Programming interface for spinal cord neuromodulation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9867989-B2
Application number	US-201414537299-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 10, 2014
Priority date	Jun 14, 2010
Publication date	Jan 16, 2018
Grant date	Jan 16, 2018

Abstract

A tool for assisting in the planning or performing of electrical neuromodulation of a patient's spinal cord. The tool may have various functions and capabilities, including calculating a volume of activation, registering an electrode(s) shown in a radiologic image, constructing functional images of the patient's spinal anatomy, targeting of neuromodulation, finding a functional midline between multiple electrodes, determining the three-dimensional position of multiple electrodes, and/or accommodating for electrode migration. In certain embodiments, the tool can be embodied as computer software or a computer system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for assisting planning or performing of neuromodulation in a patient, comprising:
receiving a first radiologic image showing an electrode and an anatomic region of the patient;
receiving a second radiologic image showing the electrode and the anatomic region of the patient, wherein the second radiologic image provides a different view than the first radiologic image;
using the first radiologic image and the second radiologic image to determine a three-dimensional position of the electrode in relation to the anatomic region; and
displaying the electrode and a display image of the anatomic region on a display screen.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first radiologic image and second radiologic image show multiple electrodes, and further comprising:
using the first radiologic image and the second radiologic image to determine the three-dimensional position of the multiple electrodes in relation to each other.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first radiologic image and second radiologic image are x-ray images.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the first radiologic image is an anterior-posterior view x-ray image and the second radiologic image is a lateral view x-ray Image.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the anatomic region is a spinal anatomy of the patient.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a functional midline for the electrode; and
displaying on the display screen, an image of the anatomic region and the electrode such that the functional midline of the electrode is aligned to a physiologic midline of the anatomic region.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the anatomic region is a spinal cord.

8. A computer system that is programmed to perform steps that comprise:
receiving a first radiologic image showing an electrode and an anatomic region of the patient;
receiving a second radiologic image showing the electrode and the anatomic region of the patient, wherein the second radiologic image provides a different view than the first radiologic image; and
using the first radiologic image and the second radiologic image to determine a three-dimensional position of the electrode in relation to the anatomic region.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the anatomic region is a spinal anatomy of the patient.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein determining the functional midline comprises:
receiving information about a first relative electrical neuromodulation intensity between a first electrode contact among multiple electrode contacts and a first counterpart electrode contact among the multiple electrode contacts; and
based on the first relative electrical neuromodulation intensity, determining a first midpoint between the first electrode contact and the first counterpart electrode contact.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein determining the functional midline further comprises:
receiving information about a second relative electrical neuromodulation intensity between a second electrode contact among the multiple electrode contacts and a second counterpart electrode contact among the multiple electrode contacts;
based on the second relative electrical neuromodulation intensity, determining a second midpoint between the second electrode contact and the second counterpart electrode contact; and
establishing the functional midline as a line between the first midpoint and the second midpoint.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein multiple electrodes are located in the first radiologic image; and wherein the first electrode contact is on a first one of the multiple electrodes and the first counterpart electrode contact is on a second one of the multiple electrodes.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein determining the functional midline further comprises:
receiving information about a second relative electrical neuromodulation intensity between a second electrode contact on the first one of the multiple electrodes and a second counterpart electrode contact on the second one of the multiple electrodes;
based on the second relative electrical neuromodulation intensity, determining a second midpoint between the second electrode contact and the second counterpart electrode contact; and
establishing the functional midline as a line between the first midpoint and the second midpoint.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising determining a relative position of the multiple electrodes in relation to each other.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first relative electrical neuromodulation intensity between the first electrode contact and the first counterpart electrode contact is an electrode neuromodulation setting that produces a parasthesia that is centered on the patient's body.

16. The computer system of claim 8 , wherein the computer system is further programmed to perform actions that comprise:
determining a functional midline for the electrode.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions executable by a computer processor, the instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform a method, the method comprising:
receiving a first radiologic image showing an electrode and an anatomic region of the patient;
receiving a second radiologic image showing the electrode and the anatomic region of the patient, wherein the second radiologic image provides a different view than the first radiologic image; and
using the first radiologic image and the second radiologic image to determine a three-dimensional position of the electrode in relation to the anatomic region.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the anatomic region is a spinal anatomy of the patient.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to perform actions, the actions comprising:
determining a functional midline for the electrode.

Assignees

• Boston Scient Neuromodulation Corp

Inventors

• Blum David Arthur
• Schulte Gregory T
• Kokones Scott
• Carlton Keith

Classifications

• A61N1/37247

  User interfaces, e.g. input or presentation means · CPC title

• A61N1/37235

  Aspects of the external programmer · CPC title

• A61N1/36132

  using patient feedback · CPC title

• G06F19/3437

  Physics · mapped topic

• G06F19/321

  Physics · mapped topic