Plaque Stability Index Calculation via 2D Vascular Deformation Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for evaluating vascular plaque stability, such as intravascular ultrasound and optical coherence tomography, face limitations including long acquisition times, complex operations, and errors due to three-dimensional reconstructions, lacking a rapid and efficient method for calculating two-dimensional lumen deformation parameters.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for calculating plaque stability using a medical image sequence, incorporating an image processing module for segmentation and registration, and a finite element calculation module for real-time data transmission, enabling automatic processing and visualization of plaque stability indices, focusing on two-dimensional vascular deformation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If ultrasound-based Doppler principle and living tissue combined elastic imaging method is used to acquire images at high frequency, then measurement precision of vascular deformation is improved, but acquisition time becomes too long for short cardiac cycles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical ultrasound imaging system with an X-ray imaging system. This substitution enables much faster acquisition times (milliseconds per frame) compared to ultrasound, allowing multiple frames to be captured within a single cardiac cycle while maintaining sufficient measurement precision for vascular deformation analysis.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the periodic nature of the cardiac cycle by capturing X-ray images at multiple specific time points within one cardiac cycle. This periodic sampling approach allows acquisition of sufficient data for deformation analysis without requiring continuous long-duration imaging, thus resolving the time constraint.
2Loss of information
If multiple frames of images are acquired by controlling the suspending position of the probe, then comprehensive vascular information is obtained, but longitudinal variation between frames increases due to vessel stretch
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses X-ray imaging which can capture the entire vascular structure in a single frame, providing comprehensive vascular information without needing to move the probe to multiple positions. This multi-functional capability of X-ray imaging resolves both the need for complete information and the alignment accuracy problem.
3Measurement precision
If three-dimensional reconstruction technology is used for coronary angiography image, then three-dimensional plaque stability evaluation is achieved, but manual acting and implementation complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential two-dimensional lumen contour information from the X-ray images, avoiding the complexity of full three-dimensional reconstruction. By focusing on the critical 2D deformation parameters, the system achieves sufficient plaque stability evaluation with much lower implementation complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the analysis process into distinct steps: image acquisition, lumen contour extraction, feature point identification, and deformation calculation. This segmentation simplifies the overall complex task into manageable components, reducing implementation difficulty while maintaining evaluation accuracy.
4Loss of information
If three-dimensional reconstruction at multiple moments is performed, then four-dimensional vascular deformation behavior is acquired, but space conversion errors and multiple error accumulations occur
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of performing three-dimensional reconstruction and then analyzing deformation (which introduces error), the patent inverts the approach by directly analyzing two-dimensional lumen contours from X-ray images at different time points. This inversion eliminates the space conversion errors inherent in 3D reconstruction while still capturing the essential deformation information.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention provides a rapid calculation method and system for a plaque stability index based on a medical image sequence. The system includes an image acquisition module, an image receiving module, an image processing module, a finite element calculation module and a result visualization module. The image acquisition module and the image receiving module are configured to acquire, receive and transmit a dynamic two-dimensional vascular image sequence; the image processing module is configured to acquire a space-transformational displacement field function by taking a local feature or a global image as a registration based on dynamic information of real-time deformation of an artery under a two-dimensional image; and the finite element calculation module is configured to acquire a time-dependent vascular lumen diameter sequence and a contour deformation parameter as well as a mechanical index by calculation performed by virtue of the above-mentioned displacement field function. According to the present invention, information such as a time-dependent lumen diameter sequence parameter and a true lumen contour line strain is directly added on the two-dimensional image based on an existing medical image function to evaluate the plaque stability, so that the calculation complexity is greatly simplified, and the parameter calculation speed is remarkably increased.