METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PATIENT-SPECIFIC MODELING OF BLOOD FLOW

• US 20160007945A1
• Filed: 09/25/2015
• Published: 01/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Heartflow Inc.
• Original Assignee: Heartflow Inc.
• Inventors: TAYLOR, Charles A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,801,689 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
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Abstract

Embodiments include a system for determining cardiovascular information for a patient. The system may include at least one computer system configured to receive patient-specific data regarding a geometry of the patient'"'"'s heart, and create a three-dimensional model representing at least a portion of the patient'"'"'s heart based on the patient-specific data. The at least one computer system may be further configured to create a physics-based model relating to a blood flow characteristic of the patient'"'"'s heart and determine a fractional flow reserve within the patient'"'"'s heart based on the three-dimensional model and the physics-based model.

Claims

1-184. -184. (canceled)

185. A method for vascular assessment comprising:

receiving a plurality of 2D angiographic images of a portion of a vasculature of a subject, and processing said images to produce a stenotic model over the vasculature, said stenotic model having measurements of the vasculature at one or more locations along vessels of the vasculature;

obtaining a flow characteristic of the stenotic model; and

calculating an index indicative of vascular function, based, at least in part, on the flow characteristic in the stenotic model.

186. The method according to claim 185, wherein said measurements of the vasculature are at one or more locations along a centerline of at least one branch of the vasculature.

187. The method according to claim 185, wherein said flow characteristic of said stenotic model comprises resistance to fluid flow.

188. The method according to claim 187, further comprising identifying in said first stenotic model a stenosed vessel and a downstream portion of said stenosed vessel, and calculating said resistance to fluid flow in said downstream portion;

wherein said index is calculated based on a volume of said downstream portion, and on a contribution of said stenosed vessel to said resistance to fluid flow.

189. The method according to claim 185, wherein said flow characteristic of said stenotic model comprises fluid flow.

190. The method according to claim 185, wherein said stenotic model is a three-dimensional vessel tree.

191. The method according to claim 190, wherein said vessel tree comprises data pertaining to location, orientation and diameter of vessels at a plurality of points within said portion of the vasculature.

192. The method according to claim 185, wherein said processing said images to produce said stenotic model comprises:

extending said stenotic model by one branch;

calculating a new flow characteristic in said extended stenotic model;

updating said index responsively to said new flow characteristic and according to a predetermined criterion; and

iteratively repeating said extending, said calculating and said updating.

193. The method according to claim 185, further comprising processing said images to produce a second model over said vasculature, and obtaining a flow characteristic of said second model;

wherein said calculation of said index is based on the flow characteristic in the stenotic model and on the flow characteristic in the second model

194. The method according to claim 193, wherein said second model is a normal model, comprising an inflated vessel replacing a stenotic vessel in the stenotic model.

195. The method according to claim 193, wherein said stenotic model is a three-dimensional vessel tree and said second model is a second three-dimensional vessel tree.

196. The method according to claim 193, wherein said flow characteristics of said models comprise fluid flow.

197. The method according to claim 193, wherein said flow characteristics of said models comprise resistance to fluid flow.

198. The method according to claim 193, wherein each of the models corresponds to a portion of the vasculature which is between two consecutive branches of the vasculature and which includes a stenosis.

199. The method according to claim 193, wherein each of the models corresponds to a portion of the vasculature which includes a branch of the vasculature.

200. The method according to claim 193, wherein each of the models corresponds to a portion of the vasculature which includes a stenosis and which extends at least one branch of the vasculature beyond the stenosis.

201. The method according to claim 193, wherein each of the models corresponds to a portion of the vasculature which includes a stenosis and which extends at least three branches of the vasculature beyond the stenosis.

202. The method according to claim 200, wherein each of the models corresponds to a portion of the vasculature which includes a stenosis and which extends distally as far as resolution of said images allows.

203. The method according to claim 193, wherein said stenotic model corresponds to a portion of the vasculature which includes a stenosis, and said second model corresponds to a portion of the vasculature which does not include a stenosis and which is geometrically similar to the stenotic model.

204. The method according to claim 193, wherein said processing said images to produce said stenotic model and said second model comprises:

extending each of the models by one branch;

calculating a new flow characteristic in each extended model;

updating said index responsively to said new flow characteristics and according to a predetermined criterion; and

iteratively repeating said extending, said calculating and said updating.

205. The method according to claim 193, wherein said index is calculated based on a ratio of the flow characteristic in the stenotic model to the flow characteristic in the second model.

206. The method according to claim 185, wherein said index is indicative of the need for revascularization.

207. The method according to claim 185, further comprising obtaining a Fractional Flow Ratio (FFR) based on said index.

208. The method according to claim 185, further comprising determining, based on said index, a ratio between maximal blood flow in an area of a stenosis and a maximal blood flow in a same area without stenosis.

209. The method according to claim 185, further comprising capturing said 2D images.

210. A non-transitory computer software product, comprising a computer-readable medium in which program instructions are stored, which instructions, when read by a computer, cause the computer to receive a plurality of 2D images of a subject'"'"'s vasculature and execute the method according to claim 185.

211. A system for vascular assessment comprising:

a plurality of imaging devices configured for capturing a plurality of 2D images of a vasculature of a subject; and

a computer configured for receiving said plurality of 2D images and executing the method according to claim 185.