Method and system for patient-specific modeling of blood flow

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016007945-A1
Application number	US-201514866098-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 25, 2015
Priority date	Aug 12, 2010
Publication date	Jan 14, 2016
Grant date	—

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.

First claim

1 - 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 .

Assignees

• Heartflow Inc

Inventors

• Taylor Charles A

Classifications

• G06T12/30

  Image post-processing, e.g. metal artefact correction · CPC title

• G06T11/10

  Texturing; Colouring; Generation of textures or colours (retouching, inpainting or scratch removal G06T5/77) · CPC title

• G16H30/20

  for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS · CPC title

• G16H70/00

  ICT specially adapted for the handling or processing of medical references · CPC title

• G06F18/22

  Matching criteria, e.g. proximity measures · CPC title