Computer visualization of anatomical items

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9818231-B2
Application number	US-201414459129-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 13, 2014
Priority date	Aug 13, 2013
Publication date	Nov 14, 2017
Grant date	Nov 14, 2017

Abstract

A computer-implemented medical visualization method includes identifying a three-dimensional model of an anatomical item of a particular mammal; automatically identifying an open path in three-dimensional space through the anatomical item; fitting a smooth curve to the open path; and displaying the anatomical item and a visual representation of the smooth curve to a user on a three-dimensional imaging system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented medical visualization method, comprising:
identifying a three-dimensional model of an anatomical item of a particular mammal,
wherein the three-dimensional model of the anatomical item includes defined mechanical characteristics;
automatically identifying, with a computer-implemented three-dimensional visualization system and according to identified boundaries of the anatomical item, a path in three-dimensional space through the anatomical item;
identifying a smooth curve that corresponds to the path;
displaying at least a portion of the three-dimensional model of the anatomical item to a user;
superimposing a visual representation of a virtual model of an object onto the displayed model of the anatomical item;
displaying the virtual model of the object moving along the smooth curve to the user with the three-dimensional visualization system; and
for each particular point of a plurality of points along a path through an open space in the anatomical item, automatically performing operations comprising:
generating a plurality of rays around the particular point in a common plane; and
determining lengths of each of the plurality of rays from the particular point to a boundary of the anatomical item.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising displaying to a user the anatomical item superimposed with a spline curve along the path, the spline curve being displayed in a contrasted color to the anatomical item.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of rays are spaced at n equal degrees from each other in a plane around the particular point.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, positioning points that define the smooth curve at positions that are indicated by the plurality of rays as being centered in an interior space of the anatomical item.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the anatomical item comprises portions of a heart,
the virtual model of the object comprises a three-dimensional model of a medical device, and
the smooth curve represents a path for the medical device to be introduced into the heart.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the virtual model of the object is a defined three-dimensional model having defined mechanical characteristics in a computer system, and wherein the defined mechanical characteristics are used to compute values associated with the virtual model of the object during movement along the smooth curve.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising automatically determining whether the virtual model of the object makes contact with tissue in the three-dimensional model of the anatomical item during movement along the smooth curve.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein upon determining that the virtual model of the object makes contact with tissue in the three-dimensional model of the anatomical item, performing finite element analysis based on forces imparted by the virtual model of the object on the three-dimensional model of the anatomical item, and representing a change in the tissue.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the virtual model of the object is a three-dimensional item having a length along the spline curve.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional model of the anatomical item is generated by operations comprising:
obtaining data that represents imaged two-dimensional slices of the anatomical item captured by one or more medical imaging systems;
generating an intermediate three-dimensional representation from points identified in the two-dimensional slices; and
generating the three-dimensional model from the intermediate three-dimensional representation.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising displaying an animation of the three-dimensional model of the anatomical item, the animation comprised of frames taken by imaging a real version of the anatomical item at different closely-related times, so as to show movement of the anatomical item.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the animation includes displayed motion of the virtual model of the object in coordination with movement of the anatomical item even when the object is not being moved along the smooth curve.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving an input from the user identifying locations in the three-dimensional model of the anatomical item, and presenting to the user distances in the model represented by the identified locations.

14. A computer-implemented medical visualization system, comprising:
one or more computer processors; and
memory in communication with the one or more computer processors and storing instructions that when executed by the one or more computer processors cause the performance of operations comprising:
identifying a three-dimensional model of an anatomical item of a particular mammal,
wherein the three-dimensional model of the anatomical item includes defined mechanical characteristics;
automatically identifying, with a computer-implemented visualization system and according to identified boundaries of the anatomical item, a path in three-dimensional space through the anatomical item;
identifying a smooth curve that corresponds to the path;
displaying at least a portion of the three-dimensional model of the anatomical item to a user;
superimposing a visual representation of a virtual model of an object onto the displayed model of the anatomical item;
displaying the virtual model of the object moving along the smooth curve to the user with the three-dimensional visualization system; and
for each particular point of a plurality of points along a path through an open space in the anatomical item, automatically performing operations comprising:
generating a plurality of rays around the particular point in a common plane; and
determining lengths of each of the plurality of rays from the particular point to a boundary of the anatomical item.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the operations further comprise displaying to a user the anatomical item superimposed with a spline curve along the path, the spline curve being displayed in a contrasted color to the anatomical item.

16. The system of claim 14 , wherein:
the anatomical item comprises portions of a heart,
the virtual model of the object comprises a three-dimensional model of a medical device, and
the smooth curve represents a path for a the medical device to be introduced into the heart.

17. The system of claim 14 , wherein the virtual model of the object is a defined three-dimensional model having defined mechanical characteristics in a computer system, and wherein the defined mechanical characteristics are usable to compute values associated with the virtual model of the object during movement along the smooth curve.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the operations further comprise automatically determining whether the virtual model of the object makes contact with tissue in the three-dimensional model of the anatomical item during movement along the smooth curve.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein upon determining that the virtual model of the object makes contact with tissue in the three-dimensional model of the anatomical item, performing finite element analysis based on forces imparted by the virtual model of the object on the three-dimensional model of the anatomical item, and representing a change in the tissue.

20. The system of claim 14 , wherein the virtual model of the object is a three-dimensional model of an item having a length along the smooth curve.

21. The sy

Assignees

• Boston Scient Scimed Inc
• Univ Minnesota

Inventors

• Coffey Dane
• Keefe Daniel F
• Erdman Arthur G
• Bidne Benjamin J
• Ostenson Gregory Ernest
• Flynn David M
• Merdan Kenneth Matthew

Classifications

• A61B2034/107

  Visualisation of planned trajectories or target regions · CPC title

• G06T15/00

  Three-dimensional [3D] image rendering · CPC title

• A61B2034/102

  Modelling of surgical devices, implants or prosthesis · CPC title

• G06F3/01

  Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer (G06F3/16 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06F3/011

  Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality (blind teaching G09B21/00) · CPC title