Vascular image co-registration

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-RE46562-E
Application number	US-201514727617-A
Country	US
Kind code	E1
Filing date	Jun 1, 2015
Priority date	Jan 11, 2005
Publication date	Oct 3, 2017
Grant date	Oct 3, 2017

Abstract

A system and method for providing a vascular image are disclosed wherein a single composite display simultaneously provides a first view of a patient including an angiogram image and a second view including an intravascular image rendered from information provided by an imaging probe mounted on a distal end of a flexible elongate member. A cursor, having a position derived from image information provided by a radiopaque marker proximate the imaging probe, is displayed within the angiogram image to correlate the position of the imaging probe to a presently displayed intravascular image and thus provide an easily discernable identification of a position within a patient corresponding to a currently displayed intravascular image. The resulting composite display simultaneously provides: an intravascular image that includes information about a vessel that is not available from an angiogram and a current location within a vessel of a source of intravascular image data from which the intravascular image is rendered.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for acquisition and co-registered display of intravascular information, comprising:
an imaging flexible elongate member having a proximal end and a distal end; an imaging probe located near the distal end of the flexible elongate member, and configured to obtain information for generating an image of a vessel; a radiopaque marker located near the imaging probe; a first memory for storing angiogram image data; a second memory for storing intravascular image data derived from information obtained by the imaging probe; a third memory for storing radiopaque marker image data, distinct from the angiogram image data, the radiopaque marker image data being derived from information obtained from a fluoroscopic imaging device; a display processor configured to retrieve and combine data from the first memory, the second memory and the third memory, and further configured to render a composite image including:
an enhanced radiological image derived from the angiogram image data comprising a superimposition of at least a portion of the angiogram data and the radiopaque marker image data and providing a location of the radiopaque marker based upon an actual location during active fluoroscopy and an estimated location during inactive fluoroscopy,
an intravascular image element corresponding to the intravascular image data, wherein the enhanced radiological image and the intravascular image element are displayed proximate each other; and
a cursor, displayed upon the enhanced radiological image, indicative of a location of the imaging probe while acquiring data for the intravascular image element presently displayed on the composite image, said cursor having a position that is based at least in part on third data derived from the radiopaque marker image data stored in the third memory;

wherein the display processor is further configured to calculate an error function based on a difference between the estimated location of the radiopaque marker and the actual location of the radiopaque marker and wherein the display processor further configured to utilize the error function to correct the estimated location of the radiopaque marker for the preceding period of inactive fluoroscopy.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the flexible elongate member is a catheter.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the imaging probe comprises an ultrasound device.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the ultrasound device is a side-firing intravascular ultrasound transducer assembly.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the side-firing intravascular ultrasound transducer assembly comprises an array of transducer elements.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the array of transducer elements are linearly arranged along a lengthwise axis of the flexible elongate member.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein the array of transducer elements are curvilinearly arranged about a lengthwise axis of the flexible elongate member.

8. The system of claim 5 wherein the array of transducer elements are circumferentially arranged about a lengthwise axis of the flexible elongate member.

9. The system of claim 3 wherein the ultrasound device comprises a Doppler transducer.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the flexible elongate member comprises a guidewire.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the flexible elongate member is a guidewire and the imaging probe comprises a pressure sensor.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the radiopaque marker comprises a cylindrical marker band.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the radiopaque marker comprises at least one partially complete cylindrical marker band.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the radiopaque marker comprises two semi-cylindrical marker bands.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the two semi-cylindrical marker bands are skewed in relation to one another along a lengthwise axis of the flexible elongate member.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the display processor further comprises an orientation determination function for determining a relative orientation of the imaging probe within the vessel based upon at least a relative size and position of the two semi-cylindrical marker bands in relation to one another.

17. The system of claim 1 wherein the third data is derived from user-specified points.

18. The system of claim 1 wherein the third data is derived by automated processes that determine a position of the radiopaque marker within a field of view.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the automated processes utilize image pattern recognition to determine the position.

20. The system of claim 1 wherein the third data is derived from a combination of manual user input and automated calculations.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the automated calculations include determination of a predicted path of the imaging probe.

22. The system of claim 1 wherein the display processor further comprises a bookmark function enabling a user to designate particular images of interest in a stored set of images containing at least the intravascular image element.

23. The system of claim 1 wherein the enhanced radiological image includes a calculated path of the imaging probe.

24. The system of claim 1 wherein the display processor further comprises-a slider function associated with the cursor that enables a user to reposition the cursor to a point of interest on the enhanced radiological image through a user interface control, and in response displays a particular instance of the intravascular image element associated with the point of interest.

25. The system of claim 1 , wherein the estimated location is based at least in part on a calculated path of the imaging probe and wherein the calculated path is updated based on the error function that is calculated based on a difference between the estimated location of the radiopaque marker and the actual location of the radiopaque marker.

26. A method for acquiring and displaying intravascular information in a system including an imaging flexible elongate member having a proximal end and a distal end, an imaging probe located near the distal end of the flexible elongate member, and configured to obtain information for generating an image of a vessel, and a radiopaque marker located near the imaging probe, the method comprising the steps of:
storing angiogram image data in a first memory; storing intravascular image data derived from information obtained by the imaging probe in a second memory; storing radiopaque marker image data, distinct from the angiogram image data, in a third memory, the radiopaque marker image data being derived from information obtained from a fluoroscopic imaging device; combining, by a display processor, data retrieved from the first memory, the second memory and the third memory to render a composite image including:
an enhanced radiological image derived from the angiogram image data comprising a superimposition of at least a portion of the angiogram data and the radiopaque marker data and providing a location of the radiopaque marker based upon an actual location during active fluoroscopy and an estimated location during inactive fluoroscopy, and
an intravascular image element corresponding to the intravascular image data, wherein the enhanced radiological image and the intravascular image element are displayed proximate each other; and
displaying a cursor upon the enhanced radiological imag

Assignees

• Volcano Corp

Inventors

• Huennekens R Scott
• Fry Stephen M
• Walker Blair D
• Klingensmith Jon D
• Pool Nancy Perry
• Burgess Vincent J
• Kanz William R

Classifications

• A61B8/12

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

• A61B8/463

  characterised by displaying multiple images or images and diagnostic data on one display · CPC title

• A61B5/06 Primary

  Devices, other than using radiation, for detecting or locating foreign bodies {; Determining position of diagnostic devices within or on the body of the patient} · CPC title

• A61B6/463

  characterised by displaying multiple images or images and diagnostic data on one display · CPC title

• A61B8/4494

  characterised by the arrangement of the transducer elements · CPC title