Calibration and image processing devices, methods and systems

Abstract

In part, the invention relates to systems and methods of calibrating a plurality of frames generated with respect to a blood vessel as a result of a pullback of an intravascular imaging probe being pullback through the vessel. A calibration feature disposed in the frames that changes between a subset of the frames can be used to perform calibration. Calibration can be performed post-pullback. Various filters and image processing techniques can be used to identify one or more feature in the frames including, without limitation, a calibration feature, a guidewire, a side branch, a stent strut, a lumen of the blood vessel, and other features. The feature can be displayed using a graphic user interface.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates to imaging systems, and more particularly, to image data collection probes, data collection systems, optical coherence tomography, and related methods. Background technique [0002] Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is an interferometric imaging technique widely used in ophthalmology, cardiology, gastroenterology and other fields. In interferometric imaging, light from a known and controllable optical path ('reference path') interferes with light returning from an unknown path such that the resulting interferogram can be analyzed to determine ')Information. The interferogram contains depth location information for structures within the sample being analyzed. A specific advantage of OCT is its inherent compatibility with optical fibers, making it a nearly ideal imaging modality for non-invasive or minimally invasive medical procedures. [0003] Typically, for OCT systems, the sample and interferometric path lengths are ...

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Problems solved by technology

Furthermore, the use of software to detect an appropriate zero offset ('z offset') is problematic and unreliable due to the possible presence of multiple closely spaced and similar intensity reflections

Also, as a further complication, since imaging systems and the disposable catheter-based probes used by such systems change over time, the software used for one system is often not designed to work with different OCT probes

Calibration drift and other imaging artifacts can also affect image quality during frames post-pullback

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