JP2013043026A - Blood flow estimation system for puncture target organ, temperature distribution estimation system, analyzer, and program for analyzer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To contribute to the estimation of a blood flow in a puncture target organ and to obtain the temperature distribution of the puncture target organ from the blood flow and the change in the temperature distribution.SOLUTION: A temperature distribution estimation system 10 includes: a heating means 14 which applies a constant amount of heat to the insertion site of an electrode needle 12; a temperature sensor 15 which is capable of measuring the temperature change in the proximity to the heating means 14 after the amount of heat is applied; a blood flow estimation means 19 which estimates the blood flow of the puncture target organ based on the measurement value of the temperature sensor 15; and a temperature distribution estimation means 20 which estimates the temperature distribution in the puncture target organ based on the blood flow. In the blood flow estimation means 19, the temperature rise rate to time is calculated from the measurement value of the temperature sensor 15, and the blood flow is calculated based on the temperature rise rate. In the temperature distribution estimation means 20, the temperature distribution is calculated from the blood flow and the amount of heat applied from an electrode 12A to the puncture target organ.

Description

  The present invention relates to a blood flow volume estimation system, a temperature distribution estimation system, an analysis device, and an analysis device program for a puncture target organ. More specifically, the present invention relates to a puncture target organ at the time of cauterizing a lesion portion of the puncture target organ by puncture. The present invention relates to a blood flow estimation system, a temperature distribution estimation system, an analysis apparatus, and an analysis apparatus program for a puncture target organ that estimates blood flow and contributes to grasping a temperature distribution in a puncture target organ affected by the blood flow.

  In recent medical treatment, there is a demand for minimally invasive treatment with less burden on the patient. Among them, a puncture treatment method is known in which an affected part of an organ is punctured and treated. Examples of this puncture treatment method include RFA (radiofrequency ablation therapy) used for the treatment of liver cancer and the like. This RFA is a therapy in which an electrode needle is inserted into a part of a tumor and the tumor is heated by Joule heat emitted from the electrode needle to cauterize the tumor and coagulate necrosis. As an electrode needle used for RFA, there is one that can be provided with a temperature sensor at the tip thereof to monitor the temperature of the tip portion (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2011-98211 A

  However, since the conventional electrode needle can only control the temperature of the site where the organ is inserted, during the operation, the doctor can determine whether the temperature distribution of the tumor or whole organ to be ablated and the temperature distribution over time. Cannot be grasped, causing the following inconvenience.

  Generally, RFA is performed by a doctor's visual observation under an ultrasonic image. However, since the ultrasonic image is monochrome, the boundary between the tumor and the cauterized part is unclear and difficult to view.

  In addition, when a predetermined amount of heat is applied to the organ from the electrode needle, if the blood flow in the organ is large, heat is easily taken away by the blood flow, the heat transfer rate to the tumor is reduced, and the ablation range is the intended range Smaller than. Conversely, when the blood flow in the organ is small, the heat transfer rate to the tumor increases, and the ablation range becomes larger than the intended range. Since blood flow varies depending on the condition of the patient during the operation, even if the temperature of the insertion site is monitored and the amount of Joule heat given from the electrode needle to the organ is maintained at a desired value, the change in blood flow The size of the ablation area in the organ changes. For this reason, the output adjustment of the Joule heat from the electrode needle depends on the experience and intuition of the doctor, and the treatment results tend to vary.

  As described above, in order to accurately control the ablation range of the organ, it is important to sequentially acquire information on the temperature distribution of the organ that changes depending on the blood flow volume and the change thereof during the operation. Therefore, even if the temperature of the insertion site of the electrode needle is controlled, if the temperature distribution of the tumor or organ to be ablated and the changes in the temperature cannot be accurately grasped during the operation, it can be cauterized within the correct range. Therefore, there is a risk of remaining unburned areas of the tumor and excessive cauterization of normal tissues.

  The present invention has been devised by paying attention to such inconveniences, and its purpose is to estimate the blood flow volume in the puncture target organ and grasp the temperature distribution of the puncture target organ and its change from the blood flow volume. An object of the present invention is to provide a blood flow volume estimation system, a temperature distribution estimation system, an analysis apparatus, and an analysis apparatus program that contribute to the puncture target organ.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention relates to the vicinity of time according to a mathematical formula stored in advance from a measured value of the temperature in the vicinity of the puncture needle in the puncture target organ when a certain amount of heat is applied. The main feature is that it includes a blood flow rate estimating means for calculating the blood flow rate based on the temperature rise rate.

