;

a nuclear detector for detecting radiation, the nuclear detector positioned within an aperture in the N×

M arrangement;

an interconnection between the ultrasound transducer and the nuclear detector;

a handheld housing of the ultrasound transducer, the interconnection providing common movement of the handheld housing of the ultrasound transducer and the nuclear detector during scanning by the ultrasound transducer and detection by the nuclear detector, wherein movement of the handheld housing moves the nuclear detector and interconnection;

a processor configured to determine a motion path of the ultrasound transducer by correlating image data derived from data generated by the ultrasound transducer without using a tracking sensor;

the processor configured to generate an image volume representing anatomy derived from data generated by the ultrasound transducer and the processor configured to generate an image representing functional information derived from data generated by the nuclear detector and the motion path, the processor further configured to direct focus a therapy transducer of the probe to perform high-intensity focused ultrasound therapy based on a location represented by the functional information integrated with the image volume.

2. The probe of claim 1 wherein the ultrasound transducer and the nuclear detector being within the handheld housing, the interconnection being fixed within the handheld housing.

3. The probe of claim 1 wherein the interconnection comprises a releasable connection.

4. The probe of claim 1 further comprising:

a motorized wobbler connected with the nuclear detector to rock the nuclear detector at different angles relative to the ultrasound transducer during detection of the radiation.

5. The probe of claim 1 further comprising:

a robot arm connected with the ultrasound transducer and nuclear detector.

6. The probe of claim 1 further comprising:

a therapy transducer to perform the high-intensity focused ultrasound therapy, the interconnection connecting the therapy transducer with the ultrasound transducer and the nuclear detector.

7. The probe of claim 1 wherein the nuclear detector comprises a gamma detector.

8. The probe of claim 1 further comprising a sensor operable to track an absolute common movement of the therapy transducer and the ultrasound transducer relative to an external frame of reference, and wherein the processor is configured to generate the image as a function of the tracking of the absolute common movement.