Intravascular Artery Imaging for EEL-Based Stent Sizing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing imaging modalities struggle to provide balanced and efficient workflows for stent deployment in catheterization procedures, leading to challenges such as stent overexpansion or underexpansion, vessel damage, and increased thrombosis risk due to inadequate visualization of stent deployment relative to the blood vessel wall.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for displaying arterial representations using intravascular imaging data, including EEL-based metrics and calcium detection, to guide stent planning and stenosis assessment, with graphical user interfaces that facilitate stent sizing, deployment, and review workflows, utilizing machine learning for real-time image analysis and segmentation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If fluoroscopy and angiography are used for blood vessel imaging, then real-time visualization is achieved, but resolution and detail of vessel wall structures are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system combines fluoroscopy/angiography with intravascular OCT imaging to merge the real-time visualization capability of fluoroscopy with the high-resolution vessel wall imaging capability of OCT. The co-registered multi-modality imaging allows simultaneous display of both low-resolution real-time angiographic images and high-resolution cross-sectional OCT images, resolving the contradiction between speed and measurement precision.
2Measurement precision
If intravascular OCT imaging is used to obtain high-resolution vessel data, then measurement precision is improved, but procedure time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary automated analysis of OCT images during the procedure, including automatic detection of plaque characteristics, stent expansion assessment, and malapposition identification. This preliminary automated processing reduces the time required for manual image analysis and interpretation, allowing high-resolution imaging without proportionally increasing procedure time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides real-time feedback during stent deployment by automatically analyzing OCT images and displaying stent expansion metrics, malapposition detection, and plaque characterization. This immediate feedback eliminates the need for prolonged manual analysis after the procedure, reducing overall procedure time while maintaining high measurement precision.
3Reliability
If manual stent deployment assessment is performed, then operator judgment is applied, but operator fatigue and decision-making time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-assessment of stent deployment by automatically analyzing OCT images to determine stent expansion adequacy, malapposition, and apposition quality. The automated algorithms independently evaluate deployment parameters without requiring continuous manual assessment by the operator, reducing operator fatigue while maintaining or improving deployment accuracy through consistent algorithmic evaluation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides automated feedback on stent deployment quality metrics, including expansion percentage, malapposition detection, and apposition assessment. This objective feedback complements operator judgment and reduces the cognitive load on operators, allowing them to make faster decisions without sacrificing reliability.
4Loss of information
If comprehensive imaging data is provided to clinicians, then diagnostic information is improved, but information overload and workflow complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments comprehensive imaging data into organized, clinically relevant categories including plaque characterization (composition, vulnerability), stent deployment metrics (expansion, apposition), and vessel anatomy. This segmentation presents all necessary diagnostic information in a structured format that reduces workflow complexity while maintaining information completeness.
Solution Approach 2:
The system extracts and highlights the most critical diagnostic information from comprehensive imaging data, such as identifying vulnerable plaque features, stent malapposition regions, and expansion deficiencies. By extracting and prioritizing key findings, the system provides complete diagnostic information without overwhelming the clinician with unnecessary details.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances the accuracy and efficiency of stent deployment by providing real-time, guided workflows that reduce operator fatigue and expedite decision-making, minimizing vessel damage and thrombosis risk through precise stent expansion and malapposition detection.
Implementation Method 1
Intravascular optical coherence tomography is a catheter-based imaging modality that uses light to peer into coronary artery walls and generate images thereof for study. Utilizing coherent light, interferometry, and micro-optics, OCT can provide video-rate in-vivo tomography within a diseased vessel with micrometer level resolution.
Data Source
AI summary
In part, the disclosure relates to method of displaying a representation of an artery. The method may include storing an intravascular image dataset in a memory device of a diagnostic imaging system, the intravascular image dataset generated in response to intravascular imaging of a segment of an artery; automatically detecting lumen boundary of the segment on a per frame basis; automatically detecting EEL and displaying a stent sizing workflow. In part, the disclosure also relates to automatically detecting one or more regions of calcium relative to lumen boundary of the segment; calculating an angular or circumferential measurement of detected calcium for one or more frames; calculating a calcium thickness of detected calcium for one or more frames; and displaying the calcium thickness and the angular or circumferential measurement of detected calcium for a first frame of the one or more frames.