ULTRASOUND SYSTEM WITH STEREO IMAGE GUIDANCE OR TRACKING

• US 20150148664A1
• Filed: 11/27/2013
• Published: 05/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Clear Guide Medical, Llc
• Original Assignee: Clear Guide Medical, Llc
• Inventors: Stolka, Philipp Jakob, Foroughi, Pezhman, Rendina, Matthew C., Hager, Gregory Donald, Boctor, Emad Mikhail
• Granted Patent: US 9,622,720 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/424
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2055 Optical tracking systems
• 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 8/0841 for locating instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/13 Tomography A61B8/10, A61B8/12 take precedence; tomography for radiation diagnosis A61B6/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4254 using sensors mounted on the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4444 related to the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4455 Features of the external shape of the probe, e.g. ergonomic aspects
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/461 Displaying means of special interest
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/463 characterised by displaying multiple images or images and diagnostic data on one display composite display in devices for short-range imaging with acoustic waves G01S7/52074
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/52 Devices using data or image processing specially adapted for diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves image processing per se G06T
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/5261 combining images from different diagnostic modalities, e.g. ultrasound and X-ray
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/58 Testing, adjusting or calibrating the diagnostic device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/30 Devices for illuminating a surgical field, the devices having an interrelation with other surgical devices or with a surgical procedure

Abstract

An image-guided ultrasound system may include an ultrasound probe, a display configured to communicate with the ultrasound probe to receive ultrasound signals to display images from the ultrasound probe, and an imaging device that may be attached to or integral with the ultrasound probe and configured to communicate with the display to display information derived from images from the imaging device. The imaging device may include a stabilization assembly, an imaging device assembly physically coupled to the stabilization assembly, a plurality of light-sensitive devices physically coupled to the stabilization assembly, and a memory unit physically coupled to the imaging device assembly, the memory unit configured to store calibration or usage information for the image-guided ultrasound system.

Claims

1. An image-guided ultrasound system, comprising:

an ultrasound probe;

a display configured to communicate with the ultrasound probe to receive ultrasound signals to display images from the ultrasound probe; and

an imaging device at least one of removably attached to or integral with said ultrasound probe, the imaging device configured to communicate with an image processing module to process information derived from images from the imaging device, wherein the display receives and displays data from the image processing module,

the imaging device comprising;

a stabilization assembly,

an imaging device assembly physically coupled to the stabilization assembly,

a plurality of light-sensitive devices physically coupled to the stabilization assembly, wherein the stabilization assembly has a low co-efficient of thermal expansion and prevents movement among each of the plurality of light-sensitive devices and between each of the plurality of light-sensitive devices and the imaging device assembly, and

a memory unit physically coupled to the imaging device assembly, the memory unit configured to store at least one of calibration, configuration, device identification, or usage information for the imaging device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the image processing module is configured to receive data from the ultrasound probe, the image processing module containing instructions executable on one or more processors, the instructions comprising:

receiving a selection of a target in the images from the ultrasound probe;

tracking a needle;

displaying the needle in the display;

calculating a distance between the needle and the target;

outputting audio, wherein the audio changes based on the calculated distance between the needle and the target; and

displaying the calculated distance between the needle and the target.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the instructions further comprise:

indicating a needle tip in the display;

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the instructions further comprise:

outputting visual cues as to the quality of the needle tracking

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the instructions further comprise:

displaying the tracked needle as a line; and

representing the quality of the needle tracking.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the instructions further comprise:

indicating a loss of needle tracking through audio or visual cues.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the stabilization assembly has a co-efficient of thermal expansion less than 73.8 [10̂

-6 m/mK].

8. The system of claim 1, wherein a surgical tool is registered with the imaging device, and a representation of the surgical tool is presented on the display.

