JP2007519493A - Magnetic resonance-optical combination device for prostate, cervical and rectal cancer imaging - Google Patents

Abstract

  The present invention relates to a system that combines anatomical imaging techniques (eg MR) and optical imaging techniques. The system of the present invention can be applied in various ways, such as 1) cancer diagnosis and stage classification, 2) image guidance, 3) radiation therapy planning, and the like. Image guidance includes a biopsy guide. For example, prostatectomy surgery can cause serious effects such as impotence and incontinence, but unnecessary prostatectomy surgery can be prevented with a histologically reliable biopsy diagnosis. Image guidance also includes less invasive treatments such as ultrasound brachytherapy. The present invention is also used in radiation therapy plans that identify healthy tissue and protect it from radiation.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority from US Provisional Application No. 60 / 541,102, filed Feb. 2, 2004, the disclosure of which is related to the contents of this application.

  The contents of this application are as follows: US Provisional Application No. 60/541022 dated 27 January 2005, "Combined MR-Ultrasound (US) Coil for Prostate-, Cevix-, and Rectum Cancer Imaging Diagnostics", January 2005 This is related to the contents of US Provisional Application No. 60/541020 dated 27th "Combined Intra-Rectal Optical-MR and Intra-Rectal Optical-US Device for Prostate-, Cevix-, and Rectum Imaging Diagnostics".

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to medical imaging, and more particularly to a magnetic resonance-optical combination device for prostate, cervical and rectal imaging.

2. Description of Related Technology Currently, various diagnostic imaging methods are used to diagnose prostate cancer, cervical cancer, and rectal cancer. Recent diagnostic imaging techniques include magnetic resonance MR, computer tomography CT, ultrasound US, nuclear medicine (eg, positron emission tomography PET, single photon emission computed tomography SPECT), etc. It is. Different imaging techniques are used in combination for more accurate diagnosis. In particular, anatomical information (eg, bones and viscera) obtained from anatomical imaging techniques can be augmented by optical information obtained from optical imaging techniques.

  Combining different imaging techniques is typically done by post-processing. Post-processing is usually time consuming. Also, accurate coupling between anatomical modalities and optical modalities is usually only possible with rigid structures such as the brain. However, even the brain can be inaccurate, so this connection is not very common.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, an anatomical and optical diagnostic imaging device is provided. The diagnostic imaging apparatus includes an anatomical imaging unit that is inserted into a body cavity and acquires an anatomical image of the body cavity, and an optical imaging unit that is operatively coupled to the anatomical imaging unit and acquires optical information of the body cavity. And has.

  The present invention also provides other anatomical and optical diagnostic imaging devices. This diagnostic imaging apparatus includes a sheath that surrounds a magnetic resonance coil, and an optical probe that is operably connected to one end of the sheath. The optical probe detects fluorescence, preferably near infrared fluorescence.

  Furthermore, according to the invention, a corresponding method is also provided. The method includes the steps of inserting an anatomical-optical combination device into a body cavity and obtaining anatomical imaging base information and a combined image representing the optical imaging base information from the anatomical-optical combination device. Have.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Corresponding elements have corresponding reference numerals in the figure.

  FIG. 1 shows a magnetic resonance-optical combination apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments The illustrated embodiments are described. In the following, all features of the actual configuration of the present invention are not listed for the sake of clarity. Of course, in actual application, various configurations or design decisions can be made in order to achieve a specific purpose, i.e. satisfy system constraints or business constraints. This may make development more complex and time consuming, but should be possible for engineers in the field.

  While the present invention includes various modifications and selections, the following description is limited to the illustrated embodiment. However, it should be understood that the examples given herein are not intended to limit the invention to any particular embodiment. Various modifications or changes within the scope of the present invention as defined in the claims are also included in the present invention. Also, the methods and apparatus described herein can be implemented as various forms of hardware, software, firmware, dedicated processors, or combinations thereof.

  The present invention relates to a system that combines anatomical imaging techniques (eg MR) and optical imaging techniques. The system of the present invention can be applied in various ways, such as 1) cancer diagnosis and stage classification, 2) image guidance, 3) radiation therapy planning, and the like. Image guidance includes a biopsy guide. For example, prostatectomy surgery can cause serious effects such as impotence and incontinence, but unnecessary prostatectomy surgery can be prevented with a histologically reliable biopsy diagnosis. Image guidance also includes less invasive treatments such as ultrasound brachytherapy. The present invention is also used in radiation therapy plans that identify healthy tissue and protect it from radiation.

