Inner ear round window administration accurate positioning method and system based on ultrasonic image

Abstract

The invention discloses an inner ear round window administration accurate positioning method and system based on an ultrasonic image, and the method comprises the steps: scanning the ear of a patient through an ultrasonic probe, obtaining an ultrasonic image of the ear of the patient, carrying out the processing and analysis of the obtained ultrasonic image, recognizing the position and form of an inner ear round window membrane, and determining the position of the inner ear round window membrane according to the recognized position of the inner ear round window membrane. And determining the optimal needle insertion path and depth of the injection needle. Then, under ultrasonic real-time monitoring, a doctor is guided to accurately insert an injection needle into the inner ear round window membrane along the determined needle insertion path, and medicine injection is completed. The method has the advantages that it can be guaranteed that the medicine is accurately injected to the inner ear round window membrane, the absorption efficiency of the medicine through the round window membrane is greatly improved, and the tympanic cavity injection treatment effect is improved; according to the method, accurate targeted drug delivery is achieved, the drug absorption rate is increased, and the drug delivery amount formulated by a traditional drug delivery method can be reduced, so that discomfort such as stuffiness and blockage of a patient and uncomfortable duration during drug delivery can be relieved, and the pain of the patient is relieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an inner ear drug delivery positioning method, in particular to an inner ear round window drug delivery precise positioning method and system based on ultrasonic imaging, belonging to the technical field of tympanic cavity drug delivery. Background Art

[0002] As a common local drug delivery method in clinical practice, intratympanic administration directly delivers drugs into the middle ear by puncturing the tympanic membrane with a syringe. The characteristics of transtympanic administration are that the drug is absorbed through the round window membrane after being injected into the tympanic cavity, penetrates into the perilymph of the scala otica, and diffuses and distributes to the entire inner ear space, which can effectively avoid the blood-labyrinth barrier. The drug can directly bind to the inner ear hormone receptor to exert its effect, and the adverse reactions are relatively low, which can be applied to patients who cannot be systemically administered. At present, intratympanic administration mainly absorbs drugs through the round window membrane between the middle ear and the inner ear. However, the traditional tympanic injection method mainly relies on the doctor's experience and anatomical knowledge to estimate the injection location. This means that doctors need to have an in-depth understanding of the complex anatomical structure of the ear, but even experienced doctors find it difficult to completely avoid positioning deviations. Without the assistance of advanced positioning technology, the accuracy and effect of the injection largely depend on the doctor's personal skills and experience, which leads to greater uncertainty in the treatment effect. Moreover, the traditional method may increase the risk of damage to surrounding tissues due to inaccurate positioning, causing unnecessary complications. At the same time, due to the inability to confirm the position and path of the injection needle in real time and intuitively, doctors often feel unsure during the operation, which increases the difficulty and pressure of the operation. In summary, traditional intratympanic injection technology has many shortcomings in terms of positioning accuracy, safety, and operability. There is an urgent need for a more accurate and reliable positioning method and system to improve treatment outcomes and patient prognosis.

[0003] In the prior art, there is an inner ear round window sustained-release drug delivery device and an inner ear round window sustained-release drug delivery system disclosed in publication number CN118767314A, wherein the inner ear round window sustained-release drug delivery device comprises a degradable stent and a hydrogel; the degradable stent comprises a linear base structure, which forms a connected round window fixing portion and a middle ear retention portion in space based on its own predetermined shape when not subjected to external force, the round window fixing portion is umbrella-shaped, and its shape is adapted to the round window membrane; the middle ear retention portion is three-dimensionally wound; the hydrogel is used to be injected on the round window membrane to form a gel patch to adhere the round window fixing portion to the round window membrane; the middle ear retention portion is configured to fill the tympanic cavity to maintain the connection between the tympanic cavity and the Eustachian tube; the degradable stent and / or the hydrogel contain drugs. At present, the tympanic cavity drug delivery method in clinical practice mainly relies on the operator's experience and technical level. Due to the complex structure of the inner ear and the deep position of the inner ear round window, the traditional drug delivery method often makes it difficult to accurately inject the drug into the inner ear round window membrane, thus affecting the treatment effect. Based on this, this application proposes a method and system for accurately positioning the inner ear round window drug delivery based on ultrasound imaging. Summary of the invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a method and system for accurately positioning the round window of the inner ear for drug delivery based on ultrasound imaging in order to solve at least one of the above-mentioned technical problems, so as to solve the problem in the prior art that it is difficult to accurately inject drugs into the round window membrane of the inner ear during tympanic injection.

