Non-invasive FFR Calculation from CT Blood Vessel Fluid Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for diagnosing ischemic disorders, such as Fractional Flow Reserve (FFR) measurement, often require invasive procedures and adenosine administration, which can be cumbersome and may not accurately reflect resting state conditions, while non-invasive methods using medical images lack precision in calculating blood flow indices.
Innovation Solution
A medical-information processing apparatus that acquires and analyzes CT image data to calculate more accurate index values representing the proportional relationship between blood flow volume and pressure in a resting state, allowing for non-invasive and precise diagnosis of blood flow, including the instantaneous FFR, by using fluid analysis and pressure ratios calculated from image data during the wave-free period.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If invasive FFR measurement using pressure wire is conducted, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and ease of operation deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual model (copy) of the blood vessel structure from medical images and performs fluid analysis on this model to calculate FFR values, replacing the need for physical invasive pressure wire insertion while maintaining measurement accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical invasive pressure measurement system with a computational fluid dynamics model that uses medical images and mathematical algorithms to calculate blood flow parameters non-invasively
2Measurement precision
If adenosine is administered to achieve proportional relationship between flow volume and pressure, then measurement precision is improved, but ease of operation and safety deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and utilizes the wave-free period characteristics from the cardiac cycle to identify when the proportional relationship between flow volume and pressure naturally occurs, eliminating the need to extract or administer adenosine
Solution Approach 2:
The patent allows the patient's own cardiovascular system to naturally provide the required conditions (proportional relationship during wave-free period) without external intervention, making the system self-sufficient for accurate measurement
3Ease of operation
If non-invasive methods using medical images are used, then ease of operation is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary processing of medical images to extract accurate blood vessel structures and geometries before conducting fluid analysis, ensuring high measurement precision from the outset
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dynamic fluid analysis that accounts for pulsatile blood flow characteristics and temporal variations during the cardiac cycle, particularly during the wave-free period, to improve measurement accuracy
4Ease of operation
If FFR measurement is conducted during wave-free period in resting state, then ease of operation is improved, but measurement precision may deteriorate without proper identification of proportional relationship
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates feedback mechanisms that evaluate whether the proportional relationship between flow volume and pressure is satisfied during the wave-free period, adjusting or validating measurements based on this criterion to ensure accuracy
Data Source
AI summary
A medical-information processing apparatus according to an embodiment includes processing circuitry. The processing circuitry acquires medical image data that is obtained during imaging on the subject in a resting state in the time phase where the relationship between the volume of blood flow and the pressure in a blood vessel in the cardiac cycle of the subject indicates a proportional relationship. The processing circuitry extracts the structure of a blood vessel, included in the medical image data, applies fluid analysis to the structure of the blood vessel to obtain a first index value, which is obtained based on the pressure in the blood vessel on the upstream side of a predetermined position within the blood vessel and the relation equation between the volume of blood flow and the pressure in the blood vessel in the resting state, and a second index value, which is obtained based on the pressure in the blood vessel on the downstream side of the predetermined position and the relation equation, and calculates the pressure ratio, which is the ratio of the first index value to the second index value.