Dynamic Coronary Vessel Visualization via Cardiac Stage Superimposition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for visualizing coronary vessels and myocardial perfusion information face challenges such as low-contrasted and noisy images, especially during the perfusion stage, where regions of interest move rapidly with the heart cycle, making it difficult for physicians to correlate information across different coronary stages of blood circulation.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for dynamically visualizing coronary information by acquiring first and second cardiac data during distinct cardiac stages and superimposing them in real-time, allowing simultaneous visualization of vessel geometry and perfusion information, with the option to perform background subtraction and compute spatial correspondence to enhance image alignment and contrast.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If images are acquired during the perfusion stage to visualize myocardial perfusion information, then perfusion data is obtained, but image contrast is low and noise is high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines images from multiple cardiac stages (coronary stage and perfusion stage) into a single superimposed presentation. This merging allows simultaneous visualization of both vessel geometry and myocardial perfusion information, overcoming the low contrast and noise issues in perfusion stage images by overlaying them with higher contrast coronary stage images.
2Loss of time
If single images are acquired during different phases of cardiac cycle, then snapshots of heart are obtained, but it is difficult to correlate information across different coronary stages
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges image sequences from different cardiac stages into a superimposed presentation where corresponding phases are visualized simultaneously. This allows physicians to correlate information across different coronary stages by viewing them in registration, maintaining temporal relationships while enabling cross-stage correlation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dynamic visualization where image sequences from different cardiac stages are presented in motion rather than as static snapshots. The dynamic presentation maintains phase correspondence between stages, allowing physicians to track the progression of contrast agent through different stages while preserving the ability to correlate information across stages.
3Speed
If regions of interest are visualized during rapid heart cycle, then cardiac information is captured, but image quality deteriorates due to motion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adapts to the rapid heart cycle by employing dynamic image acquisition and presentation that follows the cardiac motion. Images are acquired continuously throughout the cardiac cycle and presented in a time-correlated manner, allowing the system to capture fast-moving cardiac structures while maintaining image quality through synchronized temporal presentation.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for dynamically visualizing coronary information and an apparatus adapted to implement such method is described. In a preferred embodiment of the method, first dynamic cardiac data is acquired during a first cardiac stage and second dynamic cardiac data is acquired during a second cardiac stage. Then, the two data sets are visualized continuously the in a superimposed presentation, wherein the first cardiac data and the second cardiac data corresponding to a same phase within the cardiac cycle are visualized simultaneously. In this way for example information about the vessel geometry may be immediately linked with information about the muscle irrigation or perfusion. Furthermore, this useful information may be displaid in a high-contrasted and low-noise presentation.