[0005] The present invention achieves the above-mentioned purpose through the following technical solutions: an inner ear round window drug delivery precise positioning system based on ultrasound imaging, comprising a circular arc-shaped ultrasound module, an image processing module, a positioning calculation module and a display module; the circular arc-shaped ultrasound module is used to perform ultrasound scanning on the patient's ear, obtain ultrasound images and real-time ultrasound monitoring, the image processing module is used to process and analyze the ultrasound image obtained by the ultrasound probe, the positioning calculation module is used to calculate the optimal needle insertion path and depth of the injection needle according to the analysis results of the image processing module, and the display module is used to display the positioning information in real time; The image processing module includes an image acquisition control module, an image preprocessing module, an image segmentation module, a feature extraction module and an image quality assessment module.

[0006] As a further solution of the present invention: the arc-shaped ultrasound module includes an arc-shaped probe and an elastic band, the bottom of the arc-shaped probe in contact with the skin is made of hydrogel flexible material; the inner ring diameter of the arc-shaped probe is 3-8cm; the elastic band is connected to both sides of the arc-shaped probe.

[0007] As a further solution of the present invention: the image acquisition control module is connected to the circular arc probe of the circular arc ultrasound module for signal transmission.

[0008] As a further solution of the present invention: the processing of ultrasound images by the image preprocessing module includes but is not limited to denoising, enhancement and normalization. The denoising algorithm is used to remove noise in the ultrasound image caused by environmental interference and equipment noise factors; the enhancement algorithm highlights the key structures and features in the image; and the normalization algorithm standardizes images acquired under different conditions.

[0009] As a further solution of the present invention: the image segmentation module separates and identifies different tissue structures in the ultrasound image based on the grayscale value, texture and shape characteristics of the image, using threshold segmentation, region growing and edge detection techniques, wherein the different tissue structures in the ultrasound image include but are not limited to the round window membrane of the inner ear, surrounding muscles and bones.

[0010] As a further solution of the present invention: a feature extraction module is used to extract feature information related to the round window membrane of the inner ear from the segmented image for subsequent positioning calculation, and the extracted feature information includes but is not limited to position, shape and size.

[0011] As a further solution of the present invention: the image quality assessment module is used to monitor and evaluate the quality of the processed image in real time to ensure that it can meet the accuracy requirements of positioning and drug delivery. If the image quality does not meet the standards, the processing parameters will be automatically adjusted or the image will be re-captured.

[0012] As a further solution of the present invention: the positioning calculation module includes a calculation algorithm and a model, specifically including: The positioning calculation module receives the characteristic information about the ear tissue structure extracted by the image processing module; Based on the pre-established mathematical model of ear anatomy, the optimal needle insertion path to reach the round window membrane of the inner ear is accurately calculated, taking into account the complex anatomical structure of the ear, differences in tissue density, and possible individual variation factors; Through geometric calculations and spatial analysis, the path, depth and direction of the needle are determined to ensure that the injection needle can reach the target location accurately and safely.

[0013] As a further solution of the present invention: the information displayed by the display module includes but is not limited to the ultrasound image, the position of the round window membrane of the inner ear, the insertion path of the injection needle, and the insertion depth of the injection needle.

