Hybrid electroanatomical map coloring tool with draggable geodesic overlay

Abstract

The present invention is entitled "Hybrid Electroanatomical Map Coloring Tool with Draggable Geodesic Overlay." The present invention discloses a method comprising receiving two or more surface representations of at least a portion of an organ of a patient. Registering the two or more received surface representations with each other. Selecting one of the surface representations as a base map. Generating a draggable geodesic region for at least one surface representation of the two or more surface representations that is not selected as the base map, wherein the geodesic region is configured to follow a changing anatomical structure as the region is dragged on the base map. Overlaying the draggable geodesic region on the base map to generate a hybrid multi-layer representation, and presenting the hybrid multi-layer representation to a user.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates generally to cardiac mapping, and particularly to visualizing anatomical cardiac maps. Background Art

[0002] Graphical tools for assisting in the analysis of rendered organs have been previously proposed in the patent literature. For example, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007 / 0003119 describes a display and navigation method for various computer-aided detection (CAD) methods. A medical image is displayed to a viewer, and a request for instantiating CAD-assisted viewing is received. A chronological presentation sequence of CAD detections is automatically calculated based on predetermined sorting criteria. For each CAD detection, an expanded presentation two-dimensional window is displayed floating on the computer screen for its associated position in the medical image, with the expanded presentation window displayed according to the chronological presentation sequence.

[0003] As another example, U.S. Patent Application Publication 2010 / 0268059 describes an exemplary method that includes accessing cardiac information via a catheter located at various locations within a venous network of a patient's heart. The cardiac information includes positional information, electrical information, and mechanical information. Local electrical activation times are mapped to anatomical locations to generate an electrical activation time map. Local mechanical activation times are mapped to anatomical locations to generate a mechanical activation time map. An electromechanical delay map is generated by subtracting the local electrical activation times from the corresponding local mechanical activation times, and at least the electromechanical delay map is plotted on a display.

[0004] U.S. Patent Application Publication 2003 / 0016850 describes a system and graphical user interface for analyzing body images. In one exemplary embodiment, the present invention provides a graphical user interface having a display coupled to a microprocessor device and a memory device. The graphical user interface includes electrical representations of a first body image and a second body image, and an electrical map representing the locations of nodules on the first and second body images. In one embodiment, the results in the images are derived through a binary operation between two input images. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention provides a method comprising receiving two or more surface representations of at least a portion of a patient's organ and overlaying the surface representations. The two or more received surface representations are registered with each other. One of the surface representations is selected as a base map. A draggable geodesic region is generated for at least one surface representation of the two or more surface representations that is not selected as the base map, wherein the geodesic region is configured to follow a changing anatomical structure as the region is dragged over the base map. The draggable geodesic region is overlaid on the base map to generate a hybrid multi-layer representation, and the hybrid multi-layer representation is presented to a user.

[0006] In some embodiments, the two or more surface representations include different types of electroanatomical (EA) maps.

[0007] In some embodiments, the different types of EA maps include color-coded EA maps.

[0008] In another embodiment, the different types of EA maps include a bipolar map and a local activation time (LAT) map.

[0009] In some embodiments, the geodesic area has a circular shape.In other embodiments, the geodesic area is dragged in response to user input.

[0010] In yet another embodiment, the method further includes selecting another surface representation as the base map in response to user input, and generating a draggable geodesic region for at least one surface representation of the two or more surface representations that was not selected as the base map.

[0011] According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is further provided a system comprising a memory and a processor. The memory is configured to store two or more surface representations of at least a portion of a patient's organ. The processor is configured to perform the following operations: (a) registering the two or more received surface representations with each other, (b) selecting one of the surface representations as a base map, (c) generating a draggable geodesic region for at least one surface representation that is not selected as a base map in the two or more surface representations, wherein the geodesic region is configured to follow a changing anatomical structure as the region is dragged on the base map, (d) superimposing the draggable geodesic region on the base map to generate a hybrid multi-layer representation, and (e) presenting the hybrid multi-layer representation to a user. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] The present invention will be more fully understood through the following detailed description of embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0013] Figure 1is a schematic illustration of a system for electroanatomical (EA) mapping according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0014] Figure 2 is a schematic graphical volume rendering a hybrid electroanatomical (EA) map of the left atrium according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and

