Virtual Perfusion Phantom for Non-Invasive Cardiac Assessment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for assessing coronary artery disease, such as perfusion scans, are costly and expose patients to unnecessary radiation, while invasive treatments may be inappropriate or excessive, highlighting the need for accurate and non-invasive estimation of perfusion to guide treatment.
Innovation Solution
The system and method involve receiving patient-specific vessel and tissue models, extracting physiological parameters, and estimating perfusion characteristics using these parameters, allowing for the output of estimated perfusion data that can simulate familiar scan types like SPECT or PET.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional perfusion scans are used to assess coronary artery disease, then perfusion data can be obtained, but the patient is exposed to unnecessary radiation and the cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual perfusion scan by generating a simulated image that copies the appearance and diagnostic value of a traditional SPECT or PET scan. The system uses a virtual phantom model of the heart with embedded vessel disease characteristics and injects a virtual radiotracer to produce a perfusion image that mimics real scan results without actual radiation exposure to the patient.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces expensive, radiation-intensive physical scanning equipment with a computational model that can be rapidly generated and discarded. The virtual phantom and simulation algorithms serve as disposable, low-cost alternatives that provide the same diagnostic information without the harmful and costly physical scan process.
2Reliability
If invasive treatments are performed to treat coronary artery disease, then treatment can be applied, but the treatment may be inappropriate or excessive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary virtual assessment of perfusion and vessel disease characteristics before any invasive treatment is considered. By pre-calculating the impact of different treatment scenarios on the virtual heart model, clinicians can determine the most appropriate treatment strategy in advance, avoiding unnecessary or inappropriate invasive procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides feedback by simulating treatment outcomes on the virtual phantom model. Clinicians can input different treatment scenarios and receive immediate feedback on the expected perfusion improvement, allowing them to select the most appropriate treatment while avoiding excessive or unnecessary interventions.
3Ease of operation
If virtual perfusion estimation is performed using patient-specific models, then non-invasive assessment is achieved, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal virtual phantom platform that can be applied to multiple patients and treatment scenarios. The same base phantom model can be customized for different patients by adjusting anatomical parameters and vessel disease characteristics, providing a multi-functional system that handles various assessment needs without requiring separate complex systems for each patient.
Solution Approach 2:
The system manages complexity by changing parameters within a standardized virtual phantom framework rather than creating entirely new models for each patient. Anatomical and physiological parameters are adjusted within the virtual model based on patient-specific data, maintaining a consistent and manageable system structure while achieving personalized assessment.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are disclosed for processing medical images. One method includes: receiving a patient-specific vessel model of one or more vessels of a patient and a patient-specific tissue model of a tissue supplied by the one or more vessels, wherein the patient-specific vessel model and the patient-specific tissue model are derived from the medical images of the patient; determining one or more patient-specific values of one or more anatomical or physiological parameters based on the patient-specific vessel model or the patient-specific tissue model; determining an estimated supplied blood to the tissue; computing an estimate of a perfusion of blood in the tissue based on the determined patient-specific values of the one or more anatomical or physiological parameters and the determined estimated supplied blood to the tissue; generating a visualization of the computed estimate of the perfusion of blood; and displaying the estimate of the perfusion on an electronic display.