Vessel Path Mask Navigation for Catheter Tracking and Repositioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing catheter procedures face challenges such as prolonged procedure times due to path changes during physiological cycles and excessive use of contrast agents, which can adversely affect patients.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that generates a mask of the path, tracks the position of the distal portion of the elongated medical device using real-time images, adjusts the device's position if it goes off-path, and advances it at a velocity determined by the remaining path length to the target location, reducing the need for contrast and shortening procedure time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If real-time image tracking and automated navigation are implemented, then navigation precision and procedure efficiency are improved, but device complexity and system cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an image processing system as an intermediary between the medical device and the operator. This system processes real-time fluoroscopic images to track device position and generate navigation guidance, thereby improving measurement precision without requiring direct complex mechanical feedback systems in the catheter itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical navigation methods with image-based optical tracking. Instead of relying on mechanical guides or physical roadmaps, the system uses fluoroscopic imaging and computer vision algorithms to track device position and provide navigation feedback, reducing mechanical complexity while improving precision.
2Loss of time
If automated path adjustment and velocity control are implemented, then procedure time is reduced, but control system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback control system that continuously monitors device position through real-time image tracking and automatically adjusts navigation velocity and path correction based on measured deviations from the target. This closed-loop feedback reduces procedure time by eliminating manual measurement and calculation steps while managing control complexity through algorithmic automation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary calculations of the optimal navigation path and velocity profile before actual device advancement. By pre-computing the navigation strategy based on target location and vessel anatomy, the system reduces real-time computational requirements and procedure time while keeping the control system manageable.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If minimal contrast usage is implemented, then patient safety is improved, but path visualization difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a digital copy or virtual roadmap of the vascular path using pre-acquired imaging data. This virtual representation allows the system to track device position and provide navigation guidance without requiring continuous contrast injection, thereby improving patient safety while maintaining path visualization through image processing of minimal contrast frames.
Data Source
AI summary
The system comprises a workstation including a controller. The controller is configured to cause the workstation to: generate a vessels-image based on at least one image from a set of medical images of a region of interest; calculate a vessel path from a source point to a target point on the vessels-image, based at least on the set of medical images; determine that at least one child vessel is connected to the vessel path based on at least a flow of contrast agent in the set of medical images; generate a path mask for the vessel path; generate a child vessel mask for the at least one child vessel; and display the path mask and the child vessel mask on an image associated with the path mask.