Methods, systems, and devices for analyzing lung imaging data

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024366169-A1
Application number	US-202418658713-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 8, 2024
Priority date	Feb 5, 2016
Publication date	Nov 7, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

Devices, methods, and systems are provided for analyzing lung imaging data. A server computing device receives imaging data of a lung over a network from a client computing device and analyzes the imaging data to identify lung, airways, and blood vessels, segment the lung into lobes, subtract airways, calculate volumes, calculate emphysema scores, identify fissure locations, calculate fissure completeness scores. A reconstruction of the fissures indicating locations where the fissures are incomplete and a report comprising fissure scores, volumes, and emphysema scores are created.

First claim

1 . A method for analyzing computerized tomography data of a lung, the method comprising:
receiving by a server computing device computerized tomography data of a lung over a network from a client computing device at a different location; analyzing the computerized tomography data, wherein analyzing the computerized tomography data comprises:
identifying the lung and airways;
segmenting the lung separate lobes;
subtracting airways until at least the third generation;
calculating volumes of the lobes;
calculating emphysema scores for the lobes based on density masks;
identifying fissure locations;
calculating a fissure completeness score for the fissures;
creating a three-dimensional reconstruction of the fissures indicating locations where the fissures are incomplete; and
creating a report comprising fissure completeness scores, volumes, emphysema scores, and the three-dimensional reconstruction.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the report further comprises a two-dimensional graphical representation of the lung with the lobes identified;
wherein the lobes are shaded or colored in the two-dimensional graphical representation to indicate the emphysema score.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the report further comprises a three-dimensional graphical representation of the lung;
wherein the lobes are identified in the three-dimensional graphical representation; wherein the lobes are shaded or colored in the three-dimensional graphical representation to indicate the emphysema score.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the fissures are identified in the three-dimensional graphical representation indicating the fissure completeness scores.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising delivering the report over the network to the client computing device.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the report comprises patient selection information or personalized treatment planning information.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the report comprises personalized treatment planning information; wherein personalized treatment planning information comprises identification of regions of interest or potential treatment sites and suggested treatments for the potential treatment sites.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving new computerized tomography data of the lung by the server computing device over a network after treatment;
analyzing the new anonymized computerized tomography data; and comparing the lung after treatment to the lung before treatment to determine treatment success.

9 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising improving patient selection, identification of regions of interest, or determination of treatment options through machine learning.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining airway diameters for lobar bronchi, segmental bronchi, and sub-segmental bronchi for each lobe; and
determining a distance from an ostium to a distal carina for the lobar bronchi, segmental bronchi, and sub-segmental bronchi; wherein the report contains the determined airway diameters and distances.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the report comprises a potential treatment site and a suggested implantable endobronchial valve having a diameter and length matching the diameter and distance determined for the potential treatment site.

12 . The method of claim 11 wherein the report comprises airway navigation information for accessing the potential treatment site, wherein the navigation information comprises turn-by-turn steps for accessing the potential treatment site.

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the report comprises a three-dimensional airway model or a two-dimensional image of an entrance to an airway.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein analyzing the computerized tomography data further comprises segmenting the lobes into separate lung segments;
calculating volumes of the lung segments; and calculating emphysema scores for the segments based on density masks; and wherein the report comprises volumes and emphysema scores for each lung segment.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein analyzing the computerized tomography data further comprises segmenting each lung segment into separate lung sub-segments;
calculating volumes of the lung sub-segments; and calculating emphysema scores for the sub-segments based on density masks; wherein the report comprises volumes and emphysema scores for each lung sub-segment.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the report comprises a region of interest in contact with a location where a fissure is incomplete, a suggested therapeutic agent to be delivered at the region of interest, and a closest airway for treatment of the region of interest with the therapeutic agent, wherein the therapeutic agent is a sealant.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the report comprises airway navigation information for accessing the region of interest, wherein the navigation information comprises turn-by-turn steps for accessing the region of interest.

18 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising identifying which sub-segments are in contact with one of the locations where a fissure is incomplete;
wherein the report indicates the identified sub-segments in contact with a location where a fissure is incomplete.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the report comprises airway navigation information for accessing the location where the fissure is incomplete.

20 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the report further comprises a three-dimensional graphical representation of the lung;
wherein each lung segment and lung sub-segment is identified in the three-dimensional graphical representation; wherein the lung segments and lung sub-segments are shaded or colored in the three-dimensional graphical representation to indicate the emphysema score; and wherein the report contains multiple two-dimensional graphical representations of cross sections of the lung.

21 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the lines that indicate fissure completeness scores are classified into different fissure completeness score categories with different line types based on the fissure completeness score; wherein the fissure completeness categories comprise a high completeness category corresponding to a fissure completeness score greater than a first predetermined value, a low completeness category corresponding to a fissure completeness score less than a second predetermined value, and an intermediate completeness category corresponding fissure completeness score between the first and second predetermined values.

Assignees

• Pulmonx Corp

Inventors

• Radhakrishnan Sri
• Olivera Ryan

Classifications

• G06T2207/10081

  Computed x-ray tomography [CT] · CPC title

• G06T2207/30061

  Lung · CPC title

• G06T7/0012

  Biomedical image inspection · CPC title

• A61B6/563

  involving image data transmission via a network · CPC title

• A61B6/5205

  involving processing of raw data to produce diagnostic data · CPC title