[0015] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a method for generating a Figure 2 Flowchart of a method for hybrid electroanatomical (EA) mapping. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] Overview

[0017] Catheter-based electroanatomical (EA) mapping techniques can produce various types of EA maps of organs, such as the left atrium of the heart. In some cases, to interpret an EA map, a physician needs to compare two different EA maps. For example, to examine cardiac scar tissue, a physician can view a local activation time (LAT) colored map and also a bipolar potential colored map. The physician can switch between the maps or place them side by side in two windows. Either approach is time-consuming, and for both methods, because there is no registration, it is difficult to accurately compare specific anatomical regions.

[0018] Furthermore, to facilitate clinical decisions, such as the amount of ablation energy to use at an organ region, the physician may need to visually inspect other types of maps, such as heart wall thickness and / or the location of major blood vessels in the region, further complicating the physician's task.

[0019] Embodiments of the invention described herein provide real-time and integrated mode methods for overlaying one or more regions of a surface representation, such as an EA map or other type of map, on another surface representation, which may also be a type of EA map.

[0020] In some exemplary embodiments, a processor registers two or more surface representations with one another. The processor then selects one of the surface representations as a base map based on a user's judgment or a pre-specified protocol. The processor generates a draggable geodesic region for at least one surface representation of the two or more surface representations that was not selected as a base map, wherein the geodesic region is configured to follow an anatomical structure that changes as the region is dragged on the base map. The processor overlays the draggable geodesic region on one of the surface representations that serves as the base map. Finally, the processor presents the resulting hybrid multi-layer representation, including the at least one draggable geodesic region, to the user.

[0021] In an exemplary embodiment, the processor is further configured to provide, for example, the following functionality: selecting another surface representation as a base map from a user interface tool, and generating a draggable geodesic region for at least one surface representation of the two or more surface representations that was not selected as the base map.

[0022] In an optional exemplary embodiment, a variation of the method disclosed herein is provided in which the processor opens one or more windows in one or more outer layers of the multi-layer representation to view one or more inner layers passing therethrough. The opening of the geodesic window gives the same result as superimposing the geodesic region by (i) reversing the order of the maps and (ii) opening the geodesic window in the outer map to view the region of the inner map. Thus, in some exemplary embodiments of the present invention, superimposing the geodesic region or opening the geodesic window are two ways to achieve a similar user experience and similar beneficial effects for the physician.

[0023] In one exemplary embodiment, the physician may move the geodesic region by dragging the geodesic region using a user interface tool such as a computer mouse and / or a touch screen.

[0024] In some exemplary embodiments, the processor overlays the circular geodesic region of the bipolar potential map on the LAT map. By dragging and / or resizing the overlay using user interface tools, a physician can, for example, quickly inspect an area of ​​cardiac tissue for scarring without having to switch between the two EA maps (i.e., switching back and forth).

[0025] In another exemplary embodiment, a LAT map may be superimposed in a geodesic region, where the geodesic region has a different LAT range than the main map.

[0026] In another exemplary embodiment, the order of the EA maps can be swapped by the physician using, for example, a user interface tool to toggle between two sorting options for the hybrid map (i.e., geodesic regions of the LAT map superimposed on the bipolar potential map). When generating multiple superimposed regions of multiple maps, the physician can reorder the layers to select which layer will constitute the base map and which layers will have regions superimposed on the base map.

[0027] In another exemplary embodiment, multiple geodesic regions may be opened simultaneously and independently placed and moved on the map.

[0028] Typically, the processor is programmed with a specific algorithm that enables the processor to perform each of the processor-related steps and functions listed above.

[0029] The disclosed techniques can help physicians interpret two or more types of EA maps of the same organ, as well as other types of maps. Thus, the disclosed techniques can accelerate and improve the quality of complex diagnostic tasks, such as those required in diagnostic catheterization.

