Medical Tube Placement Visualization via Automated Image Markers

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Solution Overview

Problem

Medical personnel face difficulties in visualizing and determining the proper placement of medically placed tubes or lines, such as chest tubes and vascular lines, which can lead to delayed intervention and safety risks, especially for untrained or inexperienced staff.

Innovation Solution

An image processing system utilizing a processor and memory to detect medical tubes or lines within medical images, superimpose graphical markers indicating their ends and reference landmarks, and display combined images for accurate placement assessment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If manual measurements are used to determine tube or line placement, then medical personnel can assess placement accuracy, but the process is time consuming and delays intervention

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveplacement assessment accuracyVSAvoidtime for placement assessment

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual mechanical measurement methods with an automated image processing system that uses computer vision algorithms to detect tube or line positions and calculate placement accuracy automatically, eliminating the need for manual measurements while maintaining precision

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediate image processing system that acts as a mediator between the medical image and the final placement assessment, automatically detecting tube or line positions and providing visual feedback to guide placement decisions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If medical personnel manually identify and measure tubes or lines in images, then placement can be assessed, but the process is complex and difficult for untrained or inexperienced staff

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveplacement assessment accuracyVSAvoidease of tube or line identification

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables the image processing system to automatically detect and identify tube or lines without requiring manual intervention from medical personnel, making the system self-sufficient in performing the complex identification and measurement tasks

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the complex manual process of identifying and measuring tubes or lines with an automated computer vision system that performs detection and measurement algorithms, eliminating the need for specialized manual measurement skills

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Ease of operation

If no visual aids are provided in medical images, then the original image integrity is maintained, but it is difficult to visualize and locate tubes or lines

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of tube or line visualizationVSAvoidimage processing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses color-coded graphical markers or overlays on the medical images to highlight tube or line positions, making them visually distinct and easier to locate while maintaining the underlying anatomical image for context

Inventive Principle:

Principle #32Color changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces graphical markers as an intermediate visual element that bridges the gap between the raw medical image and the tube or line placement information, making the invisible or difficult-to-see tubes visible without altering the original diagnostic image

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Measurement precision

If detailed manual assessment of tube or line placement is performed, then accurate placement determination is achieved, but the process is time consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveplacement determination accuracyVSAvoidplacement assessment speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the slow manual assessment process with automated image processing algorithms that rapidly analyze the medical image, detect tube or line positions, and calculate placement accuracy in seconds, dramatically improving assessment speed while maintaining precision

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary automated detection and measurement of tube or line positions before final placement determination, pre-processing the image analysis to enable rapid and accurate placement assessment without requiring subsequent manual measurements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS11410341B2System and method for visualizing placement of a medical tube or line

Publication Date: 2022.08.09 GE PRECISION HEALTHCARE LLC

AI summary

An image processing system is provided. The image processing system includes a display, a processor, and a memory. The memory stores processor-executable code that when executed by the processor causes receiving an image of a region of interest of a patient with a medical tube or line disposed within the region of interest, detecting the medical tube or line within the image, generating a combined image by superimposing a first graphical marker on the image that indicates an end of the medical tube or line, and displaying the combined image on the display.