Visualization apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10070937-B2
Application number	US-201715728572-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 10, 2017
Priority date	Jun 4, 2009
Publication date	Sep 11, 2018
Grant date	Sep 11, 2018

Abstract

The invention relates to a visualization apparatus for visualizing a quality of applying energy to an object. The quality of applying energy at a location on the object ( 3 ) is visualized based on a) a provided image of the object and b) a provided quality value which is a depth value indicative of the depth to which the applied energy has altered the object, representing the quality of applying energy to the object at the location on the object ( 3 ), wherein a visual property assigning unit ( 9 ) assigns a visual property to the location depending on the quality value and a display ( 10 ) displays the provided image and the assigned visual property at the location on the object shown in the image as a transmural region calculated using depth value(s) with respect to a wall of the object. In general a person who applies energy to the object is focused on the location at which energy is applied. Since quality information is shown at the location on which the person is already focused, the quality dependent information can easily be absorbed by the person.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A visualization apparatus for visualizing a quality of applying energy to an object, wherein the visualization apparatus is adapted to visualize the quality of applying energy at a location on the object based on a provided image of the object and a provided quality value representing the quality of applying energy to the object at the location on the object, wherein the quality value is a depth value being indicative of the depth to which the applied energy has altered the object at the location, wherein the visualization apparatus comprises:
a visualization property assigning unit for assigning a visual property to the location depending on the quality value, and
a display for displaying the provided image and the assigned visual property at the location on the provided image,
wherein the depth value is provided with respect to a thickness of a wall of the object to which the energy is applied, wherein the visualization apparatus further comprises a transmural region calculation unit for calculating a transmural region of the object based on the provided depth value and wherein the display is adapted to show the calculated transmural region on the image of the object,
wherein the transmural region calculation unit is adapted to calculate the transmural region by using several depth values, which are provided for several locations, and by using the locations for which the several values have been provided.

2. The visualization apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein energy is applied to the object by using an energy application element and wherein a further quality value being a contact value is provided, wherein the contact value is indicative of a degree of contact between the energy application element and the object, wherein the visual property assigning unit is adapted to assign one of the color and the intensity to the location depending on the depth value and the other of the color and the intensity to the location depending on the contact value, wherein the display is adapted to display the assigned color and the assigned intensity at the location on the provided image.

3. The visualization apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the provided image of the object is an anatomic map of the object and wherein the display is adapted to display the assigned visual property at the location on the anatomic map.

4. The visualization apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the visualization apparatus further comprises a gauge element shown on the display, wherein the gauge element is adapted to indicate a relation between the visual property and the quality value.

5. The visualization apparatus as defined in claim 4 , wherein the gauge element comprises a marker indicating the depth to which the applied energy has altered the object based on the provided depth value.

6. The visualization apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the quality value is repeatedly provided during applying energy to the object, wherein the visual property assigning unit is adapted to repeatedly assign a visual property to the location depending on the respective actually provided quality value and wherein the display is adapted to repeatedly display the provided image and the respective actually assigned visual property at the location on the object shown in the image.

7. An energy application apparatus for applying energy to an object, the energy application apparatus comprising:
an image providing unit for providing an image of the object,
an energy application element for applying the energy to the object at a location,
a localization unit for localizing the energy application element at the location,
a sensing unit for generating an ultrasound signal being indicative of a property of the object,
a quality value determination unit for determining a quality value at the location on the object, wherein the quality value represents the quality of applying energy to the object at the location, wherein the quality value is a depth value being indicative of the depth to which the applied energy has altered the object at the location,
the visualization apparatus as defined in claim 1 .

8. A visualization method for visualizing a quality of applying energy to an object, wherein the visualization method is adapted to visualize the quality of applying energy at a location on the object based on a provided image of the object and a provided quality value at the location on the object, the quality value representing the quality of applying energy to the object at the location on the object, wherein the quality value is a depth value being indicative of the depth to which the applied energy has altered the object at the location, wherein the visualization method comprises:
assigning a visual property to the location depending on the quality value,
displaying the provided image and the assigned visual property at the location on the provided image,
wherein several depth values are provided for several locations with respect to a thickness of a wall of the object to which the energy has been applied, wherein a transmural region of the object is calculated by using the several depth values, which are provided for the several locations, and by using the several locations for which the several depth values have been provided and wherein the calculated transmural region is displayed on the image of the object.

9. A computer program product for visualizing an effect of applying energy to an object, wherein the computer program product comprises program code encoded on a non-transitory computer readable medium for causing a visualization apparatus as defined in claim 1 to carry out the steps of a visualization method when the computer program code is executed by a computer controlling the visualization apparatus, the visualization method comprising the steps of:
assigning a visual property to the location depending on the quality value,
displaying the provided image and the assigned visual property at the location on the provided image,
wherein several depth values are provided for several locations with respect to a thickness of a wall of the object to which the energy has been applied, wherein a transmural region of the object is calculated by using the several depth values, which are provided for the several locations, and by using the several locations for which the several depth values have been provided and wherein the calculated transmural region is displayed on the image of the object.

10. A computer program product for applying energy to an object, wherein the computer program product comprises program code encoded on a non-transitory computer readable medium for causing an energy application apparatus as defined in claim 7 to carry out the following steps, when the program code is executed by a computer controlling the energy application apparatus:
providing an image of the object,
localizing an energy application element for determining a location of the energy application element,
applying energy to the object at the location by using the localized energy application element, and
determining a quality value at the location on the object, wherein the quality value represents the quality of applying energy to the object at the location, wherein the quality value is a depth value being indicative of the depth to which the applied energy has altered the object at the location,
wherein computer program further comprises a computer program for visualizing an effect of applying energy to an object as defined in claim 9 .

Assignees

• Koninklijke Philips Nv

Inventors

• Barley Maya E
• Deladi Szabolcs
• Harks Erik Godefridus Antonius
• Suijver Jan Frederik
• Megens Mischa

Classifications

• A61B90/36 Primary

  Image-producing devices or illumination devices not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• A61B2090/062

  penetration depth · CPC title

• A61B2090/065

  for measuring contact or contact pressure · CPC title

• A61B34/20

  Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis · CPC title

• A61B18/1492

  having a flexible, catheter-like structure, e.g. for heart ablation (A61B18/1477 takes precedence) · CPC title