  The applicant proposes a magnetic resonance-optical combination device that can be inserted into a body cavity, such as the rectum or vagina. The optical probe and the magnetic resonance coil are integrated, and the magnetic resonance base image is enhanced by the optical base information.

  The magnetic resonance-optical combination device is inserted into a body cavity and a combined image displaying anatomical imaging-based information and optical imaging-based information is received. This combined image can be used in various practical situations conceived by engineers in the field, such as cancer diagnosis, application guides, and treatment plans.

  FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a magnetic resonance-optical combination apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention in which a magnetic resonance imaging function unit and an optical imaging function unit are combined. The combination apparatus 100 includes an optical probe 105, a magnetic resonance coil 110, a sheath 115, and a handheld unit 120. The optical probe 105 is, for example, a transrectal optical transducer. The optical probe 105 can be pulled out and / or pushed in relative to the magnetic resonance coil or magnetic resonance part. The optical probe 105 may be rotatable independently of the magnetic resonance coil 110. The handheld unit 120 allows the user to easily grasp and handle the combination device 100. The optical probe or optical part can also be incorporated in the magnetic resonance coil. The optical unit may be configured to detect fluorescence, preferably near infrared fluorescence. Specific fluorescence is measured for each type of cancer under investigation with an autoluminescent or added fluorescent probe (contrast agent). You may comprise so that a radioactive probe (smart probe) can be detected with an optical part.

  The sheath 115 is a rigid casing, which is preferably translucent and filled with a binding liquid not shown. The binding liquid preferably has a refractive index equal to the surrounding material and does not bend the irradiated light beam. This will be described in detail later.

  The magnetic resonance-optical combination apparatus 100 includes an optical line 125, which is operably connected to the optical device 130. The combination apparatus 100 further includes a magnetic resonance line 135, which is operably connected to the magnetic resonance amplifier 140. The optical line passes through the center of the magnetic resonance coil 110 to the terminal detector / illuminator lead (optical probe 105). The optical line 125 and the magnetic resonance line 135 are in parallel. The optical line connects the head, the external light source, and the photodetector 130. Although not shown in the figure for simplicity, the magnetic resonance amplifier 140 may be part of a magnetic resonance tomography unit MRT well known to those skilled in the art. Also, although only one line is shown, each line may have more than one line, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The magnetic resonance coil 110 is advantageously configured to be translucent. For example, the spacer between the lines is made of a light-transmitting plastic, and the coil wire can be configured to be stable without a substrate or a support.

As another example, the sheath 115 may be replaced by a translucent balloon not shown. The balloon has a foldable investigation head with a liquid pump that generates a rotational force. The sheath 115 and balloon can also be configured to surround the magnetic resonance coil 110 assembly. The sheath 115 and the balloon serve to fix the magnetic resonance-optical combination device 100 to the body cavity. For example, when the magnetic resonance-optical combination device 100 is inserted into a body cavity, the balloon is inflated. The balloon is advantageously inflated with a binding solution, but as another example it may be inflated with air. When the transparent balloon is used, a magnetic resonance coil 110 (e.g. RF coil, such as cage coil) may be a MRInnervu commercially available from a flexible coil, for example MEDRAD ^(R) Incorporated ^(R).

  Furthermore, the sheath 115 and the balloon may have any shape conceived by those skilled in the art (for example, a torus shape). The sheath 115 and balloon are advantageously configured in a shape that allows the magnetic resonance-optical combination device 100 to be easily inserted into the body cavity to be examined. Although only a configuration in which one balloon is provided has been described here, a configuration in which two or more balloons are provided is also apparent to those skilled in the art.

  The optical device can cover a 360 ° field of view or may cover only a limited angle below it. In the latter case, the lead can be rotated outside the magnetic resonance coil independently. In either form, the optical lead can be pulled out or pushed in relative to the magnetic resonance coil. Illumination and light detection are not limited by balloons or coils. The balloon may be in a torus shape, or two balloons may be used.

