Intravascular Ultrasound Synchronization with Cardiac Cycle
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional methods for acquiring blood-vessel data using IVUS devices result in lost image resolution and are time-consuming due to the need to record and process unnecessary data, as they involve continuously gathering data while blood vessels expand and relax, making it difficult to image them in a uniform state.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that synchronizes the acquisition of blood-vessel data with identifiable portions of the heartbeat cycle, using a heart-monitoring device, data-gathering device, and probe to acquire data during cyclical periods when blood vessels are in a uniform shape, allowing for analysis as if they were standing still, by identifying corresponding intervals in the heart's cycle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If continuous blood-vessel data acquisition is performed while blood vessels expand and relax, then complete blood-vessel data can be gathered, but image resolution is lost and processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic action by synchronizing data acquisition to specific phases of the cardiac cycle (diastole or systole) rather than continuous acquisition. The system triggers IVUS data collection at predetermined intervals corresponding to identifiable portions of the heartbeat cycle, thereby reducing total data volume while maintaining image resolution and minimizing processing time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-identifying the target portion of the heartbeat cycle (diastole or systole) and pre-synchronizing the data acquisition trigger to this phase. This allows the system to be ready to capture data at the optimal moment without requiring post-processing extraction, thereby preserving image resolution and reducing processing time.
2Measurement precision
If continuous blood-vessel data is recorded onto VHS tape, then real-time images of expanding and contracting blood vessel can be captured, but image resolution is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies extraction by removing unnecessary data acquisition phases from the system. Instead of continuously recording all cardiac cycles to VHS tape, the system extracts and records only the specific portion of the heartbeat cycle (diastole or systole) when the blood vessel is in the desired uniform state. This eliminates the need for complex post-processing extraction and preserves image resolution.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses periodic action to trigger data acquisition only during the specific phase of the cardiac cycle when the blood vessel is in the desired state, rather than continuous recording. This periodic triggering reduces data volume and eliminates the need for VHS tape recording and subsequent frame extraction, thereby preserving image resolution and simplifying the system.
3Loss of time
If data is extracted from VHS tape using computer and heartbeat data, then relevant frames can be obtained, but the method is extremely time consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-synchronizing the data acquisition trigger to the identifiable portion of the heartbeat cycle before data collection begins. This eliminates the need for post-acquisition extraction processing, as the relevant data is captured directly in the desired time window, thereby reducing processing time and simplifying the system.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses periodic action triggered by heartbeat detection to activate data acquisition only during the specific phase when the blood vessel is in the desired uniform state. This periodic triggering captures only the necessary data frames directly, eliminating the need for time-consuming extraction from continuous VHS tape recording and reducing processing time.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enhances image resolution and reduces processing time by focusing data acquisition on specific intervals, eliminating the need for excessive data recording and processing, thereby improving the efficiency of blood-vessel imaging.
Implementation Method 1
The transducer is then placed inside a particular blood vessel and used to transmit acoustic signals. The reflections of these signals are then received by the transducer, converted into electrical signals, and transmitted to the IVUS device.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method is provided for substantially synchronizing the acquisition of blood-vessel data to an identifiable portion of heartbeat data. Specifically, a data-gathering device is adapted to acquire heartbeat data and blood-vessel data from a heart-monitoring device and a data-gathering probe, respectively. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the blood-vessel data is acquired during a cyclical portion of the heartbeat data. By identifying a cyclical (or commonly reoccurring) portion of the heartbeat data and acquiring blood-vessel data during this cyclical portion (or during an interval that substantially corresponds thereto), the blood vessel can be analyzed as if it were standing still—i.e., not expanding and relaxing. In one embodiment of the present invention, the heart-monitoring device includes an EKG device, the data-gathering device includes an intra-vascular ultrasound (IVUS) device and a computing device, and the data-gathering probe includes at least one transducer. In another embodiment of the present invention, the data-gathering system further includes a retraction device adapted to move the data-gathering probe though a blood vessel at a substantially steady speed.