EP-4002269-B1 - SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR IMAGE-BASED OBJECT MODELING USING MULTIPLE IMAGE ACQUISITIONS OR RECONSTRUCTIONS

Inventors

• GRADY, LEO
• SCHAAP, MICHIEL

Dates

Publication Date

20260513

Application Date

20150414

Claims (5)

1. A method of modeling at least a portion of a patient's anatomy, using a computer system, the method comprising: determining (224) one or more first anatomical parameters of a patient's coronary vessel lumen from one or more first images of the patient's coronary vessel lumen; determining (224) one or more second anatomical parameters of the patient's coronary vessel lumen from one or more second images of the patient's coronary vessel lumen; generating (228) a model of the patient's coronary vessel lumen for each of the first and second images based on the anatomical parameters determined for said image; designating one of the first images as a reference image and registering (405c, 425c, 445c) each model generated for the first and second images to a model generated from the reference image; using the registration to combine (407, 427, 447) the one or more first anatomical parameters associated with the models generated for the first images with the one or more second anatomical parameters associated with the models generated for the second images; and generating (409, 429, 449) a model of the patient's coronary vessel lumen based at least on the combination of the anatomical parameters, said model being specific to said patient, wherein the first images are cardiac computed tomographic angiography images and the second images are: - intravascular ultrasound and/or intravascular optical coherence tomography images, or - angiography images, and each model is a model including at least a centerline and representation of a lumen diameter corresponding to a location on the centerline.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of said one or more anatomical parameters includes performing segmentation (405a, 425a, 445a) of the coronary vessel lumen of each of the first and second images to generate for each image a whole or partial vessel centerline tree and to determine a diameter of the coronary vessel lumen at each location of the centerline.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein combining (407, 427, 447) the first and second anatomical parameters includes averaging a lumen diameter at each centerline location from lumen diameters of each model generated for the first and second images.
4. A system (106) of modeling at least a portion of a patient's anatomy, using a computer system, the system comprising: a data storage device storing instructions for modeling based on patient-specific anatomic image data; and a processor configured to execute the instructions to perform a method according to any one of claims 1 to 3.
5. A non-transitory computer readable medium for use on a computer 5 system comprising a processor, containing computer-executable programming instructions, which, when executed on the processor, cause the processor to perform a method of modeling at least a portion of a patient's anatomy according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION Various embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to medical imaging and related methods. More specifically, particular embodiments of the present disclosure relate to systems and methods for image-based object modeling using multiple image acquisitions or reconstructions. BACKGROUND Medical imaging and extraction of anatomy from imaging is important, as evidenced by the many means of medical imaging available. Common forms of medical imaging include computed tomography (CT) scans, magnetic resonance imaging, intravascular ultrasound, intravascular optical coherence tomography, angiography, and histopathology optical images. CT scans are x-ray images of "slices" of a scanned object. For example, CT scans are commonly images taken as cross-sectional slices, perpendicular to the long axis of the body. Cardiac CT scans may include calcium-score screening and/or angiography. Calcium score screening scans may be used to detect calcium deposits in coronary arteries, contributing to predictions of heart problems. CT angiography is CT scanning including intravenous (IV) contrast dye to better show blood vessels and organs. Although also capable of producing tomographic images, magnetic resonance (MR) imaging uses magnetic field properties to create the images. Because CT and MRI images are produced differently, resultant images highlight different tissue properties. MR images offer better quality in soft tissue images than CT scans; CT scans image bone and blood vessels in addition to soft tissue, although the soft tissue detail is inferior to that of MR images. Depending on the anatomy of interest and purpose of imaging, CT and MR may be considered complimentary imaging techniques. Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) is a type of imaging that visualizes the inside of blood vessels. Whereas CT and MR methods involve images taken as slices of a patient body, IVUS images are achieved via a catheter traveling through an artery or vein. Thus, IVUS images may essentially show cross-sections of the artery or vein, from the center of a blood vessel, out through the vessel wall and whatever diseased portion may exist at the wall. Intravascular optical coherence tomography (OCT) is an optical analog of the ultrasound imaging of IVUS. IVUS and OCT are analogous imaging modalities, but OCT's use of light (in place of sound) offers higher resolution images than IVUS. Briefly discussed in the context of CT scans, angiography is an imaging technique that employs an injection of a contrast agent into the blood stream to better show vessels or vessel openings. While CT angiography may be preferable for coronary disease detection, MR angiography is a viable alternative. Histopathological optical imaging includes visualization of tissue on a microscopic level. Histopathological imaging can be used to identify tissue or detect for various biomarkers. One common prerequisite for the analysis of histopathological images is the localization of cells, tissue or other anatomical and cellular objects within the images. Based on images from techniques described above, anatomical models may be extracted to measure one or more properties of a patient's anatomy (e.g., a tumor or cardiac volume) or to support biophysical simulation (e.g., fluid simulation, biomechanical simulation, electrophysiological simulation, etc.). In order to accurately measure anatomical properties or predict physiological phenomena via simulation, a very precise patient-specific model must be created of the target anatomy. Imaging and subsequent extraction of anatomical models of the heart, for example, is of special importance. For instance, such imaging and modeling may provide evaluation of coronary artery disease, such as when a patient is suffering from chest pain, and/or a more severe manifestation of disease, such as myocardial infarction, or heart attack. Patients suffering from chest pain and/or exhibiting symptoms of coronary artery disease may be subjected to one or more tests that may provide some indirect evidence relating to coronary lesions. For example, noninvasive tests may include electrocardiograms, biomarker evaluation from blood tests, treadmill tests, echocardiography, single positron emission computed tomography (SPECT), and positron emission tomography (PET). These noninvasive tests, however, typically do not provide a direct assessment of coronary lesions or assess blood flow rates. The noninvasive tests may provide indirect evidence of coronary lesions by looking for changes in electrical activity of the heart (e.g., using electrocardiography (ECG)), motion of the myocardium (e.g., using stress echocardiography), perfusion of the myocardium (e.g., using PET or SPECT), or metabolic changes (e.g., using biomarkers). For example, anatomic data may be obtained noninvasively using coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA). CCTA may be used for imaging of patients with chest pain and involves using CT technolog