  Illumination light and fluorescence are guided through two separate lines. Alternatively, illumination light and fluorescence may be distinguished using a modulation technique. According to a special design, the light is driven in continuous wave mode (CW mode). Depending on other designs, the time domain method TD, the optical tomography method OCT, the two-photon method, or the like may be applied. Tomography methods are used to increase the signal-to-noise ratio or tissue penetration rate.

Three general examples of optical device design are possible.
1. A circular diffuser or a discrete microscopic lens assembled in a circuit by an optical line (single fiber or fiber bundle) is connected. The optical head is moved along the magnetic resonance axis to improve the coverage of the body cavity.
2. A rotating mirror is provided at the end of the optical line, and illumination light is cyclically projected onto the body cavity wall, for example, the rectal epithelium, to detect fluorescence. The mirror is connected to a cardan shaft and a motor located outside the magnetic field. The optical head is moved along the magnetic resonance axis to improve the coverage of the body cavity.
3. A digital mirror array DMA is provided for projecting light in two or three dimensions.

  As the light source, for example, a broadband light source (xenon lamp or mercury lamp), LED, LED array, laser or the like can be used. The detector is a CCD camera or CMOS. All materials of the optical device are non-conductive. If this is inconvenient, a small amount of conductive material can be used if the HP coupling rate can be kept small.

  Intrarectal measurements obtained from the magnetic resonance-optical combination device 100 are advantageously combined with measurements by an external phased array coil, not shown, to increase the signal-to-noise ratio and the inspectable area in the body cavity. It is. An external phased array coil is a typical part of a standard MRT unit. In an advantageous embodiment, the external phased array coil is a body array that provides an abdominal receive channel and a dorsal root receive channel. The body array expands the observable area within the body cavity and provides lymph node information, for example for stage classification.

  The magnetic resonance-optical combination device 100 is coupled by single crystal iron oxide nanoparticles MION which is a contrast agent for magnetic resonance. MION is doubly labeled by a fluorescent pigment that is an optical contrast agent. In addition, magnetic resonance data sets, ie images obtained from MRT units using the present invention, are used for NIRF absorption and NIRF auto-emission segmentation and sub-sequence modeling to increase near infrared fluorescence NIRF image quality.

  Although the present invention has been described with reference to the illustrated embodiments as described above, it should be understood that these are merely examples and do not limit the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make various modifications to the embodiments within the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims. Accordingly, the scope of rights sought by the applicant is expressed in the claims.

It is a figure which shows the magnetic resonance-optical combination apparatus of the Example of this invention.

Claims (20)

An anatomical imaging unit that is inserted into the body cavity and acquires an anatomical image of the body cavity;
An anatomical and optical diagnostic imaging apparatus comprising: an optical imaging unit operably coupled to the anatomical imaging unit to obtain optical information of a body cavity.   The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the anatomical imaging unit includes a magnetic resonance unit.   The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the optical imaging unit includes an optical section.   The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the optical imaging unit moves relative to the anatomical imaging unit.   The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the optical imaging unit rotates independently of the anatomical imaging unit.   The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the motion of the optical imaging unit is reproducible.   The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a handheld portion is operably connected to the anatomical imaging unit and the optical imaging unit. A sheath surrounding the magnetic resonance coil;
An anatomical and optical diagnostic imaging device comprising an optical probe operably connected to one end of the sheath.   9. The device of claim 8, wherein a handheld portion is operably connected to the other end of the sheath.   The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the magnetic resonance coil is a flexible coil.   The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the sheath includes a rigid casing and at least one balloon.   The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the optical probe moves relative to the magnetic resonance coil.   The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the optical probe rotates independently of the magnetic resonance coil.   The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the magnetic resonance coil is operably connected to a magnetic resonance amplifier.   The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the optical probe is operably connected to an optical device.   The apparatus of claim 8, wherein a phased array coil is provided to increase the signal-to-noise ratio and inspection area. Inserting an anatomical-optical combination device into the body cavity;
Obtaining a combined image representing anatomical imaging base information and optical imaging base information from an anatomical-optical combination device.   18. The method of claim 17, wherein in the step of inserting the anatomical-optical combination device into the body cavity, the magnetic resonance-optical combination device is inserted.   18. The method of claim 17, wherein in the step of inserting the anatomical-optical combination device into the body cavity, the anatomical-optical combination device is inserted into the rectum.   18. The method of claim 17, further comprising analyzing the combined image for either a diagnosis, application guide or treatment plan.

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