Adaptive Medical Image Acquisition System

• US 20090312648A1
• Filed: 03/10/2009
• Published: 12/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GMBH (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Chan, Jinghua, Zhang, Hongxuan, Wade, Harold James
• Granted Patent: US 8,145,293 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/483
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/026 Measuring blood flow A61B3/1233, A61B3/1241 take precedence
• 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 6/541 involving acquisition triggered by a physiological signal

Abstract

A medical imaging system adaptively acquires anatomical images. The system includes a synchronization processor for providing a heart rate related synchronization signal derived from a patient cardiac function blood flow related parameter. The synchronization signal enables adaptive variation in timing of acquisition within successive heart cycles of each individual image frame of multiple sequential image frames. An image acquisition device initiates acquisition of anatomical images of a portion of patient anatomy in response to the synchronization signal. A display processor presents images, acquired by the acquisition device and synchronized with the synchronization signal, to a user on a reproduction device. The image acquisition device adaptively selects image pixel resolution of individual image frames of the multiple sequential image frames in response to data identifying a heart cycle segment so that successively acquired image frames have different image pixel resolution within a single heart cycle.

Claims

1. A medical imaging system for adaptively acquiring anatomical images, comprising:

a synchronization processor for providing a heart rate related synchronization signal derived from a patient cardiac function blood flow related parameter, said synchronization signal enabling adaptive variation in timing of image acquisition within successive heart cycles of each individual image frame of a plurality of sequential image frames;

an image acquisition device for initiating acquisition of anatomical images of a portion of patient anatomy in response to said synchronization signal; and

a display processor for presenting images, acquired by said acquisition device and synchronized with said synchronization signal, to a user on a reproduction device.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein

said image acquisition device adaptively selects image pixel resolution of individual image frames of said plurality of sequential image frames in response to data identifying a heart cycle segment so that successively acquired image frames have different image pixel resolution within a single heart cycle.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein

said heart rate related synchronization signal comprises a signal synchronized with end-diastolic pressure in a cardiac cycle.

4. A system according to claim 3, wherein

the end-diastolic pressure synchronized signal is derived from a non-invasive blood pressure monitoring device.

5. A system according to claim 3, wherein

the end-diastolic pressure synchronized signal is derived from a blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) monitoring device.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein

said heart rate related synchronization signal comprises a signal synchronized with end-systolic pressure in a cardiac cycle.

7. A system according to claim 6, wherein

the end-systolic pressure synchronized signal is derived from a non-invasive blood pressure monitoring device.

8. A system according to claim 6, wherein

the end-systolic pressure synchronized signal is derived from a blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) monitoring device.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein

said patient blood flow related parameter indicates at least one of, (a) invasive blood pressure, (b) non-invasive blood pressure, (c) blood flow velocity, (d) blood flow acceleration and (e) blood flow frequency.

10. A system according to claim 1, wherein

said synchronization signal is derived from parameter data derived from a patient blood flow related parameter.

11. A system according to claim 10, wherein

said parameter data derived from said patient blood flow related parameter is a blood pressure gradient indicator.

12. A system according to claim 1, wherein

said image acquisition device acquires a plurality of 2D anatomical images of a patient heart in substantially the same operational phase over a plurality of heart beat cycles in response to said synchronization signal derived from said patient blood flow related parameter.

13. A system according to claim 12, wherein

said same operational phase comprises at least one of, (a) an end of diastolic pressure (ED) phase and (b) an end of systolic pressure (ES) phase.

14. A system according to claim 12, including

an image processor for calculating at least one of maximum left ventricle volume and minimum left ventricle volume based on image data acquired at said same operational phase.

15. A system according to claim 12, including

an image processor for calculating an ejection fraction value based on image data acquired at said same operational phase.

16. A system according to claim 12, wherein

said image processor processes said plurality of 2D anatomical images of said patient heart in substantially the same operational phase over said plurality of heart beat cycles to provide a 3D image reconstruction of said heart in said same operational phase.

17. A system according to claim 12, including

an image processor for incorporating data indicating at least one of, (a) heart wall thickness, (b) heart tissue temperature and (c) heart energy expenditure, in image data representing a 3D image reconstruction of said heart in said same operational phase.

18. A system according to claim 12, wherein

said image acquisition device acquires a plurality of 2D anatomical images of a patient heart in substantially the same operational phase over a plurality 25 of heart beat cycles, in response to said synchronization signal derived from said patient blood flow related parameter and synchronizing image acquisition to heart phases including at least one of, (a) a phase at which heart volume is a minimum and (b) a phase at which heart volume is a maximum.

19. A medical imaging system for acquiring anatomical images, comprising:

an adaptive synchronization processor for providing a heart rate related synchronization signal synchronous with at least one of,

(a) end-diastolic pressure in a cardiac cycle and

(b) end-systolic pressure in a cardiac cycle, and is derived from a patient blood flow related parameter;

an image acquisition device for acquiring anatomical images of a portion of patient anatomy in response to said synchronization signal; and

a display processor for presenting images, acquired by said acquisition device and synchronized with said synchronization signal, to a user on a reproduction device.

20. A system according to claim 19, wherein

said image acquisition device adaptively selects image pixel resolution of individual image frames of a plurality of sequential image frames in response to data identifying a heart cycle segment so that successively acquired image frames have different image pixel resolution within a single heart cycle.

21. A system according to claim 20, wherein

said synchronization signal enabling adaptive variation in timing of acquisition within successive heart cycles of each individual image frame of a plurality of sequential image frames.

22. A system according to claim 19, wherein

said adaptive synchronization processor provides said heart rate related synchronization signal by identifying noisy image data and deriving the heart rate related synchronization signal to exclude acquisition of noisy image frames or noisy image data in an image frame.

23. A system according to claim 19, wherein

said adaptive synchronization processor operates in a closed loop and adaptively adjusts filter characteristics used in deriving said heart rate related synchronization signal to optimize synchronization signal detection.

24. A medical imaging system for acquiring anatomical images, comprising:

a synchronization processor for providing a heart rate related synchronization signal derived from a patient cardiac function signal comprising at least one of,

(a) a vital sign signal and

(b) an electrophysiological signal, said synchronization signal enabling adaptive variation in timing of acquisition within successive heart cycles of each individual image frame of a plurality of sequential image frames;

an image acquisition device for gating one or more signals and initiating acquisition of anatomical images of a portion of patient anatomy in response to said synchronization signal; and

a display processor for presenting images, acquired by said acquisition device and synchronized with said synchronization signal, to a user on a reproduction device.

25. A system according to claim 24, wherein

said adaptive synchronization processor derives said heart rate related synchronization signal from a vital sign signal comprising at least one of, (a) an SpO2 waveform, (b) an ECG impedance indicative waveform, (c) an arterial oxygen content (CaO2) signal and (d) a central venous oxygen saturation (CvO2) signal.

26. A system according to claim 24, wherein

said adaptive synchronization processor derives said heart rate related synchronization signal from an electrophysiological signal comprising at least one of, (a) an Intracardiac electrogram (ICEG) signal, (b) an electrocardiogram (ECG) signal and (c) a signal derived by frequency analysis.