Apparatus and method for nuclear imaging

• US 9,345,441 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2012
• Issued: 05/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Surgiceye GmbH
• Original Assignee: Surgiceye GmbH
• Inventors: Wendler, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Cattungal, Sanjay
• Application Number:
  US13/722,294
• Publication Number:
  US 20130338490A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,251 Days
• Field of Search: 600407-436, 606/130
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00045 Display arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/043 for fluorescence imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/063 for monochromatic or narrow-band illumination
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/227 for ears, i.e. otoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/233 for the nose, i.e. nasoscopes , e.g. testing of patency of Eustachian tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/2676 Bronchoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/2733 Oesophagoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/2736 Gastroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/303 for the vagina, i.e. vaginoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/307 for the urinary organs, e.g. urethroscopes, cystoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/31 for the rectum, e.g. proctoscopes, sigmoidoscopes , colonoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/3135 for examination of the epidural or the spinal space
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/317 for bones or joints, e.g. osteoscopes, arthroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/365 augmented reality, i.e. correlating a live optical image with another image
• 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 5/061 Determining position of a probe within the body employing means separate from the probe, e.g. sensing internal probe position employing impedance electrodes on the surface of the body A61B1/00158 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/067 using accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/037 Emission tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/12 Arrangements for detecting or locating foreign bodies
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/425 : using detectors specially adapted to be used in the interior of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4258 : for detecting non x-ray radiation, e.g. gamma radiation A61B6/037 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4417 : related to combined acquisition of different diagnostic modalities
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/464 : involving a plurality of displays
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/466 : adapted to display 3D data
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/481 : involving the use of contrast agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/483 : involving scattered radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/5258 : involving detection or reduction of artifacts or noise
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/56 : Details of data transmission or power supply, e.g. use of slip rings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/583 : using calibration phantoms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0841 : for locating instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/12 : in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters catheters per se A61M25/00
• 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 8/4263 : using sensors not mounted on the probe, e.g. mounted on an external reference frame
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/5261 : combining images from different diagnostic modalities, e.g. ultrasound and X-ray
• 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 system for endoscopic nuclear imaging, a nuclear probe and related methods are provided. In one embodiment, a system includes a movable endoscopic nuclear probe which comprises a collimator and a detector, the endoscopic nuclear probe having an elongated body with a longitudinal axis (X), wherein the detector and the collimator are arranged on the elongated body, and the collimator having a field of view with an axis (Y) and the axis (Y) is angled with respect to the axis (X) of the elongated body of the endoscopic nuclear probe; means for determining the position and orientation of the elongated body of the endoscopic nuclear probe; an evaluation unit including means for computationally determining an actual position and actual orientation of the elongated body of the endoscopic nuclear probe; and a program storage section and means for computing at least one quality parameter of the image.

Claims

1. A system for endoscopic nuclear imaging, which comprises:

a movable endoscopic nuclear probe which includes a collimator, a crystal for detecting radioactive radiation, and a photomultiplier coupled to the crystal, wherein the endoscopic nuclear probe has an elongated body with a longitudinal axis (X), which is designed to be inserted into the body of a patient, wherein the crystal and the collimator are arranged on the elongated body of the endoscopic nuclear probe, wherein the collimator surrounds the crystal and the photomultiplier, wherein the collimator has a laterally directed opening which delimits a detection angle through a field of view of the collimator, and wherein the field of view has an axis (Y), wherein the axis (Y) of the field of view of the collimator is inclined with respect to the axis (X) of the elongated body of the endoscopic nuclear probe, and wherein the field of view of the collimator is limited anisotropically with respect to the longitudinal axis X of the elongated body;

means for determining the position and orientation of the elongated body of the endoscopic nuclear probe; and

an evaluation unit, which includes;

i) an interface system for transmitting data with information about the detected radioactive radiation, and information about the position and orientation of the elongated body of the endoscopic nuclear probe to the evaluation unit;

ii) a data storage section for storing the information;

iii) means for synchronising the information about the position and orientation of the elongated body of the endoscopic nuclear probe with the information about the radiation detected by the endoscopic nuclear probe;

iv) means for computationally determining an actual position and actual orientation of the elongated body of the endoscopic nuclear probe;

v) a program storage section with a program for repeated determination of at least one quality value Q with regards to the imaging from the information mentioned; and

vi) an output system for outputting a three-dimensional reproduction of the information about the actual position and actual orientation of the elongated body of the endoscopic nuclear probe and information about the detected radiation.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the evaluation unit further comprises:

means for computing a desired position and desired orientation of the elongated body of the endoscopic nuclear probe, wherein these data are determined under the additional condition that a corresponding placing of the elongated body of the endoscopic nuclear probe leads to an improvement of the at least one quality value Q; and

an output system for outputting an instruction to a user or robot for moving the endoscopic nuclear probe to the desired position and desired orientation.

3. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a reference which is fixed in relation to the patient; and

means for determining the position and orientation of the reference, wherein the interface system of the evaluation unit is further designed for transmitting data with information about the position and orientation of the reference to the evaluation unit, wherein the means for synchronising the evaluation unit are further designed for synchronising the information about the position and orientation of the reference, wherein the evaluation unit has means for determining an actual position and actual orientation of the elongated body of the endoscopic nuclear probe relatively to the reference, and wherein the output system of the evaluation unit is further designed for outputting a three-dimensional reproduction of the information about the actual position and actual orientation of the elongated body of the endoscopic nuclear probe and the information about the actual position and actual orientation of the reference and/or information about the detected radiation.

4. The system according to claim 3, further comprising a display for depicting the three-dimensional reproduction generated.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the display is selected from the group consisting of a visual display, a haptic display, an acoustic display and a combination of a plurality of these displays.

6. The system according to one of claim 4, wherein the display is further set up to reproduce instructions to a user.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the instructions comprise the reference to a further possible desired position and desired orientation of the elongated body of the endoscopic nuclear probe.

8. The system according to one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the endoscopic nuclear probe is in this case designed for detecting the radioactive radiation of a radioactive marker in the interior of a body.

9. The system according to claim 2, wherein the means for computing additional possible desired positions and desired orientations of the elongated body of the endoscopic nuclear probe takes into account information relating to the position of a trocar and/or possible movements of the endoscopic nuclear probe in the computing.

10. The system according to claim 2, wherein the means for computing additional possible desired positions and desired orientations of the elongated body of the endoscopic nuclear probe, with respect to the reference, takes into account information relating to the position of a trocar and/or possible movements of the endoscopic nuclear probe in the computing.

11. The system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the field of view of the collimator provides a detection field of the endoscopic nuclear probe that can be angled in any desired section of an angular region from 0 to 180 degrees with respect to the longitudinal axis (X).

12. The system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the endoscopic nuclear probe can be used in an endoscope, wherein the endoscope is a laporoscope, a laryngoscope, a rhinoscope, an arthroscope, an epiduroscope, an oesophagoscope, a gastroscope, an enterescope, an anoscope, a rectoscope, a colonoscope, a sigmoidoscope, a proctoscope, a cystoscope, a gynoscope, a colposcope, a hysteroscope, a falloposcope, a bronchoscope, a thoracoscope, a mediastinoscope, an otoscope, or a ductoscope.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a positioned white-light, a fluorescent endoscope, or a visual display for virtual or augmented reality depictions of three-dimensional images and instructions to the user from the perspective of this white-light and/or fluorescent endoscope.

14. The system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the system further comprises a further positioned endoscopic instrument and a visual display for depicting virtual reality and instructions from the perspective thereof.

15. The system according to claim 13, wherein the virtual reality of one of the positioned endoscopic instruments in relation to the three-dimensional images can be depicted from the perspective of the respective other, and wherein optionally one of the endoscopic instruments contains an ultrasound probe, so that computed image information of the ultrasound probe can be depicted together with the image information of the nuclear probe on a display.

16. The system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the system furthermore contains an external detector which operates in coincidence with the crystal, which provides additional information for generating the three-dimensional reproduction.

17. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system is furthermore set up for reproducing preoperatively obtained images.

18. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a robot which holds the endoscopic nuclear probe.

19. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a robot which holds one or a plurality of the endoscopic instruments.

20. The system according to claim 3, wherein the means for determining the actual position and actual orientation of the elongated body of the endoscopic nuclear probe is an electromagnetic system, an optical tracking system, a mechanical tracking system, an acceleration-sensor or gyroscope based tracking system, a sonic tracking system, an ultrasound tracking system, or a radioactive tracking system or RF-based system.

21. The system according to claim 8, wherein the detecting the radioactive radiation comprises detecting gamma radiation, beta radiation, or both.

22. A method for endoscopic nuclear imaging, comprising:

inserting a nuclear probe, which has a non-rotationally-symmetrical detection characteristic, into the body of a patient, wherein the nuclear probe includes a collimator, a crystal for detecting radioactive radiation, and a photomultiplier coupled to the crystal, wherein the endoscopic nuclear probe has an elongated body with a longitudinal axis (X), wherein the collimator surrounds the crystal and the photomultiplier, wherein the collimator has a laterally directed opening which delimits a detection angle through a field of view of the collimator, wherein the field of view has an axis (Y), wherein the axis (Y) of the field of view of the collimator is inclined with respect to the axis (X) of the elongated body of the endoscopic nuclear probe;

continuous recording of radiation data by means of the nuclear probe;

continuous recording of position and orientation data of the nuclear probe,

continuous computing of a three-dimensional image using the previously mentioned information;

continuous computing of at least one quality value for the computed three-dimensional image.

23. Method according to claim 22, further comprising:

computing at least one desired position and desired orientation of the elongated body of the nuclear probe using the above-listed information, with the additional condition that a further recording of radioactive data leads with the specification of the new desired values to an improvement of the at least one quality value.

24. The method according to claim 22 or 23, further comprising:

recording position data of the body of the patient.

25. The method according to claim 22, further comprising:

outputting an instruction to a user for moving the elongated body of the endoscopic nuclear probe to the desired position and desired orientation;

recording additional data by means of the nuclear probe with the new position data;

re-computing of the three-dimensional image and the quality value,

outputting the image on a display.