User interface with 3D environment for configuring stimulation therapy

• US 9,061,160 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2013
• Issued: 06/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Stone, Richard T., Ball, Warren W., Wahlstrand, Carl D., Goetz, Steven M., Otten, Lynn M.
• Primary Examiner(s): MANUEL, GEORGE C
• Application Number:
  US14/107,894
• Publication Number:
  US 20140107731A1
• Time in Patent Office: 554 Days
• Field of Search: 607/2
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0529 Electrodes for brain stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0531 Brain cortex electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0534 Electrodes for deep brain stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0553 Paddle shaped electrodes, e.g. for laminotomy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3605 Implantable neurostimulators for stimulating central or peripheral nerve system
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36062 Spinal stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36082 Cognitive or psychiatric applications, e.g. dementia or Alzheimer's disease
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36125 Details of circuitry or electric components
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36146 specified by the stimulation parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36153 Voltage A61N1/3616 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36157 Current A61N1/3616 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36192 Amplitude modulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37247 User interfaces, e.g. input or presentation means
• 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 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/40 relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/50 : for simulation or modelling of medical disorders

Abstract

The disclosure describes a method and system that allows a user to configure electrical stimulation therapy by defining a three-dimensional (3D) stimulation field. After a stimulation lead is implanted in a patient, a clinician manipulates the 3D stimulation field in a 3D environment to encompass desired anatomical regions of the patient. In this manner, the clinician determines which anatomical regions to stimulate, and the system generates the necessary stimulation parameters. In some cases, a lead icon representing the implanted lead is displayed to show the clinician where the lead is relative to the 3D anatomical regions of the patient.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

displaying a representation of an electrical stimulation lead implanted in a patient as a lead icon, the electrical stimulation lead having a complex electrode array geometry comprising a plurality of non-contiguous electrode segments located at different angular positions about a circumference of the electrical stimulation lead;

receiving, by a processor, stimulation field input from a user that defines a stimulation field with respect to the representation of the electrical stimulation lead; and

subsequent to receiving the stimulation field input that defines the stimulation field, determining, by the processor and based on the stimulation field defined with respect to the representation of the electrical stimulation lead, electrical stimulation parameters for at least some of the plurality of non-contiguous electrode segments of the electrical stimulation lead.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving stimulation field input comprises receiving drawing input that outlines at least a portion of the stimulation field with respect to the representation of the electrical stimulation lead.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein receiving drawing input comprises receiving, via each of three different orthogonal two-dimensional (2D) views of the representation of the electrical stimulation lead, drawing input that outlines respective portions of the stimulation field in each of the three different orthogonal 2D views.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the stimulation field input comprises receiving, via a three-dimensional (3D) environment that includes the lead icon, stimulation field input that defines at least a portion of the stimulation field in the 3D environment with respect to the lead icon.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving stimulation field input comprises receiving stimulation field input that drags a boundary of the stimulation field to manipulate at least one of a size, shape, or location of the stimulation field.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a representation of a three-dimensional (3D) anatomical region of a patient in a 3D environment;

displaying the lead icon relative to the 3D anatomical region of the patient in the 3D environment based on a physical location of the electrical stimulation lead implanted in the patient; and

displaying, based on the stimulation field input, the stimulation field within the 3D anatomical region.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the representation of the electrical stimulation lead comprises representations of at least some of the plurality of non-contiguous electrode segments of the complex electrode array geometry.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrical stimulation parameters define an electrode combination from the complex electrode array geometry of the electrical stimulation lead, the electrode combination selected to produce electrical stimulation therapy approximating the stimulation field.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrical stimulation parameters comprise at least one of a voltage amplitude, a current amplitude, a pulse width, a pulse rate, or a duty cycle.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the electrical stimulation parameters comprises:

selecting, for each electrode segment of the at least some of the plurality of non-contiguous electrode segments, a respective predefined volumetric stimulation field template, wherein all of the selected predefined volumetric stimulation field templates together substantially fill the stimulation field; and

selecting electrical parameters corresponding to the selected predefined volumetric stimulation field templates.

11. A system comprising:

a user interface comprising a display; and

a processor configured to;

control the user interface to display a representation of an electrical stimulation lead implanted in a patient as a lead icon, the electrical stimulation lead having a complex electrode array geometry comprising a plurality of non-contiguous electrode segments located at different angular positions about a circumference of the electrical stimulation lead;

receive stimulation field input from a user that defines a stimulation field with respect to the representation of the electrical stimulation lead; and

subsequent to receiving the stimulation field input that defines the stimulation field, determine, based on the stimulation field defined with respect to the representation of the electrical stimulation lead, electrical stimulation parameters for at least some of the plurality of non-contiguous electrode segments of the electrical stimulation lead.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the stimulation field input comprises drawing input that outlines at least a portion of the stimulation field with respect to the representation of the electrical stimulation lead.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to receive, via each of three different orthogonal two-dimensional (2D) views of the representation of the electrical stimulation lead, drawing input that outlines respective portions of the stimulation field in each of the three different orthogonal 2D views.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to receive, via a three-dimensional (3D) environment that includes the lead icon, stimulation field input that defines at least a portion of the stimulation field in the 3D environment with respect to the lead icon.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the stimulation field input comprises stimulation field input that drags a boundary of the stimulation field to manipulate at least one of a size, shape, or location of the stimulation field.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to:

control the user interface to display a representation of a three-dimensional (3D) anatomical region of a patient in a 3D environment on a display;

control the user interface to display the lead icon relative to the 3D anatomical region of the patient in the 3D environment based on a physical location of the electrical stimulation lead implanted in the patient; and

control, based on the stimulation field input, the user interface to display the stimulation field within the 3D anatomical region.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the representation of the electrical stimulation lead comprises representations of at least some of the plurality of non-contiguous electrode segments of the complex electrode array geometry.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the electrical stimulation parameters define at least one of an electrode combination from the complex electrode array geometry of the electrical stimulation lead, a voltage amplitude, a current amplitude, a pulse width, a pulse rate, or a duty cycle, the electrical stimulation parameters selected to produce electrical stimulation therapy approximating the stimulation field.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to determine the electrical stimulation parameters by:

selecting, for each electrode segment of the at least some of the plurality of non-contiguous electrode segments, a respective predefined volumetric stimulation field template, wherein all of the selected predefined volumetric stimulation field templates together substantially fill the stimulation field; and

selecting electrical parameters corresponding to the selected predefined volumetric stimulation field templates.

20. A computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that cause a processor to:

display, via a user interface, a representation of an electrical stimulation lead implanted in a patient as a lead icon, the electrical stimulation lead having a complex electrode array geometry comprising a plurality of non-contiguous electrode segments located at different angular positions about a circumference of the electrical stimulation lead;

receive stimulation field input from a user that defines a stimulation field with respect to the representation of the electrical stimulation lead; and

subsequent to receiving the stimulation field input that defines the stimulation field, determine, based on the stimulation field defined with respect to the representation of the electrical stimulation lead, electrical stimulation parameters for at least some of the plurality of non-contiguous electrode segments of the electrical stimulation lead.