ECG-Guided Vessel Imaging Sequence Reconstruction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vessel imaging techniques require prolonged exposure to radiation and use of contrast medium, which can be detrimental to patient health, especially affecting renal function.

Innovation Solution

A method and device that generate a vessel imaging sequence by encoding input vessel imaging frames and ECG signals into latent space vectors, allowing for high temporal resolution reconstruction of the imaging sequence and signal within a single cardiac cycle, reducing the need for extended recording and contrast medium use.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If vessel imaging frames are recorded over multiple cardiac cycles to ensure sufficient vessel information, then the vessel information quality is improved, but the radiation exposure time is prolonged

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevessel information qualityVSAvoidrecording time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDuration of action of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary encoding of the input vessel imaging sequence and ECG signal into latent space representations before reconstruction. By pre-processing the data into compressed latent vectors that capture essential vessel information and cardiac cycle patterns, the system can generate high-quality vessel images from a single cardiac cycle rather than requiring multiple cycles of actual imaging exposure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If contrast medium is applied to achieve radio-opaque vessel imaging, then the vessel visibility is improved, but the renal function is deteriorated

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevessel visibilityVSAvoidrenal function damage
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system creates a virtual copy of the vessel imaging sequence by encoding real imaging data into latent space vectors and then reconstructing vessel images from these latent representations combined with ECG signals. This digital twin approach generates contrast-enhanced vessel images without requiring physical contrast medium injection, thereby eliminating the harmful effects on renal function while maintaining vessel visibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the frame rate of input vessel imaging sequence is kept low to reduce radiation exposure, then the radiation dose is reduced, but the temporal resolution of vessel information is lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveradiation doseVSAvoidtemporal resolution
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces the mechanical/physical approach of increasing frame rate to improve temporal resolution with an information-theoretic approach. By encoding both the low-frame-rate vessel imaging sequence and ECG signal into latent space and then reconstructing at high temporal resolution using the synchronized ECG timing information, the system achieves high temporal resolution output without requiring high frame rate input, thereby maintaining low radiation dose.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentEP4410213B1Method and device for generating a vessel imaging sequence
Publication Date: 2025.10.29 SIEMENS HEALTHINEERS AG
  • EP4410213B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4410213B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4410213B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to generating a vessel imaging sequence comprising plurality of vessel imaging frames and a corresponding ECG signal by obtaining an input vessel imaging sequence comprising a plurality of input vessel imaging frames and a corresponding input ECG signal, encoding, using a first encoder, the input vessel imaging sequence to generate a plurality of vessel latent space vectors, each vessel latent space vector corresponding to an input vessel imaging frame of the input vessel imaging sequence, encoding, using a second encoder, the input ECG signal to generate a plurality of ECG latent space vectors, decoding, using a first decoder, the plurality of vessel latent space vectors and the plurality of ECG latent space vectors to generate the vessel imaging sequence and decoding, using a second decoder, the vessel latent space vector and the ECG latent space vector to generate the ECG signal.