CT-Angiography Co-Registration for Intravascular Vessel Mapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods lack the ability to accurately co-register intravascular data with three-dimensional CT models, leading to decreased accuracy in treatment recommendations and procedures.
Innovation Solution
A system that co-registers intravascular data and angiography data to a three-dimensional CT-based model by constructing models from CT imaging and x-ray angiography images, identifying common landmark features, and mapping these models to provide precise anatomical insights.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If intravascular data and angiography data are co-registered to a three-dimensional CT-based model, then measurement precision and localization accuracy are improved, but device complexity and processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses angiography-based three-dimensional models as intermediary representations to bridge intravascular data and CT-based models. The system creates angiography models from angiography images, co-registers intravascular data to these angiography models, then uses established mappings between angiography and CT models to transfer the co-registered data to the CT model. This intermediary approach enables accurate localization without requiring direct complex integration of all modalities.
Solution Approach 2:
The system divides the co-registration process into separate modular stages: (1) creating CT-based three-dimensional models from CT images, (2) creating angiography-based three-dimensional models from angiography images, (3) co-registering intravascular data to angiography models, and (4) mapping between models. This segmentation allows each module to be optimized independently while achieving overall high precision.
2Loss of information
If multiple imaging modalities are integrated for co-registration, then information completeness and diagnostic accuracy are improved, but processing time and computational resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-processing CT images to create three-dimensional CT models and pre-processing angiography images to create three-dimensional angiography models before the actual co-registration takes place. These pre-created models serve as ready-to-use representations that accelerate the subsequent co-registration process and reduce real-time processing requirements.
3Illumination intensity
If detailed three-dimensional modeling is performed from multiple image sets, then anatomical visualization quality is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements and data processing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes parameters by creating multiple three-dimensional models from the same anatomical region using different imaging modalities (CT and angiography). Each modality provides different contrast and detail characteristics - CT provides excellent soft tissue contrast while angiography provides superior vascular lumen definition. By creating separate models and co-registering them, the system leverages the complementary strengths of each modality to achieve comprehensive anatomical visualization without requiring single-modality perfection.
Data Source
AI summary
A co-registration system includes a processor circuit that determines a mapping between corresponding locations of a first 3D model of a blood vessel based on CT imaging data and a second 3D model of the blood vessel based on x-ray angiography data. The processor circuit receives, from an x-ray fluoroscopy device, x-ray fluoroscopy images of the blood vessel while an intravascular catheter/guidewire moves through the blood vessel. The processor circuit receives, from the catheter/guidewire, intravascular data representative of the blood vessel while the catheter/guidewire moves through the blood vessel. The processor circuit co-registers the intravascular data to the second 3D model based on the x-ray fluoroscopy images. The processor circuit co-registers the intravascular data to the first 3D model based on the mapping. The processor circuit outputs, to a display, the first 3D model and a visual representation of the intravascular data overlaid on the first 3D model.