Patient-Specific Vascular Model for Perfusion Deficit Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current clinical techniques for assessing vascular disease are limited in accurately determining the impact on tissue function and the effectiveness of treatments, as they struggle with detecting perfusion deficits in small vessels, associating vessel disease with perfusion deficits in multivessel disease, and restoring sufficient blood supply to improve cardiac or muscle function.

Innovation Solution

The system and method involve generating patient-specific anatomic and vascular models from imaging data to estimate blood supply and determine tissue function characteristics, allowing for the assessment of tissue function and the evaluation of treatment options by simulating blood flow and perfusion deficits.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If clinical techniques observe functional compromise or perfusion deficit to assess vascular disease, then assessment capability is provided, but measurement precision is insufficient for small vessels and multivessel disease

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveperfusion deficit detection accuracyVSAvoiddetection capability in small vessels

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical/physical measurement methods (catheter-based pressure measurements, imaging-based perfusion assessment) with computational fluid dynamics simulations. The CFD model solves the Navier-Stokes equations to compute blood flow, pressure, and shear stress fields, providing precise measurements of perfusion deficits and vessel function that cannot be obtained through conventional clinical techniques.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a virtual copy of the patient's vascular system through patient-specific geometric modeling from medical images. This digital twin includes the vascular geometry, boundary conditions, and physiological parameters, allowing for repeated simulations and treatment planning without additional invasive procedures or radiation exposure to the patient.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Measurement precision

If population-based vessel territory maps are used to associate vessel disease with perfusion deficit, then association capability is provided, but measurement precision deteriorates due to lack of patient-specific accuracy

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevessel-perfusion association accuracyVSAvoidpatient-specific customization

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by computing perfusion and flow metrics specifically for each vessel segment and its corresponding myocardial territory in the patient's heart. The CFD model traces blood flow from specific coronary arteries through their branches to the downstream myocardium, establishing precise local relationships between vessel disease and perfusion deficits rather than using generalized population-based mappings.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the vascular system into discrete vessel segments and associates each with its specific myocardial territory. The CFD model computes flow and pressure in each segment independently, allowing for precise localization of perfusion deficits to specific diseased vessels or segments, which is essential for guiding revascularization decisions in multivessel disease.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Quantity of substance

If revascularization treatment is performed to restore blood supply, then blood flow improvement is achieved, but tissue function restoration is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveblood supply volumeVSAvoidtissue function assessment accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary CFD simulations to predict the outcome of potential revascularization treatments before actually performing the procedure. By modeling different treatment scenarios (e.g., stenting different vessels, different stent sizes, different surgical options), the system allows clinicians to select the treatment most likely to restore adequate tissue function and improve patient outcomes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent establishes a feedback loop where CFD simulation results provide quantitative metrics (flow, pressure, shear stress) that guide treatment planning and can be used to assess treatment effectiveness. The model allows for iterative refinement of treatment strategies based on simulated outcomes, ensuring that revascularization achieves sufficient blood supply restoration to improve tissue function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS20230197286A1Systems and methods for patient image processing to evaluate tissue function

Publication Date: 2023.06.22 HEARTFLOW INC

AI summary

Systems and methods are disclosed for assessing tissue function based on vascular disease. One method includes receiving a patient-specific anatomic model generated from patient-specific imaging of at least a portion of a patient's tissue; receiving a patient-specific vascular model generated from patient-specific imaging of at least a portion of a patient's vasculature; receiving an estimate of blood supplied to a portion of the patient-specific anatomic model; and determining a characteristic of the function of the patient's tissue using the estimate of blood supplied to the portion of the patient-specific anatomic model.