3D Virtual Instrument Reconstruction for Branched Stent Length

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Determining the length of iliac stents for branched vessels is challenging due to vessel deformation during stent insertion, necessitating invasive procedures like angiography to measure length, which increases patient exposure to radiation and contrast agents.

Innovation Solution

A method using 3D reconstruction of a virtual instrument from a projection recording to determine the length of a stent by identifying and marking points on a virtual model, allowing for a virtual 3D representation, which includes automatically determining start and end points on a virtual 3D representation, which includes automatically determining the length of a virtual 3D instrument, thereby reducing the need for actual images and minimizing radiation exposure.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If intraoperative angiography is performed to determine stent length, then measurement precision is improved, but radiation exposure and contrast agent exposure increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestent length measurementVSAvoidradiation exposure and contrast agent exposure

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by performing 3D reconstruction of the instrument and vessel from pre-acquired projection recordings before the actual stent length determination. This allows the measurement to be prepared in advance using already-acquired imaging data, avoiding the need for additional intraoperative angiography and its associated radiation and contrast agent exposure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a virtual 3D model (copy) of the instrument and vessel geometry from 2D projection recordings. This virtual model allows for accurate stent length measurement without requiring physical measurement tools or additional imaging procedures, thereby eliminating the need for contrast agents and reducing radiation exposure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Loss of time

If 3D reconstruction is performed from projection recordings, then the need for additional imaging is reduced, but computational complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimaging timeVSAvoidcomputational processing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces mechanical/imaging procedures with computational methods. Instead of using physical measurement tools or additional imaging hardware during the intervention, the system uses computer-based 3D reconstruction algorithms to process projection recordings and determine stent length, reducing procedural time despite increased computational requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS12622660B2Determining a length of a stent

Publication Date: 2026.05.12 SIEMENS HEALTHINEERS AG

AI summary

The length of a stent for a branched vessel may be determined without a contrast agent if possible. To this end, a method includes: acquiring a projection recording of the vessel into which an instrument has been introduced; determining the instrument in the projection recording; estimating a 3D reconstruction of the determined instrument from the projection recording in order to obtain a virtual 3D instrument; establishing a start point and an end point on the virtual 3D instrument with reference to an overlay of the virtual 3D instrument and the projection recording; and automatically determining a distance between the start point and the end point along the virtual 3D instrument as the length for the stent.