Automatic quantitative vessel analysis at the location of an automatically-detected tool

• US 9,717,415 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2009
• Issued: 08/01/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sync-Rx, Ltd. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Sync-Rx, Ltd. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Klaiman, Eldad, Steinberg, Alexander, Philipp, Sagiv, Cohen, Ran, Tolkowsky, David
• Primary Examiner(s): LAURITZEN, AMANDA L
• Application Number:
  US12/649,944
• Publication Number:
  US 20100160773A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,771 Days
• Field of Search: 600407, 600424, 4407, 4424
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12036 partial occlusion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1204 temporary occlusion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12136 Balloons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/02 by cooling, e.g. cryogenic techniques devices for cooling specific reflex points of the body within cell-life limits A61H39/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1492 having a flexible, catheter-like structure, e.g. for heart ablation A61B18/1477 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/24 with a catheter A61B18/26, A61B18/28 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00252 for by-pass connections, i.e. connections from heart chamber to blood vessel or from blood vessel to blood vessel
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00694 with means correcting for movement of or for synchronisation with the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00703 correcting for movement of heart, e.g. ECG-triggered
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/1205 Introduction devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22044 with a pointed tip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22094 for crossing total occlusions, i.e. piercing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/105 Modelling of the patient, e.g. for ligaments or bones
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/107 Visualisation of planned trajectories or target regions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/254 being adapted depending on the stage of the surgical procedure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/365 augmented reality, i.e. correlating a live optical image with another image
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/10 Computer-aided planning, simulation or modelling of surgical operations
• 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 34/25 User interfaces for surgical systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0044 for the heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7285 : for synchronising or triggering a physiological measurement or image acquisition with a physiological event or waveform, e.g. an ECG signal A61B6/5205, A61B6/541, A61B8/5207, A61B8/543 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7289 : Retrospective gating, i.e. associating measured signals or images with a physiological event after the actual measurement or image acquisition, e.g. by simultaneously recording an additional physiological signal during the measurement or image acquisition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/12 : Arrangements for detecting or locating foreign bodies
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/469 : for selecting a region of interest [ROI]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/481 : involving the use of contrast agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/501 : for diagnosis of the head, e.g. neuroimaging or craniography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/503 : for diagnosis of the heart
• 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 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 6/541 : involving acquisition triggered by a physiological signal
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0883 : for diagnosis of the heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0891 : for diagnosis of blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/543 : involving acquisition triggered by a physiological signal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/958 : Inflatable balloons for placing stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 : Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10121 : Fluoroscopy
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30048 : Heart; Cardiac
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30101 : Blood vessel; Artery; Vein; Vascular
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/00 : Image enhancement or restoration
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0012 : Biomedical image inspection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0014 : using an image reference approach
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/13 : Edge detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/246 : using feature-based methods, e.g. the tracking of corners or segments
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/62 : of area, perimeter, diameter or volume
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 2201/034 : of medical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/103 : Static body considered as a whole, e.g. static pedestrian or occupant recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/30 : for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment

Abstract

Apparatus and methods are described including inserting a tool into a blood vessel, and, while the tool is within the blood vessel, acquiring an extraluminal image of the blood vessel. In the extraluminal image of the blood vessel, a location of a portion of the tool with respect to the blood vessel is detected automatically. In response to detecting the location of the portion of the tool, a target portion of the blood vessel that is in a vicinity of the portion of the tool is designated automatically. Using the extraluminal image, quantitative vessel analysis is performed on the target portion of the blood vessel. Other embodiments are also described.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

inserting a tool into a blood vessel;

while the tool is within the blood vessel, using an extraluminal image-acquisition device acquiring an extraluminal image of the blood vessel;

using a processor, in the extraluminal image of the blood vessel, automatically detecting a location of a portion of the tool with respect to the blood vessel;

using the processor, using the detected location of the portion of the tool, automatically designating a target longitudinal section of the blood vessel, based upon a presence of the portion of the tool in a vicinity of the target longitudinal section;

using the processor, automatically performing quantitative analysis on the target longitudinal section of the blood vessel within the extraluminal image; and

generating an output on a display, based upon the quantitative analysis.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein performing quantitative analysis on the target longitudinal section comprises performing quantitative analysis on the target longitudinal section in real time.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein performing quantitative analysis on the target longitudinal section comprises performing quantitative analysis on the target longitudinal section in near real time.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein performing quantitative analysis on the target longitudinal section comprises determining a level of occlusion of the blood vessel within the target longitudinal section.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein performing quantitative analysis on the target longitudinal section comprises determining a minimum diameter of the blood vessel within the target longitudinal section.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the tool includes a balloon, and wherein inserting the tool comprises inserting the balloon.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the tool includes a replacement valve, and wherein inserting the tool comprises inserting the replacement valve.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the tool includes a stent, and wherein inserting the tool comprises inserting the stent.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the tool includes a graft, and wherein inserting the tool comprises inserting the graft.

10. Apparatus, comprising:

a tool configured to be placed inside a blood vessel of a subject;

an extraluminal image-acquisition device configured to acquire an image of the blood vessel, while the tool is inside the blood vessel;

a display; and

at least one processor configured;

to receive the image,

to automatically detect a location of a portion of the tool, with respect to the blood vessel, in the image,

using the detected location of the portion of the tool, to automatically designate a target longitudinal section of the blood vessel, based upon a presence of the portion of the tool in a vicinity of the target longitudinal section,

to automatically perform quantitative analysis on the target longitudinal section of the blood vessel, using the image, and

to drive the display to display an output in response to the quantitative analysis.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to perform the quantitative analysis on the target longitudinal section in real time.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to perform the quantitative analysis on the target longitudinal section in near real time.

13. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to determine a level of occlusion of the blood vessel within the target longitudinal section.

14. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein processor is configured to determine a minimum diameter of the blood vessel within the target longitudinal section.

15. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the tool comprises a balloon.

16. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the tool comprises a replacement valve.

17. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the tool comprises a stent.

18. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the tool comprises a graft.