Spatial-Spectral Medical Imaging With Independent Fault Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing medical imaging devices face challenges in detecting faults during image acquisition, such as smoke, soiled lenses, inorganic materials, and motion artifacts, which can lead to distorted images and misinterpretation of physiological tissue parameters.

Innovation Solution

The imaging device includes a spatially and spectrally resolving image acquisition unit, an evaluation unit for analysis, and a fault detection unit to identify faults in image acquisition based on spatial and spectral information, generating user outputs to alert users to potential errors.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If multispectral or hyperspectral imaging is used to obtain spectral information, then diagnostic capability is improved, but susceptibility to faults and errors increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvediagnostic capabilityVSAvoidsusceptibility to faults

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a fault detection unit that continuously monitors image acquisition parameters and spectral data to identify faults in real-time. When faults are detected, the system provides feedback to alert the user and can automatically adjust acquisition parameters or exclude affected regions from analysis, thereby maintaining diagnostic reliability despite the presence of harmful factors like smoke or inorganic materials

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary fault detection and evaluation system that acts as a mediator between the image acquisition unit and the diagnostic analysis. This intermediary layer processes spectral data and image parameters to identify faults before they affect the final diagnostic interpretation, effectively isolating the harmful factors from the diagnostic capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If image acquisition continues despite faults present, then productivity is maintained, but measurement precision deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage acquisition continuityVSAvoidtissue parameter accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by differentiating between acceptable and unacceptable fault conditions. The fault detection unit analyzes the severity and location of faults, allowing the system to continue acquisition in regions unaffected by faults while excluding or adjusting analysis for regions with detected faults. This maintains overall productivity while preserving measurement precision for valid data

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements partial action by selectively processing only the portions of image data that are free from faults. When faults are detected in specific regions, the system can continue to acquire and analyze other unaffected regions, maintaining partial productivity while ensuring precision for the valid measurements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

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 solution enables reliable diagnostic and therapeutic actions by detecting and preventing misinterpretation of tissue parameters, ensuring high-quality multispectral and hyperspectral imaging by identifying and addressing faults in real-time.

Implementation Method 1

at least one optical system (14) and at least one image acquisition sensor system (16) coupled to the optical system (14), which are configured to carry out image acquisition in which spatially and spectrally resolved image data are generated

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLight transmission and focusing: Lens

Implementation Method 2

The light passing through the aperture is spread out by a dispersive element and recorded by a camera sensor. This allows the camera sensor to record a plurality of spectra, each with an associated spatial coordinate, along the longitudinal direction of the slit-shaped aperture

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDispersion: Dispersion (of waves)

Implementation Method 3

recorded by a camera sensor

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhotoelectric effect: Photoelectric Effect

Data Source

PatentUS20250325166A1Medical imaging device, method for operating same, and method of medical imaging

Publication Date: 2025.10.23 KARL STORZ SE & CO KG

AI summary

The invention relates to a medical imaging device (10), comprising: a spatially and spectrally resolving image acquisition unit (12), which comprises at least one optical system (14) and at least one image acquisition sensor system (16) coupled to the optical system, which are designed to perform an image acquisition of an image region (18), in the course of which spatially and spectrally resolved image data are generated which comprise both spatial and spectral information; an evaluation unit (20), which is designed to perform an analysis of the spatially and spectrally resolved image data that is based on spatial and spectral information and based on at least one analysis parameter calculated from the spatially and spectrally resolved image data; a fault detection unit (22), which is designed to detect the presence of a fault in the course of the image acquisition, independently of the analysis of the image data and the calculated analysis parameter, and to determine a fault state of the image acquisition; and an output unit (24), which is designed to generate, according to the fault state, a user output which is based on the analysis parameter.The invention also relates to a method for operating a medical imaging device (10) and to a method of medical imaging.