[0030] System Description

[0031] Figure 1 is a schematic illustration of a system for electroanatomical (EA) mapping according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 Shows the use of EA A physician 27 is provided with a catheter 29 to perform EA mapping of a heart 23 of a patient 25. The catheter 29 includes at its distal end one or more arms 20 that may be mechanically flexible, each arm coupled to one or more electrodes 22. During a mapping procedure, the electrodes 22 acquire unipolar and / or bipolar signals from and / or inject such signals into tissue of the heart 23. The processor 28 receives these signals via an electrical interface 35 and uses the information contained in these signals to construct an EA map 31 that the processor 28 stores in a memory 33. During and / or after this procedure, the processor 28 may display the EA map 31 on the display 26.

[0032] In some exemplary embodiments, the EA map 31 comprises a circular geodesic overlay region of a bipolar potential map superimposed on a LAT map, such as Figure 2 shown and described in detail later.

[0033] During the procedure, a tracking system is used to track the respective positions of the sensing electrodes 22 so that each of these signals can be associated with the location where the signal was acquired. For example, the Advanced Catheter Localization (ACL) system manufactured by Biosense-Webster (Irvine, California) described in U.S. Patent 8,456,182, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, can be used. In the ACL system, a processor estimates the respective positions of the electrodes based on the impedance measured between each sensing electrode 22 and a plurality of surface electrodes 24 coupled to the skin of the patient 25. For example, three surface electrodes 24 may be coupled to the patient's chest and another three surface electrodes may be coupled to the patient's back. (For ease of illustration, Figure 1(Only one surface electrode is shown.) Current is passed between electrode 22 and surface electrode 24 within the patient's heart 23. Processor 28 calculates the estimated locations of all electrodes 22 within the patient's heart based on the ratios between the resulting current magnitudes (or the impedances represented by these magnitudes) measured at the surface electrodes 24 and the known locations of electrodes 24 on the patient's body. Thus, the processor can associate any given impedance signal received from an electrode 22 with the location where the signal was acquired.

[0034] Figure 1 The exemplary illustrations shown are chosen solely for the sake of conceptual clarity. Other tracking methods may be used, such as those based on measuring voltage signals. Other types of sensing catheters may also be employed, such as Catheter (manufactured by Biosense Webster). A contact sensor may be mounted at the distal end of the EA catheter 29. As described above, other types of electrodes (such as electrodes used for ablation) may be utilized in a manner similar to that mounted to the electrodes 22 to collect the desired position data. Thus, in this case, the ablation electrodes used to collect position data are considered sensing electrodes. In an optional embodiment, the processor 28 is further configured to indicate the quality of physical contact between each electrode 22 and the inner surface of the cardiac chamber during the measurement.

[0035] The processor 28 typically comprises a general purpose computer having software programmed to perform the functions described herein. Specifically, the processor 28 executes the software disclosed herein including Figure 3 The software may be downloaded to a computer in electronic form over a network, for example, or it may alternatively or additionally be provided and / or stored on a non-transitory tangible medium such as magnetic, optical or electronic memory.

[0036] Hybrid electroanatomical map coloring tool with draggable geodesic overlay

[0037] Figure 2 FIG. 4 is a schematic graphical volume illustrating a hybrid electroanatomical (EA) map of the left atrium 40 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. As shown, Figure 2 A draggable circular geodesic region 60 of a bipolar potential map superimposed on a LAT map 50 is shown. The geodesic region 60 shows color-coded bipolar ECG signal amplitudes, while the LAT map 50 shows color-coded activation times (both shown herein in grayscale). A physician can move the circular geodesic overlay region 60, for example, by dragging the interior of the circle, and also change the radius of the circular region 60. Using the geodesic overlay, a physician can, for example, quickly inspect an area of ​​cardiac tissue for scarring without having to switch between two EA maps (i.e., switching back and forth).

[0038] Although Figure 2 A circular geodesic overlay region is shown, but the overlay region may have another shape, for example, a shape that provides an isometric view that varies with position on the organ. Figure 2 A hybrid two-layer EA map is shown, but the disclosed techniques can superimpose regions from more maps to form a multi-layer map comprising two or more superimposed geodesic regions, at least one of which is not an EP map, such superimposed regions indicating, for example, heart wall thickness.