  According to the present invention, during the puncture, the blood flow volume in the puncture target organ can be estimated over time, and the temperature distribution of the puncture target organ that depends on the blood flow volume can be estimated over time. This makes it possible to present information regarding this temperature distribution to the doctor, and based on this information, the output energy from the electrode that heats the puncture target organ can be automatically controlled, and the patient's intraoperative blood flow In spite of the change of the above, the desired range of cauterization can be performed more accurately.

The schematic block diagram of the temperature distribution estimation system which concerns on this embodiment.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration diagram of a temperature distribution estimation system according to the present embodiment. In this figure, the temperature distribution estimation system 10 inserts an electrode needle 12 as a puncture needle into a tumor portion of an organ to be punctured, and RFA (causes the tumor portion with Joule heat generated by radio waves supplied to the electrode needle 12. This system estimates the temperature distribution of the puncture target organ during radiofrequency ablation.

  This temperature distribution estimation system 10 is based on the heating means 14 and temperature sensor 15 incorporated in the electrode needle 12 having the electrode 12A through which a high-frequency current from a radio wave generator (not shown) is passed, and the measured value of the temperature sensor 15. And an analysis device 17 for obtaining a temperature distribution in the puncture target organ over time.

  The heating means 14 is connected to a power source (not shown) and is composed of a thin heating wire different from the electrode 12A. The heating means 14 is independent of heating the insertion site by radio wave energy from the electrode 12A, and A constant amount of heat is continuously supplied to the surroundings. The heating means 14 is not limited to the heating thin wire, and as long as a constant amount of heat can be continuously supplied around the insertion site, apart from the application of thermal energy by electromagnetic waves for causing coagulation necrosis of the tumor part. Various types can be employed.

  The temperature sensor 15 can measure the temperature in the vicinity of the heating means 14, that is, the temperature of the electrode needle 12 in the vicinity of the insertion site, and the electrical signal corresponding to the measured value is sequentially analyzed over time. Transmitted to the device 17. That is, during the operation, a constant amount of heat is applied from the heating means 14 to the puncture target organ, and the temperature rise caused by the heat is measured over time by the temperature sensor 15.

  The analysis device 17 is configured by a computer including an arithmetic processing device such as a CPU and a storage device such as a memory and a hard disk, and a program for causing the computer to function as the following units is installed.

  This analysis device 17 is based on the measurement value of the temperature sensor 15, the blood flow rate estimation means 19 for obtaining an estimated value of the blood flow volume of the puncture target organ over time, and the puncture based on the blood flow volume obtained by the blood flow rate estimation means 19. Temperature distribution estimating means 20 for obtaining an estimated value of the temperature of each part in the target organ over time.

なお、温度上昇率Ｕと血流量Ｆの関係は、本発明者らが鋭意、実験研究を行った結果、式（１）として導出されたものであり、同式（１）中、ａ、ｂは、数値解析に基づくシミュレーションによる実験等の実験研究によって特定された定数となる。
また、式（１）は、加熱手段１４からの発熱量のうち、血流量が多い場合、血流に吸収される熱量が多くなって電極針１２の温度上昇量が小さくなる一方、血流量が少ない場合、血流に吸収される熱量が少なくなって電極針１２の温度上昇量が大きくなる点に着目し、実験研究により導出されたものである。 In the blood flow rate estimating means 19, the electrode needle at the elapsed time t from the start of continuous heating by the heating means 14 from the measured value (temperature T) of the temperature sensor 15 according to the following formula (1) stored in advance. The temperature increase rate U of 12 is calculated, and the blood flow rate F is calculated from the temperature increase rate U.

The relationship between the temperature increase rate U and the blood flow rate F was derived as a formula (1) as a result of earnest researches by the present inventors, and in the formula (1), a, b Is a constant specified by an experimental study such as a simulation based on numerical analysis.
Further, in the formula (1), when the blood flow amount is large among the calorific values from the heating means 14, the amount of heat absorbed in the blood flow is increased and the temperature rise of the electrode needle 12 is reduced, while the blood flow rate is In the case where the amount is small, the amount of heat absorbed by the blood flow is reduced, and the temperature rise amount of the electrode needle 12 is increased.

