IVUS Touch Interface for Rapid Image Search
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medical imaging systems, particularly IVUS systems, face challenges in providing an intuitive and rapid interaction method for operators to locate specific image features within a sequence of thousands of tomographic images, leading to increased procedure time and limited user control.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a touch screen interface in IVUS imaging systems that recognizes horizontal and vertical touch movements to pan and rotate the longitudinal image, respectively, allowing for intuitive and rapid search of image sequences, with heuristic processing to preferentially handle touch movements for efficient image manipulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If traditional medical imaging systems are used to search through sequences of thousands of tomographic images, then the system can display and store complete image data, but the time required to locate specific image features of interest increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the search process by introducing a longitudinal image that provides an overview of the entire image sequence, allowing operators to quickly identify regions of interest without manually browsing through thousands of individual tomographic images. The longitudinal image divides the search space into manageable segments that can be navigated efficiently.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a new dimension to the image display by presenting both tomographic images (cross-sectional views) and longitudinal images (overview of the entire sequence) simultaneously. This dual-view approach allows operators to navigate the image sequence in three-dimensional space, significantly reducing the time to locate features of interest.
2Productivity
If a touch screen interface is implemented to improve interaction speed, then the time to navigate image sequences is reduced, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The touch screen interface is designed to perform multiple functions: displaying tomographic images, displaying longitudinal images, enabling touch-based navigation, and providing heuristic processing. This multi-functional design consolidates what would otherwise require multiple separate systems into a single integrated interface, managing complexity while enhancing productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates heuristic processing that automatically analyzes touch patterns and anticipates user needs, reducing the cognitive load on operators. The interface adapts to user behavior and performs common search operations automatically, making the system smarter rather than more complex.
3Ease of operation
If heuristic processing is applied to preferentially handle touch movements, then the intuitiveness of interaction is improved, but the processing requirements and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The heuristic processing pre-establishes common search patterns and touch movement preferences based on typical operator behavior. By preparing these patterns in advance, the system can quickly match and execute appropriate actions without complex real-time analysis, reducing processing complexity while maintaining high intuitiveness.
Data Source
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AI summary
An intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) imaging system and catheter with an intuitive interface for rapid operator interaction using acquired medical images. In an embodiment, an IVUS imaging system and catheter are used to acquire a sequence of a specific area of interest in the human anatomy, for example, tomographic images of a coronary artery. The IVUS imaging system displays at least one tomographic image of the area of interest. The IVUS imaging system generates and displays at least one longitudinal image, wherein the longitudinal image represents a cut-plane of the sequence of tomographic images. The IVUS imaging system further includes a touch screen, wherein the system recognizes touch movements to facilitate searching the sequence of images. Touch movements in a longitudinal direction may pan the longitudinal image in the longitudinal direction. Touch movements in the transverse direction may rotate the cut-plane of the longitudinal image.