[0039] If the maps were acquired at different times or using different position modalities, processor 28 can adjust one or more maps to best fit the current master map. In this way, information from the other maps will be appropriately displayed within the geodesic region of interest on the master map.

[0040] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a method for generating a Figure 2 FIG2 is a flow chart of a method for hybrid electroanatomical (EA) mapping of the present invention. According to the embodiment presented, the algorithm performs a process that begins with the processor 28 receiving a LAT and bipolar potential EA map of the left atrium 40 at a map receiving step 70. In an exemplary embodiment, the processor uploads the map from the memory 33.

[0041] Next, at a map registration step 72 , processor 28 registers the bipolar map with the LAT map.

[0042] Next, at a base map selection step 74, the processor selects the LAT map 50 as the base map. At a region overlay step 76, the processor 28 generates a draggable geodesic region 60 of the bipolar potential map and overlays the region 60 on the LAT map 50. Finally, at a hybrid map presentation step 78, the processor 28 presents the resulting hybrid EA map 102 to the physician on a display.

[0043] Figure 3 The exemplary flow chart shown in is chosen solely for conceptual clarity. In optional exemplary embodiments, various additional steps may be performed, such as to automatically register additional layers, such as additional layers of medical images, and to generate and display corresponding geodesic overlay regions for the additional layers.

[0044] Although the embodiments described herein primarily relate to cardiac applications, the methods and systems described herein may also be used in other applications, such as electroanatomical mapping for brain or ENT surgery, and in applications using 2D or RD graphics to display multi-layer information, such as multimodality including CT\PET\MRI.

[0045] It should therefore be understood that the embodiments described above are cited by way of example, and that the present invention is not limited to what is specifically shown and described above. On the contrary, the scope of the present invention includes combinations and subcombinations of the various features described above, as well as variations and modifications thereof, which will occur to those skilled in the art upon reading the above description and which are not disclosed in the prior art. The documents incorporated by reference into this patent application are considered an integral part of this application, except that if any term defined in these incorporated documents conflicts with a definition explicitly or implicitly given in this specification, only the definition in this specification shall be considered.

Claims

1. A method comprising: receiving two or more surface representations of at least a portion of an organ of a patient; registering the received two or more surface representations with each other; selecting one of the surface representations as a base map; generating, for at least one surface representation of the two or more surface representations that is not selected as a base map, a draggable geodesic region of at least one or more surface representations that is not selected as a base map, wherein the geodesic region is configured to follow a changing anatomical structure as the region is dragged on the base map; overlaying the draggable geodesic region on the base map to generate a hybrid multi-layer representation; as well as The hybrid multi-layer representation is presented to a user. 2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the two or more surface representations comprise different types of electroanatomical (EA) maps. The method of claim 2 , wherein the different types of EA maps include color-coded EA maps. The method of claim 2 , wherein the different types of EA maps include a bipolar map and a local activation time (LAT) map. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the geodesic region has a circular shape.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein The geodesic region is dragged in response to user input.

7. A method according to claim 6, and comprising selecting another surface representation as a base map in response to the user input, and generating the draggable geodesic region for at least one surface representation of the two or more surface representations that was not selected as the base map.

8. A system comprising: a memory configured to store two or more surface representations of at least a portion of an organ of a patient; and a processor configured to: registering the received two or more surface representations with each other; selecting one of the surface representations as a base map; generating, for at least one surface representation of the two or more surface representations that is not selected as a base map, a draggable geodesic region of at least one or more surface representations that is not selected as a base map, wherein the geodesic region is configured to follow a changing anatomical structure as the region is dragged on the base map; overlaying the draggable geodesic region on the base map to generate a hybrid multi-layer representation; as well as The hybrid multi-layer representation is presented to a user.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the two or more surface representations comprise different types of electroanatomical (EA) maps.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the different types of EA maps include color-coded EA maps.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the different types of EA maps include a bipolar map and a local activation time (LAT) map.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the geodesic region has a circular shape.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the geodesic region is dragged in response to user input.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to select another surface representation as a base map in response to the user input, and to generate a draggable geodesic region for at least one surface representation of the two or more surface representations that is not selected as the base map.

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