Devices, systems, and methods for controlling field of view in imaging systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9814443-B2
Application number	US-201514823894-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 11, 2015
Priority date	Oct 31, 2011
Publication date	Nov 14, 2017
Grant date	Nov 14, 2017

Abstract

Devices, systems, and methods for controlling an intravascular imaging device are provided. For example, in one embodiment a method includes communicating a control signal to an actuator of the intravascular imaging device to cause oscillation of an imaging element of the intravascular imaging device, wherein the intravascular imaging device further includes an acoustic marker; receiving imaging data from the imaging element of the intravascular imaging device; identifying the acoustic marker in the imaging data by determining a correlation between the imaging data and a template representative of the acoustic marker; adjusting an aspect of the control signal based on identifying the acoustic marker; and communicating the adjusted control signal to the actuator of the intravascular imaging device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of controlling an intravascular imaging device, the method comprising:
communicating, by a computer device in communication with the intravascular imaging device, an initial control signal to an actuator of the intravascular imaging device to cause an initial oscillation of an imaging element of the intravascular imaging device across a first field-of-view angle, wherein the intravascular imaging device further includes an imaging marker;
receiving an initial image from the imaging element of the intravascular device;
identifying a region of the initial image as containing image data of the imaging marker;
defining the region as a template representative of the imaging marker;
communicating, by the computer device in communication with the intravascular imaging device, a control signal to the actuator of the intravascular imaging device to cause oscillation of the imaging element of the intravascular imaging device across a second field-of-view angle different than the first field-of-view angle;
receiving imaging data from the imaging element of the intravascular imaging device;
identifying the imaging marker in the imaging data by determining a correlation between the imaging data and the template representative of the imaging marker;
adjusting an aspect of the control signal based on identifying the imaging marker; and
communicating the adjusted control signal to the actuator of the intravascular imaging device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the imaging marker includes identifying the imaging marker in a series of frames of the imaging data.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein identifying the imaging marker includes determining a maximum correlation between the imaging data and the template in the series of frames of the imaging data.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein adjusting said aspect of the control signal includes adjusting at least one of power or energy to the actuator to cause the actuator to move the imaging element such that the imaging marker is positioned in a desired location in a subsequent frame of the imaging data.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the imaging marker is located at a shallow depth of focus of the imaging element, and wherein the shallow depth of focus is closer to the imaging element than a target depth of focus that contains an internal structure of a patient.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein determining the correlation includes determining the correlation between the template and a region of interest located at the shallow depth of focus in the imaging data.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein identifying the imaging marker includes identifying the imaging marker in a series of frames of the imaging data, and wherein the region of interest is selected based on at least one of:
a distance of the imaging marker relative to the imaging element, an angular extent of the imaging marker relative to a field of view of the imaging element, a maximum anticipated frame-to-frame change in angle coverage, an imaging marker location in a previous frame, and image depth, or a maximum expected imaging element motion between frames.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the region of the initial image as containing image data of the imaging marker comprises determining a location of the imaging marker within the initial image using a threshold algorithm or a running average algorithm.

9. A method of controlling an imaging device, the method comprising:
communicating, by a computer device in communication with the imaging device, an initial control signal to an actuator of the imaging device to cause an initial oscillation of an imaging element of the imaging device across a first field of view where an imaging marker of the imaging device is not located;
receiving an initial image of the first field of view from the imaging element of the intravascular device;
defining the initial image as a template of a constant signal region;
receiving, by the computer device in communication with the imaging device, imaging data representative of a second field of view of the internal structure of a patient from the oscillating imaging element of the imaging device;
processing the imaging data to identify the imaging marker in the imaging data, wherein processing the imaging data to identify the imaging marker includes correlating the imaging data and the template of the constant signal region, wherein a region of minimum correlation between the image data and the template indicates a location of the imaging marker; and
adjusting, based on processing the imaging data to identify the imaging marker, a control signal provided to the actuator of the imaging device to achieve a desired field of view for the oscillating imaging element.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein processing the imaging data includes identifying the imaging marker in a series of frames of the imaging data.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein adjusting said aspect of the control signal includes adjusting at least one of power or energy provided to the actuator to cause the actuator to move the oscillating imaging element such that the imaging marker is positioned in a desired location in a subsequent frame of the imaging data.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the imaging marker is located at a shallow depth of focus of the imaging element, and wherein the shallow depth of focus is closer to the imaging element than a target depth of focus that contains the internal structure of the patient.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein processing the imaging data includes correlating the template and a region of interest located at the shallow depth of focus in the imaging data.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein processing the imaging data includes identifying the imaging marker in a series of frames of the imaging data, and wherein the region of interest is selected based on at least one of:
a distance of the imaging marker relative to the oscillating imaging element, an angular extent of the imaging marker relative to the desired field of view of the oscillating imaging element, a maximum anticipated frame-to-frame change in angle coverage, an imaging marker location in a previous frame, and image depth, or a maximum expected oscillating imaging element motion between frames.

15. An imaging system, comprising:
an imaging device including:
a flexible elongate member having a proximal portion and a distal portion, the flexible elongate member sized and shaped for use within an internal structure of a patient;
an imaging element positioned at the distal portion of the flexible elongate member;
an imaging marker positioned at the distal portion of the flexible elongate member; and
an actuator operable to impart oscillating motion to the imaging element; and

a controller in communication with the imaging device, the controller operable to:
cause an initial oscillation of the imaging element across a first field-of-view angle;
receive an initial image from the imaging element;
identify a region of the initial image as containing image data of the imaging marker;
define the region as a template representative of the imaging marker;
receive imaging data of the internal structure of the patient across a second field-of-view angle different than the first field-of-view angle from the imaging element of the imaging device;
identify the imaging marker in the imaging data by determining a correlation between the imaging data and the template representative of the imaging marker; and
adjust a control signal provided to the actuator of the imaging device to achieve

Assignees

• Volcano Corp

Inventors

• Ho Dietrich
• Begin Elizabeth
• Levy Oren
• Sproul Jason

Classifications

• A61B1/00097

  Sensors · CPC title

• A61B1/00009

  of image signals during a use of endoscope · CPC title

• A61B8/4466 Primary

  involving deflection of the probe · CPC title

• A61B1/00006 Primary

  of control signals · CPC title

• A61B8/12

  in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters · CPC title