Automatic quantitative vessel analysis

• US 9,888,969 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2013
• Issued: 02/13/2018
• 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: Cohen, Ran, Klaiman, Eldad, Steinberg, Alexander, Stein, Yoav, Philipp, Sagiv, Tolkowsky, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Lamprecht, Joel
• Application Number:
  US14/145,612
• Publication Number:
  US 20140161331A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,505 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 2090/3735 Optical coherence tomography [OCT]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/374 NMR or MRI
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3762 using computed tomography systems [CT]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3782 transmitter or receiver in catheter or minimal invasive instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2576/00 : Medical imaging apparatus involving image processing or analysis A61B1/00009, A61B6/52 and A61B8/52 take precedence; image processing per se G06T; details of algorithms for analysing medical images G06T7/0012
• 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 5/02007 : Evaluating blood vessel condition, e.g. elasticity, compliance
• 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 2/06 : Blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/958 : Inflatable balloons for placing stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/09 : Guide wires
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• 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 2207/30172 : Centreline of tubular or elongated structure
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/00 : Image enhancement or restoration
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/73 : Deblurring; Sharpening
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0012 : Biomedical image inspection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0014 : using an image reference approach
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/12 : Edge-based segmentation
• 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 designating within an image of blood vessels of a subject, a target portion of the blood vessels. In response to a first input from a user that designates a single point on the image, a first location within the blood vessels in a vicinity of the designated point is designated. In response to second and third inputs from the user, proximal and distal locations within the target portion are designated. The target portion is designated such that the target portion passes from the proximal location of the target portion to the distal location of the target portion, and such that the target portion includes the first location. Quantitative vessel analysis is performed on the target portion of the blood vessels, and an output is generated based upon the quantitative vessel analysis. Other applications are also described.

Claims

1. A method for use with one or more extraluminal images of blood vessels of a subject, and a plurality of endoluminal images acquired from within at least one of the blood vessels at respective locations along the blood vessel, comprising:

using at least one processor;

designating a target portion of the blood vessels by receiving inputs with respect to at least one of the extraluminal images of the blood vessels, by;

in response to a first input that designates a single point on the at least one extraluminal image, automatically designating a first location within the blood vessels in a vicinity of the designated point as being within the target portion of the blood vessels;

in response to second and third inputs with respect to the at least one extraluminal image, automatically designating proximal and distal locations within the target portion; and

designating the target portion of the blood vessels within the at least one extraluminal image such that the target portion passes from the proximal location of the target portion to the distal location of the target portion, and such that the target portion includes the first location;

coregistering respective endoluminal images to respective locations along the target portion of the blood vessels;

performing vessel analysis on the target portion of the blood vessels; and

driving a display to display respective endoluminal images together with vessel analysis data that correspond to the respective locations along the target portion of the blood vessel.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

the blood vessels include blood vessels that bifurcate into a main blood vessel and first and second branches that branch from the main blood vessel; and

designating the target portion of the blood vessels comprises designating the target portion of the blood vessels such that the target portion passes from the main blood vessel to the first branch;

the method further comprising, in response to a further input, modifying the target portion of the blood vessels, such that the target portion of the blood vessels passes from the main blood vessel to the second branch.

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

identifying a tool within the at least one extraluminal image, a portion of the tool having a known dimension;

comparing a dimension of the portion of the tool in the at least one extraluminal image to the known dimension of the portion of the tool;

wherein performing the vessel analysis comprises, based upon the comparing, determining an absolute dimension of the target portion of the blood vessels.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein designating the target portion of the blood vessels comprises:

determining center lines of the blood vessels within the target portion;

determining edge lines of the blood vessels based upon the determined center lines; and

designating the edge lines as edges of the target portion.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein designating the target portion of the blood vessels comprises designating the target portion of the blood vessels based upon a shortest path algorithm.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the blood vessels include coronary arteries, and wherein performing the vessel analysis with respect to the target portion of the blood vessels comprises performing quantitative coronary angiography.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein performing vessel analysis with respect to the target portion of the blood vessels comprises determining a minimum diameter of the blood vessels within the target portion of the blood vessels.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein performing vessel analysis with respect to the target portion of the blood vessels comprises determining a level of occlusion of the blood vessels within the target portion of the blood vessels.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein performing vessel analysis with respect to the target portion of the blood vessels comprises determining a length of the target portion of the blood vessels.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the blood vessels include blood vessels that bifurcate, and wherein designating the target portion of the blood vessels comprises designating a path through the bifurcation of the blood vessels, and designating the target portion based upon the designated path.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein identifying the target portion comprises identifying a portion of the blood vessels that corresponds to a lesion.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein performing vessel analysis comprises determining a minimum diameter of the lesion.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein performing vessel analysis comprises determining a level of occlusion of the lesion.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein performing vessel analysis comprises determining a length of the lesion.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein identifying the portion of the blood vessels that corresponds to the lesion comprises identifying locations within the blood vessels of healthy shoulders of the lesion.

16. The method according to claim 11, further comprising graphically indicating the lesion on the image.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein graphically indicating the lesion on the image comprises highlighting the lesion on the image.

18. The method according to claim 1, further comprising graphically indicating the target portion of the blood vessels on the image.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein graphically indicating the target portion on the image comprises highlighting the target portion on the image.

20. Apparatus comprising:

an extraluminal image-acquisition device configured to acquire one or more images of blood vessels of a subject;

an endoluminal image-acquisition device configured to acquire a plurality of endoluminal images from within at least one of the blood vessels at respective locations along the blood vessel; and

at least one processor configured to;

designate a target portion of the blood vessels by receiving inputs with respect to at least one of the extraluminal images of the blood vessels, by;

in response to a first input that designates a single point on the at least one extraluminal image, automatically designating a first location within the blood vessels in a vicinity of the designated point as being within the target portion of the blood vessels,

in response to second and third inputs with respect to the at least one extraluminal image, automatically designating proximal and distal locations within the target portion, and

designating the target portion of the blood vessels within the at least one extraluminal image such that the target portion passes from the proximal location of the target portion to the distal location of the target portion, and such that the target portion includes the first location,

coregister respective endoluminal images to respective locations along the target portion of the blood vessels,

perform vessel analysis on the target portion of the blood vessels, and

drive a display to display respective endoluminal images together with vessel analysis data that correspond to the respective locations along the target portion of the blood vessel.