9. A method for performing an image-guided procedure, comprising:

scanning a region of interest with an image-guided ultrasound probe;

receiving ultrasound data from said image-guided ultrasound probe of a peripheral region proximate said region of interest, said image-guided ultrasound probe comprising a plurality of light-sensitive devices attached at fixed positions relative to an ultrasound probe;

employing a tool for use within said region of interest and within said peripheral region such that at least a portion of said tool is visible to the plurality of light-sensitive devices; and

at least one of tracking or guiding said tool during said image-guided procedure based on imaging information from the plurality of light-sensitive devices,

wherein the plurality of light-sensitive devices are attached to a stabilization assembly, the stabilization assembly having a low co-efficient of thermal expansion that prevents movement among each of the plurality of light-sensitive devices, and

wherein said image-guided ultrasound probe further comprises a memory unit configured to store at least one of calibration, configuration, usage, or device identification data.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

displaying the ultrasound data from the image-guided ultrasound probe;

receiving a selection of a target in the displayed ultrasound data;

display positioning assisting information to assist in positioning the tool close to the target.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising at least one of:

indicating a loss of tool tracking;

indicating audibly or visually a distance of the tool to the target;

or

displaying a quality of the tool tracking.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the quality of the tool tracking is represented by an indicator, wherein the indicator comprises at least one of a length of a displayed line or a color-coded element.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the displayed positioning assisting information comprises displaying intersection information between the tool and a non-infinitesimally thin ultrasound imaging plane, wherein a displayed line represents a trajectory of the tool and the intersection of the tool and the imaging plane is represented by one or more markers on the displayed line, wherein the one or more markers denote an extent of the intersection.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the plurality of light-sensitive devices comprise one or more cameras, the method of claim 9 further comprising:

improving the one or more camera observations by outputting light from at least one light source contained in the imaging device assembly; and

preventing interference from shadows by diffusing the outputted light from the at least one light source.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the at least one light source is diffused using a light diffuser, wherein the light diffuser is mounted directly in front of the at least one light source, wherein the at least one light source comprises at least one of LEDs, CFLs, incandescent bulbs, or lasers, and wherein the light diffuser comprises at least one of a pane of frosted glass, cellophane, fine mesh, or translucent adhesive tape.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the memory unit is further configured to store at least one of licensing data, or configuration data, or calibration data, or device identification data.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

retrieving the licensing data from the memory unit, wherein the licensing data includes a licensing period;

retrieving the usage data from the memory unit, wherein the usage data includes usage time;

comparing the licensing period with usage time; and

displaying a licensing alert when usage time exceeds a specified threshold of the licensing period.

18. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

registering the tool with the image-guided ultrasound probe; and

displaying a representation of the tool in a display.

19. An image-guiding device for image-guided surgery, comprising:

a support structure;

a stabilization assembly coupled support structure; and

a first light-sensitive device and a second light-sensitive device coupled to the stabilization assembly, wherein the stabilization assembly prevents movement between the first light-sensitive device and the second light-sensitive device, the first light-sensitive device and the support structure, and the second light-sensitive device and the support structure.

20. The image-guiding device of claim 19, further comprising:

a light source coupled to the support structure;

a light diffusor coupled to the support structure, the light diffusor in front of the light source;

a memory unit coupled to the support structure, the memory unit storing imaging device information;

a bracket coupled to the support structure, the bracket providing a physical connection to an imaging device; and

wherein the stabilization assembly has a low co-efficient of thermal expansion.

21. The image-guiding device of claim 19, wherein the stabilization assembly comprises at least one of aluminum or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene.

22. The image-guiding device of claim 19, wherein the stabilization assembly has a co-efficient of thermal expansion less than 73.8 [10̂

-6 m/mK].

23. The image-guiding device of claim 20, wherein the light source comprises at least one of LEDs, CFLs, incandescent bulbs, or lasers.

24. The image-guiding device of claim 20, wherein the light source outputs light in the infrared spectrum.

25. The image-guiding device of claim 20, wherein the light diffusor comprises one of:

a pane of frosted glass, or

cellophane,

fine mesh, or

translucent adhesive tape.

26. The image-guiding device of claim 20, wherein the memory unit comprises at least one of:

a memory card reader and a memory card;

a flash drive;

a USB device;

or

a microcontroller with associated memory.

27. The image-guiding device of claim 20, wherein the memory unit stores at least one of:

imaging device usage time, imaging device licensing information, imaging device configuration information, or imaging device calibration information.