[0014] A method for accurately positioning drug delivery through the inner ear round window based on ultrasound imaging, comprising the following steps: Step 1: Fix the arc-shaped ultrasound probe module on the patient's affected ear; Step 2: The patient takes a suitable position and fixes the head on an integrated bracket that assists drug delivery through the round window of the inner ear; Step 3: Scan the patient's ear using a circular arc ultrasound probe to obtain an ultrasound image of the patient's ear; Step 4: Process and analyze the acquired ultrasound image to identify the position and morphology of the round window membrane of the inner ear; Step 5: Determine the optimal insertion angle and depth of the injection needle based on the identified position of the round window membrane of the inner ear; Step 6: Turn on the real-time monitoring of the circular arc ultrasound to guide the doctor to accurately insert the injection needle in front of the round window membrane of the inner ear along the determined needle insertion angle and depth, and complete the drug injection.

[0015] The beneficial effects of the present invention are: 1) Through specific ultrasound scanning, image processing and analysis algorithms, the round window membrane of the inner ear can be accurately identified and located, and the optimal direction and depth of the syringe needle can be accurately planned to ensure that the drug is accurately injected into the round window membrane of the inner ear, greatly improving the efficiency of drug absorption through the round window membrane and the effect of tympanic injection treatment. It can clearly display the fine structure inside the ear in real time, including the position and shape of the round window membrane of the inner ear and its relationship with the surrounding tissues. This enables doctors to determine the injection point extremely accurately, greatly reducing the deviation of the drug injection position, ensuring that the drug can reach the target site accurately, thereby significantly improving the treatment effect; 2) During the injection process, the present invention can monitor the position and movement of the injection needle in real time through ultrasound, make timely adjustments and corrections, and ensure that the drug reaches the target position accurately, which can help doctors avoid these key parts and reduce the risk of surgery and the probability of complications. It can enable doctors to predict possible obstacles and risks in advance during the operation and take corresponding preventive measures; it also improves the convenience and efficiency of the operation. Doctors do not need to carry out complicated preoperative preparations and calculations, but can operate according to the guidance of real-time images, which saves operation time and reduces the pain and discomfort of patients; 3) The present invention brings significant advantages in terms of accuracy, safety, real-time, convenience and adaptability, providing a more effective and reliable means for the treatment of ear diseases; at the same time, the device of the present invention is simple to operate, easy for doctors to master and use, and has high clinical application value. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the system framework structure of the present invention; Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the probe structure of the circular arc-shaped ultrasound module of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the image processing module of the present invention; In the figure: 1. Arc-shaped probe; 2. Elastic strap. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0018] Embodiment 1, as Figures 1 to 3 As shown, an inner ear round window drug delivery precise positioning system based on ultrasound imaging includes a circular arc ultrasound module, an image processing module, a positioning calculation module and a display module; the circular arc ultrasound module is used to perform ultrasound scanning on the patient's ear, obtain ultrasound images and real-time ultrasound monitoring, the image processing module is used to process and analyze the ultrasound image obtained by the ultrasound probe, the positioning calculation module is used to calculate the optimal needle insertion path and depth of the injection needle according to the analysis results of the image processing module, and the display module is used to display the positioning information in real time; The image processing module includes an image acquisition control module, an image preprocessing module, an image segmentation module, a feature extraction module and an image quality assessment module.

[0019] Embodiment 2: In addition to all the technical features of Embodiment 1, this embodiment also includes: The arc-shaped ultrasound module includes an arc-shaped probe 1 and an elastic strap 2. The bottom of the arc-shaped probe 1 that contacts the skin is made of hydrogel flexible material and can fit the curve around the ear. The inner ring diameter of the arc-shaped probe 1 is 3-8 cm. The elastic strap 2 is connected to both sides of the arc-shaped probe 1 to fix the probe on the patient's head.

[0020] The image acquisition control module is connected to the circular arc probe 1 of the circular arc ultrasound module by signal transmission, and coordinates the scanning parameters of the probe to ensure that high-quality and comprehensive ultrasound image data are obtained.

[0021] The image preprocessing module processes ultrasound images including but not limited to denoising, enhancement and normalization. The denoising algorithm is used to remove noise in ultrasound images caused by environmental interference and equipment noise factors to make the image clearer; the enhancement algorithm highlights the key structures and features in the image to facilitate subsequent analysis; the normalization algorithm standardizes images acquired under different conditions to ensure the consistency and accuracy of subsequent processing.

