Complex Deformation Field for Multi-Stent Fluoroscopy

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current fluoroscopic imaging systems face challenges in visualizing multiple stents simultaneously due to low contrast-to-noise ratio and rapid movements, particularly during angioplasty procedures involving bifurcations, which increases procedure duration and deployment risks.

Innovation Solution

An imaging system that generates a complex deformation field based on multiple landmarks, such as guide wires, to enhance the visualization of multiple objects by registering and weighting deformation fields from multiple images, allowing for simultaneous tracking and improved visibility of stents and guide wires within the imaged subject.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If multiple stents are deployed simultaneously during angioplasty procedures, then procedure time is reduced, but visualization accuracy deteriorates due to low contrast-to-noise ratio and rapid movements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocedure timeVSAvoidvisualization accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by acquiring and processing multiple images before the actual deployment decision. It pre-registers images, pre-identifies landmarks, and pre-calculates deformation fields to enable simultaneous visualization of multiple stents during deployment, thereby reducing procedure time while maintaining visualization accuracy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces an intermediary image processing system that acts as a mediator between the physical stents and the observer. This intermediary system enhances the low-contrast stent images through multiple image registration, deformation field calculation, and composite image generation, allowing simultaneous visualization of multiple stents without compromising accuracy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If markers are attached to guide wires for stent visualization, then stent position detection is improved, but the system can only accurately track a single stent at a time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestent position detectionVSAvoidmulti-stent tracking capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system achieves universality by creating a multi-functional image processing framework that can simultaneously track multiple stents and guide wires. The deformation field calculation and image registration methods are designed to handle multiple objects concurrently, allowing the system to adapt to various angioplasty scenarios including bifurcation lesions requiring multiple stents

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system transitions from tracking single objects in isolation to simultaneous multi-object tracking by introducing additional computational dimensions. It processes multiple images, multiple landmarks, and multiple deformation fields in parallel, effectively adding a temporal and spatial dimension to the tracking capability that enables versatile multi-stent visualization

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Measurement precision

If image processing is applied to enhance stent visibility, then contrast-to-noise ratio is improved, but computational complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrast-to-noise ratioVSAvoidcomputational complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies segmentation by breaking down the complex image processing task into distinct modular components: image acquisition, landmark identification, deformation field calculation, image registration, and composite image generation. This segmentation allows each module to be optimized independently, managing computational complexity while achieving enhanced contrast-to-noise ratio

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system utilizes parameter changes by adjusting various computational parameters such as deformation field weighting, registration accuracy levels, and image fusion parameters. These parameter optimizations balance the computational complexity against the achieved contrast enhancement, allowing efficient processing while maintaining measurement precision

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3200150B1System and method for enhanced visualization of multiple low contrast objects within an imaged subject
Publication Date: 2020.06.17 GENERAL ELECTRIC CO
  • EP3200150B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3200150B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3200150B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A method 48 for enhancing the visualization of a plurality of objects 12, 14, 16, 18 within an imaged subject 20. The method 48 includes acquiring 50 a plurality of images 38 of the plurality of objects 12, 14, 16, 18 disposed in the imaged subject 20 and supported by a plurality of guide wires 16, 18; generating 52 a complex deformation field 54 based at least in part on a plurality of landmarks 16, 18, 104, 106, 108, 110 disposed in the plurality of images 38; and generating 56 a composite image 46, 58 based at least in part on the complex deformation field 54. The complex deformation field 54 models deformation induced on the plurality of objects 12, 14, 16, 18 by at least two or more guide wires 16, 18 of the plurality.