Medical Viewing System with X-Ray Guided Echocardiographic Plane Selection

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Solution Overview

Problem

The current process of selecting an optimal viewing plane for interventional devices in 3D TEE images during cardiac interventions is time-consuming and disruptive to clinical workflow, requiring repeated manual adjustments and rotations of 3D TEE images, which can lead to miscommunication and inefficiency.

Innovation Solution

A medical viewing system that includes an X-ray image acquisition device, an echocardiographic image acquisition device, and a processing unit to register and fuse X-ray and TEE images, using an indicator line in the X-ray image to automatically determine and display the optimal viewing plane for echocardiographic images, reducing the need for manual rotation and cropping of TEE images.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If manual rotation and cropping of 3D TEE images is performed to locate optimal viewing plane, then the viewing plane can be adjusted to show interventional device, but the process becomes time-consuming and disrupts clinical workflow

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveviewing plane accuracyVSAvoidtime to locate optimal viewing plane
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-calculates and stores multiple standard 2D echocardiographic views from 3D image data before the interventional procedure. During the procedure, these pre-computed views can be quickly displayed without requiring real-time manual rotation and cropping, thus maintaining viewing plane accuracy while significantly reducing the time needed to locate optimal views of the interventional device

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adapts between different viewing modes by allowing practitioners to switch between pre-calculated standard 2D views and real-time 3D TEE images. This dynamic approach enables quick access to optimized viewing planes when needed while maintaining the ability to perform manual adjustments if required, resolving the contradiction between speed and precision

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Measurement precision

If multiple rotating and cropping actions are performed manually to find acceptable viewing plane, then the viewing plane can be optimized, but the complexity of the process increases and increases chance of miscommunication

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveviewing plane optimizationVSAvoidprocess complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs the complex operations of rotating and cropping 3D TEE image data in advance to generate standardized 2D echocardiographic views. These pre-processed views present optimized viewing planes without requiring the practitioner to perform multiple manual rotation and cropping actions during the procedure, thus maintaining viewing plane optimization while significantly reducing process complexity and the potential for miscommunication

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates simplified 2D copies of the 3D TEE data that represent optimal viewing planes. These 2D echocardiographic views are easier to interpret and communicate than manipulating full 3D volumes, reducing the complexity of the viewing process while preserving the ability to achieve optimized viewing planes for interventional devices

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

3Adaptability or versatility

If the procedure is interrupted to repeat the process of finding optimal viewing plane, then the viewing plane can be updated for different device stages, but the productivity of the procedure decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveviewing plane adaptabilityVSAvoidclinical workflow efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-calculates multiple standard 2D echocardiographic views from the 3D TEE data before the interventional procedure begins. During the procedure, practitioners can quickly switch between these pre-computed views to accommodate different device positioning and assessment stages without interrupting the workflow, thus maintaining viewing plane adaptability while preserving procedural productivity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system maintains continuous availability of multiple optimized viewing planes throughout the procedure by having them pre-computed and ready for immediate display. This eliminates the need to interrupt the procedure to repeat the viewing plane finding process, allowing the useful action of viewing the interventional device from optimal angles to continue uninterrupted across different procedural stages

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Data Source

PatentEP3120332B1Medical viewing system with a viewing plane determination
Publication Date: 2023.11.15 KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS NV
  • EP3120332B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3120332B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3120332B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

The present invention relates to a medical viewing system (10) with a viewing plane determination, a method for providing medical images with a viewing plane determination, a computer program element for controlling such system and a computer readable medium. The medical viewing system (10) with a viewing plane determination comprises an X-ray image acquisition device (1), an echocardiographic image acquisition device (2) and a processing unit (3). The X-ray image acquisition device (1) is adapted to acquire an X-ray image in an X-ray imaging plane. The echocardiographic image acquisition device (2) is adapted to acquire a plurality of echocardiographic images. The processing unit (3) is adapted for a determination of an indicator in the X-ray image indicating aviewing plane for an echocardiographic image. The indicator may be an indicator line (41) in the X- ray image indicating the viewing plane perpendicular to the X-ray imaging plane. The processing unit (3) is further adapted for registering or fusing the X-ray image and the plurality of echocardiographic images together, and for then providing an echocardiographic image in the identified viewing plane. The identified viewing plane may be related to specific plane of a device (valve clips, plugs…) or of a specific anatomical structure.