[0022] The image segmentation module separates and identifies different tissue structures in the ultrasound image based on the grayscale value, texture and shape features of the image, using threshold segmentation, region growing and edge detection techniques. The different tissue structures in the ultrasound image include but are not limited to the round window membrane of the inner ear, surrounding muscles and bones.

[0023] The feature extraction module is used to extract feature information related to the inner ear round window membrane from the segmented image for subsequent positioning calculation. The extracted feature information includes but is not limited to position, shape and size.

[0024] The image quality assessment module is used to monitor and evaluate the quality of processed images in real time to ensure that it can meet the accuracy requirements of positioning and drug delivery. If the image quality does not meet the standards, the processing parameters will be automatically adjusted or the image will be re-captured.

[0025] The positioning calculation module includes calculation algorithms and models, including: The positioning calculation module receives the characteristic information about the ear tissue structure extracted by the image processing module; Based on the pre-established mathematical model of ear anatomy, the optimal needle insertion path to reach the round window membrane of the inner ear is accurately calculated, taking into account the complex anatomical structure of the ear, differences in tissue density, and possible individual variation factors; Through geometric calculations and spatial analysis, the path, depth and direction of the needle are determined to ensure that the injection needle can reach the target location accurately and safely.

[0026] It should be noted that in order to improve the reliability and stability of the calculation, the module also has error correction and optimization functions, which can self-check the calculation results, discover and correct possible deviations or errors, and continuously optimize the calculation model and algorithm to improve the accuracy and efficiency of positioning.

[0027] The information displayed by the display module includes but is not limited to the ultrasound image, the position of the round window membrane of the inner ear, the insertion path of the injection needle, and the insertion depth of the injection needle.

[0028] Embodiment 3, a method for accurately positioning drug delivery through the round window of the inner ear based on ultrasound imaging, comprising the following steps: Step 1: Fix the arc-shaped ultrasound probe module on the patient's affected ear; Step 2: The patient takes a suitable position and fixes the head on an integrated bracket that assists drug delivery through the round window of the inner ear; Step 3: Scan the patient's ear using a circular arc ultrasound probe to obtain an ultrasound image of the patient's ear; Step 4: Process and analyze the acquired ultrasound image to identify the position and morphology of the round window membrane of the inner ear; Step 5: Determine the optimal insertion angle and depth of the injection needle based on the identified position of the round window membrane of the inner ear; Step 6: Turn on the real-time monitoring of the circular arc ultrasound to guide the doctor to accurately insert the injection needle in front of the round window membrane of the inner ear along the determined needle insertion angle and depth, and complete the drug injection.

[0029] The patient's ear is scanned by an ultrasound probe to obtain an ultrasound image of the patient's ear. The obtained ultrasound image is processed and analyzed to identify the position and shape of the inner ear round window membrane. Based on the identified position of the inner ear round window membrane, the optimal insertion path and depth of the injection needle are determined. Subsequently, under real-time ultrasound monitoring, the doctor is guided to accurately insert the injection needle into the inner ear round window membrane along the determined insertion path and complete the drug injection.

[0030] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the details of the exemplary embodiments described above and that the invention can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential features of the invention. Therefore, the embodiments should be considered exemplary and non-limiting in all respects, and the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description, and it is intended that all variations falling within the meaning and scope of the equivalent elements of the claims be included in the invention. Any reference numeral in a claim should not be considered as limiting the claim to which it relates.

[0031] In addition, it should be understood that although the present specification is described in terms of implementation modes, not every implementation mode contains only one independent technical solution. This narrative method of the specification is only for the sake of clarity. Those skilled in the art should regard the specification as a whole. The technical solutions in each embodiment may also be appropriately combined to form other implementation modes that can be understood by those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. An inner ear round window drug delivery precise positioning system based on ultrasound imaging, comprising an arc-shaped ultrasound module, an image processing module, a positioning calculation module and a display module; characterized in that: The arc-shaped ultrasound module is used to perform ultrasound scanning on the patient's ear, obtain ultrasound images and conduct real-time ultrasound monitoring; The image processing module includes an image acquisition control module, an image preprocessing module, an image segmentation module, a feature extraction module and an image quality assessment module, which are used to process and analyze the ultrasound image acquired by the ultrasound probe; The positioning calculation module is used to calculate the optimal needle insertion path and depth of the injection needle according to the analysis results of the image processing module; The display module is used to display the positioning information in real time.

