Imaging system with hyperspectral camera guided probe

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11154199-B2
Application number	US-201414653554-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 22, 2014
Priority date	Jan 30, 2013
Publication date	Oct 26, 2021
Grant date	Oct 26, 2021

Abstract

A medical imaging system for identifying a target structure (TS), e.g. a tumor, in a biological tissue. A hyperspectral camera system is used for imaging a surface area (A1) of the tissue (BT), e.g. with a limited spectral resolution, but enough to allow identification of suspicious areas where the target structure (TS) may be, e.g. such areas can be visually indicated on a display to the operator. A probe (PR), e.g. an optical surface probe, is used to provide probe measurement of a smaller surface area (A2) of the tissue, but with more information indicative of the target structure. The probe is selected to provide a higher specificity with respect to identification of the target structure than the hyperspectral camera (HSC). The hyperspectral processing algorithm (PP) is then calibrated based on probe measurement data performed within the suspicious areas, thus providing a calibrated hyperspectral processing algorithm resulting in images with an enhanced sensitivity to identify the target structure. Only few probe measurements are required to significantly improve the resulting image, thereby providing a reliable and fast target structure (TS) identification.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A medical imaging system arranged to identify a target structure in a biological tissue, the medical imaging system comprising:
a hyperspectral camera system arranged to provide a hyperspectral image and configured to cover a first surface area of the biological tissue, wherein pixels of the hyperspectral image include information at different light wavelength bands,
a probe arranged to provide a probe measurement of a second surface area of the biological tissue within the first surface area of the biological tissue, and to generate probe measurement data accordingly, the probe being arranged so the second surface area covered is smaller than the first surface area that is covered by the hyperspectral camera system, wherein the probe is selected to provide a higher specificity with respect to identification of the target structure than the hyperspectral camera system, and
a processor connected to receive the hyperspectral image and the probe measurement data, wherein the processor is arranged to:
analyze the hyperspectral image according to a hyperspectral processing algorithm to identify a part of the hyperspectral image which includes a suspect area indicative of the target structure,
receive the probe measurement data, wherein the measured second surface area is within the suspect area,
process the hyperspectral image according to an image processing algorithm to identify a tip of the probe in the hyperspectral image, to identify as to which part of the hyperspectral image the probe measurement data corresponds,
analyze the probe measurement data according to a probe processing algorithm comprising calculating a plurality of measurement parameters and translating the plurality of measurement parameters into physiological parameters, wherein the physiological parameters confirm that the measured second surface area include the target structure,
calibrate the hyperspectral processing algorithm based on the physiological parameters by refining a grouping of pixels in the hyperspectral image which are identified in the probe measurement data, and confirmed by the physiological parameters, as belonging to the target structure, and
provide a calibrated hyperspectral processing algorithm with an enhanced sensitivity to identify the target structure in the hyperspectral image, and

a display arranged to visually display the probe in the hyperspectral image and visually display the hyperspectral image after being processed with the calibrated hyperspectral processing algorithm.

2. The medical imaging system according to claim 1 , wherein the probe is further arranged to provide a probe measurement with a higher spectral resolution than the hyperspectral image.

3. The medical imaging system according to claim 1 , wherein the display is arranged to visually display the hyperspectral image after being processed with the hyperspectral processing algorithm together with a visual indication of the part which is identified as containing suspect area indicative of the target structure.

4. The medical imaging system according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is arranged to analyze the probe measurement data according to a probe processing algorithm comprising comparing the probe measurement data with a look-up-table.

5. The medical imaging system according to claim 1 , wherein the probe comprises one of: a surface probe, and an interventional device.

6. The medical imaging system according to claim 1 , wherein the probe comprises at least one of: an optical probe, and an ultrasound probe.

7. The medical imaging system according to claim 1 , wherein the probe comprises one of: a diffuse reflectance spectroscopy probe, a diffuse optical tomography probe, a differential path length spectroscopy, a fluorescence probe, a Raman spectroscopy probe, a confocal reflectance probe, a confocal fluorescence probe, a two-photon fluorescence probe, an optical coherence tomography probe, and a scanning fiber microscope arranged to perform confocal imaging.

8. The medical imaging system according to claim 1 , wherein the hyperspectral camera system comprises one of:
a hyperspectral camera arranged to provide the hyperspectral image,
a camera and a plurality of light sources with different narrow band wavelengths arranged to provide images with the associated biological tissue sequentially illuminated by the plurality of light sources, and
a camera and a tunable optical filter arranged between the camera and the associated biological tissue, so as to provide sequential images with different settings of the tunable optical filter.

9. The medical imaging system according to claim 1 , wherein the target structure is one of: tumor tissue, a nerve bundle, a blood vessel, lymph nodes, and oxygenation level of tissue.

10. A method for detecting a target structure in a biological tissue, the method comprising:
providing, by a hyperspectral camera system, a hyperspectral image covering a first surface area of the biological tissue, wherein pixels of the hyperspectral image include information regarding different light wavelength bands,
providing, by a probe, probe measurement data in accordance with a probe measurement of a second surface area of the biological tissue within the first surface area of the biological tissue, wherein the probe measurement is selected to provide a higher specificity with respect to identification of the target structure than the hyperspectral camera system,
arranging the probe so the second surface area covered is smaller than the first surface area that is covered by the hyperspectral camera system,
generating probe measurement data after the arranging,
analyzing, by a processor, the hyperspectral image according to a hyperspectral processing algorithm to identify a part of the hyperspectral image which includes a suspect area indicative of the target structure,
receiving, by the processor, the probe measurement data, wherein the measured second surface area is within the suspect area,
processing, by the processor, the hyperspectral image according to an image processing algorithm to identify a tip of the probe in the hyperspectral image, to identify as to which part of the hyperspectral image the probe measurement data corresponds,
analyzing, by the processor, the probe measurement data according to a probe processing algorithm comprising calculating a plurality of measurement parameters and translating the plurality of measurement parameters into physiological parameters, wherein the physiological parameters confirm that the measured second surface area includes the target structure,
calibrating, by the processor, the hyperspectral processing algorithm based on the physiological parameters by refining a grouping of pixels in the hyperspectral image which are identified in the probe measurement data, and confirmed by the physiological parameters, as belonging to the target structure,
providing, by the processor, a calibrated hyperspectral processing algorithm with an enhanced sensitivity to identify a target tissue structure in the hyperspectral image, and
displaying, by a display, the hyperspectral image after being processed with the calibrated hyperspectral processing algorithm.

11. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising providing a probe measurement with a higher spectral resolution than the hyperspectral image.

12. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising, by the processor, analyzing the probe measurement data according to a probe processing algorithm comprising comparing the probe measurement data with a look-up-table data.

13. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the probe com

Assignees

• Koninklijke Philips Nv

Inventors

• Hendriks Bernardus Hendrikus Wilhelmus
• Schleipen Johannes Joseph Hubertina Barbara
• Reich Christian
• Lucassen Gerhardus Eilhelmus
• Mueller Manfred
• Pully Vishnu Vardhan

Classifications

• A61B5/0059 Primary

  using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence (photoacoustic A61B5/0093; optical measurement of heart rate A61B5/02416; optical measurement of blood flow A61B5/0261; optical measurement of analytes A61B5/1455) · CPC title

• G01J3/2823

  Imaging spectrometer · CPC title

• G06T2207/10064

  Fluorescence image · CPC title

• A61B5/1455

  using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters · CPC title

• A61B5/0075

  by spectroscopy, i.e. measuring spectra, e.g. Raman spectroscopy, infrared absorption spectroscopy (A61B5/0071 takes precedence) · CPC title