上式（２）において、ρは穿刺対象臓器の密度、ｃは穿刺対象臓器の比熱、λは穿刺対象臓器の熱伝導率、ρ_ｂは血液の密度、ｃ_ｂは血液の比熱、θ_ｂは血液の温度であり、これら数値ρ，ｃ，λ，ρ_ｂ，ｃ_ｂ，θ_ｂは、定数として予め記憶されている。 In the temperature distribution estimation means 20, the blood flow F at the elapsed time t and the Joule heat quantity Q (P) given from the electrode 12 </ b> A to the puncture target organ are stored in advance in the following equation (2). By substituting into the equation and solving the equation, the temperature distribution of the puncture target organ is calculated. Here, the temperature distribution is in the form of a function θ (B, t) represented by a position vector B with respect to an arbitrary element viewed from a coordinate system set at an appropriate reference position in the puncture target organ and an elapsed time t. Is required. The amount of heat Q (P) of Joule heat is a function determined by the amount of power supplied to the electrode 12A and the electrical conductivity of the liver, and is specified by the input of the amount of power supplied P at the elapsed time t.

In the above equation (2), ρ is the density of the puncture target organ, c is the specific heat of the puncture target organ, λ is the thermal conductivity of the puncture target organ, ρ _b is the blood density, c _b is the specific heat of blood, and θ _b is This is the blood temperature, and these numerical values ρ, c, λ, ρ _b , c _b , and θ _b are stored in advance as constants.

  That is, here, the temperature function θ (B, t) for each elapsed time t is obtained, the temperature at each position in the coordinate system of the puncture target organ is specified for each elapsed time t, and the liver is determined for each temperature portion that is the same. Can be obtained over time. The temperature distribution data obtained here can be presented to a doctor performing RFA by displaying it on a display device (not shown), or can be used for automatic control of the amount of generated Joule heat from the electrode 12A.

  In the above-described embodiment, the case where the heating unit 14 and the temperature sensor 15 are built in the electrode needle 12 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and these can be provided separately from the electrode needle 12.

  The temperature distribution estimation system 10 is configured to include a blood flow estimation system that estimates the blood flow of a puncture target organ. In the present invention, the blood flow estimation is performed without providing the temperature distribution estimation means 20. A system-only configuration can also be adopted.

  Furthermore, the present invention can be applied not only to RFA but also to other puncture procedures such as microwave coagulation therapy (PMCT).

  In addition, the configuration of each part of the apparatus in the present invention is not limited to the illustrated configuration example, and various modifications are possible as long as substantially the same operation is achieved.

10 Temperature distribution estimation system 12 Electrode needle (puncture needle)
12A Electrode 14 Heating means 15 Temperature sensor 17 Analyzing device 19 Blood flow rate estimating means 20 Temperature distribution estimating means

Claims (6)

A system for estimating blood flow of a puncture target organ into which a puncture needle is inserted,
Heating means for applying a certain amount of heat to the puncture site of the puncture needle;
A temperature sensor capable of measuring a temperature change in the vicinity of the heating means after the application of the heat quantity;
Blood flow estimation means for estimating the blood flow based on the measurement value of the temperature sensor,
The blood flow rate estimating means calculates a temperature increase rate with respect to time from a measurement value of the temperature sensor by using a mathematical formula stored in advance, and calculates the blood flow rate based on the temperature increase rate Blood flow estimation system for organs.   The blood flow estimation system according to claim 1, wherein the heating means and the temperature sensor are integrally provided on the puncture needle.   The puncture needle is an electrode needle having an electrode for applying thermal energy by electromagnetic waves to the insertion site, and heating by the heating means is performed separately from heating by the electrode. Item 3. A blood flow estimation system according to item 1 or 2. A temperature distribution estimation system comprising the blood flow estimation system according to claim 3,
A temperature distribution estimating means for estimating a temperature distribution in the puncture target organ based on the blood flow,
In the temperature distribution estimation means, the temperature distribution is calculated by substituting the blood flow rate and the heat amount given from the electrode to the puncture target organ into a heat conduction equation stored in advance. A temperature distribution estimation system for an organ to be punctured. In the analysis device for analyzing the state of the puncture target organ into which the puncture needle is inserted,
A blood flow rate estimating means for estimating a blood flow rate of the puncture target organ based on a temperature change in the vicinity thereof when a certain amount of heat is applied to the puncture site of the puncture needle;
The puncture target organ analysis apparatus characterized in that the blood flow rate estimation means calculates a rate of temperature rise in the vicinity with respect to time by using a mathematical formula stored in advance, and calculates the blood flow rate based on the rate of temperature rise . In a program for operating a computer of an analysis apparatus that analyzes a state of a puncture target organ into which a puncture needle is inserted,
Based on the measured value of the temperature in the vicinity of the puncture needle when a certain amount of heat is applied, the temperature increase rate in the vicinity with respect to time is calculated according to a previously stored mathematical formula, and based on the temperature increase rate A puncture target organ analysis apparatus program that causes the computer to function as blood flow estimation means for calculating the blood flow.

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