2. The inner ear round window drug delivery precise positioning system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The arc-shaped ultrasound module comprises an arc-shaped probe (1) and an elastic band (2); the bottom of the arc-shaped probe (1) in contact with the skin is made of a hydrogel flexible material; the inner ring diameter of the arc-shaped probe (1) is 3-8 cm; and the elastic band (2) is connected to both sides of the arc-shaped probe (1).

3. The inner ear round window drug delivery precise positioning system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The image acquisition control module is connected to the circular arc probe (1) of the circular arc ultrasound module in a signal transmission manner.

4. The inner ear round window drug delivery precise positioning system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The image preprocessing module processes the ultrasound image including but not limited to denoising, enhancement and normalization. The denoising algorithm is used to remove noise in the ultrasound image caused by environmental interference and equipment noise factors. Enhancement algorithms highlight key structures and features in the image; The normalization algorithm standardizes the images acquired under different conditions.

5. The inner ear round window drug delivery precise positioning system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The image segmentation module separates and identifies different tissue structures in the ultrasound image based on the grayscale value, texture and shape features of the image, using threshold segmentation, region growing and edge detection techniques; wherein the different tissue structures in the ultrasound image include but are not limited to the round window membrane of the inner ear, surrounding muscles and bones.

6. The inner ear round window drug delivery precise positioning system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The feature extraction module is used to extract feature information related to the inner ear round window membrane from the segmented image for subsequent positioning calculation. The extracted feature information includes but is not limited to position, shape and size.

7. The inner ear round window drug delivery precise positioning system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The image quality assessment module is used to monitor and assess the quality of processed images in real time to ensure that they can meet the accuracy requirements of positioning and drug delivery. If the image quality does not meet the standards, the processing parameters will be automatically adjusted or the image will be re-captured.

8. The round window drug delivery precise positioning system for inner ear according to claim 1, characterized in that: The positioning calculation module includes a calculation algorithm and a model, specifically including: The positioning calculation module receives the characteristic information about the ear tissue structure extracted by the image processing module; Based on the pre-established mathematical model of ear anatomy, the optimal needle insertion path to reach the round window membrane of the inner ear is accurately calculated, taking into account the complex anatomical structure of the ear, differences in tissue density, and possible individual variation factors; Through geometric calculations and spatial analysis, the path, depth and direction of the needle are determined to ensure that the injection needle can reach the target location accurately and safely.

9. The inner ear round window drug delivery precise positioning system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The information displayed by the display module includes but is not limited to the ultrasound image, the position of the inner ear round window membrane, the insertion path of the injection needle, and the insertion depth of the injection needle.

10. A method for accurately locating drug delivery through the round window of the inner ear based on ultrasound imaging, wherein the method for accurately locating drug delivery through the round window of the inner ear based on ultrasound imaging is implemented by the accurate locating drug delivery through the round window of the inner ear based on ultrasound imaging as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: The method for accurately positioning drug delivery through the inner ear round window comprises the following steps: Step 1: Fix the arc-shaped ultrasound probe module on the patient's affected ear; Step 2: The patient takes a suitable position and fixes the head on an integrated bracket that assists drug delivery through the round window of the inner ear; Step 3: Scan the patient's ear using a circular arc ultrasound probe to obtain an ultrasound image of the patient's ear; Step 4: Process and analyze the acquired ultrasound image to identify the position and morphology of the round window membrane of the inner ear; Step 5: Determine the optimal insertion angle and depth of the injection needle based on the identified position of the round window membrane of the inner ear; Step 6: Turn on the real-time monitoring of the circular arc ultrasound to guide the doctor to accurately insert the injection needle in front of the round window membrane of the inner ear along the determined needle insertion angle and depth, and complete the drug injection.

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