Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B6/00—Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis; Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis combined with radiation therapy equipment
  • A61B6/46—Arrangements for interfacing with the operator or the patient
  • A61B6/467—Arrangements for interfacing with the operator or the patient characterised by special input means
  • A61B6/468—Arrangements for interfacing with the operator or the patient characterised by special input means allowing annotation or message recording
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B5/00—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons
  • A61B5/0033—Features or image-related aspects of imaging apparatus, e.g. for MRI, optical tomography or impedance tomography apparatus; Arrangements of imaging apparatus in a room
  • A61B5/0035—Features or image-related aspects of imaging apparatus, e.g. for MRI, optical tomography or impedance tomography apparatus; Arrangements of imaging apparatus in a room adapted for acquisition of images from more than one imaging mode, e.g. combining MRI and optical tomography
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B5/00—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons
  • A61B5/0033—Features or image-related aspects of imaging apparatus, e.g. for MRI, optical tomography or impedance tomography apparatus; Arrangements of imaging apparatus in a room
  • A61B5/004—Features or image-related aspects of imaging apparatus, e.g. for MRI, optical tomography or impedance tomography apparatus; Arrangements of imaging apparatus in a room adapted for image acquisition of a particular organ or body part
  • A61B5/0044—Features or image-related aspects of imaging apparatus, e.g. for MRI, optical tomography or impedance tomography apparatus; Arrangements of imaging apparatus in a room adapted for image acquisition of a particular organ or body part for the heart
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B5/00—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons
  • A61B5/05—Detecting, measuring or recording for diagnosis by means of electric currents or magnetic fields; Measuring using microwaves or radio waves
  • A61B5/055—Detecting, measuring or recording for diagnosis by means of electric currents or magnetic fields; Measuring using microwaves or radio waves involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B6/00—Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis; Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis combined with radiation therapy equipment
  • A61B6/02—Arrangements for diagnosis sequentially in different planes; Stereoscopic radiation diagnosis
  • A61B6/03—Computed tomography [CT]
  • A61B6/032—Transmission computed tomography [CT]
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B6/00—Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis; Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis combined with radiation therapy equipment
  • A61B6/12—Arrangements for detecting or locating foreign bodies
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B6/00—Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis; Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis combined with radiation therapy equipment
  • A61B6/46—Arrangements for interfacing with the operator or the patient
  • A61B6/461—Displaying means of special interest
  • A61B6/463—Displaying means of special interest characterised by displaying multiple images or images and diagnostic data on one display
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B6/00—Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis; Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis combined with radiation therapy equipment
  • A61B6/46—Arrangements for interfacing with the operator or the patient
  • A61B6/461—Displaying means of special interest
  • A61B6/464—Displaying means of special interest involving a plurality of displays
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B6/00—Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis; Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis combined with radiation therapy equipment
  • A61B6/46—Arrangements for interfacing with the operator or the patient
  • A61B6/461—Displaying means of special interest
  • A61B6/466—Displaying means of special interest adapted to display 3D data
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B6/00—Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis; Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis combined with radiation therapy equipment
  • A61B6/48—Diagnostic techniques
  • A61B6/481—Diagnostic techniques involving the use of contrast agents
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B6/00—Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis; Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis combined with radiation therapy equipment
  • A61B6/48—Diagnostic techniques
  • A61B6/485—Diagnostic techniques involving fluorescence X-ray imaging
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B6/00—Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis; Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis combined with radiation therapy equipment
  • A61B6/48—Diagnostic techniques
  • A61B6/486—Diagnostic techniques involving generating temporal series of image data
  • A61B6/487—Diagnostic techniques involving generating temporal series of image data involving fluoroscopy
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B6/00—Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis; Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis combined with radiation therapy equipment
  • A61B6/50—Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis; Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis combined with radiation therapy equipment specially adapted for specific body parts; specially adapted for specific clinical applications
  • A61B6/503—Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis; Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis combined with radiation therapy equipment specially adapted for specific body parts; specially adapted for specific clinical applications for diagnosis of the heart
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B6/00—Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis; Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis combined with radiation therapy equipment
  • A61B6/52—Devices using data or image processing specially adapted for radiation diagnosis
  • A61B6/5211—Devices using data or image processing specially adapted for radiation diagnosis involving processing of medical diagnostic data
  • A61B6/5229—Devices using data or image processing specially adapted for radiation diagnosis involving processing of medical diagnostic data combining image data of a patient, e.g. combining a functional image with an anatomical image
  • A61B6/5235—Devices using data or image processing specially adapted for radiation diagnosis involving processing of medical diagnostic data combining image data of a patient, e.g. combining a functional image with an anatomical image combining images from the same or different ionising radiation imaging techniques, e.g. PET and CT
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B6/00—Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis; Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis combined with radiation therapy equipment
  • A61B6/52—Devices using data or image processing specially adapted for radiation diagnosis
  • A61B6/5211—Devices using data or image processing specially adapted for radiation diagnosis involving processing of medical diagnostic data
  • A61B6/5229—Devices using data or image processing specially adapted for radiation diagnosis involving processing of medical diagnostic data combining image data of a patient, e.g. combining a functional image with an anatomical image
  • A61B6/5247—Devices using data or image processing specially adapted for radiation diagnosis involving processing of medical diagnostic data combining image data of a patient, e.g. combining a functional image with an anatomical image combining images from an ionising-radiation diagnostic technique and a non-ionising radiation diagnostic technique, e.g. X-ray and ultrasound
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B8/00—Diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves
  • A61B8/08—Clinical applications
  • A61B8/0883—Clinical applications for diagnosis of the heart
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B8/00—Diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves
  • A61B8/08—Clinical applications
  • A61B8/0891—Clinical applications for diagnosis of blood vessels
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B34/00—Computer-aided surgery; Manipulators or robots specially adapted for use in surgery
  • A61B34/10—Computer-aided planning, simulation or modelling of surgical operations
  • A61B2034/107—Visualisation of planned trajectories or target regions
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B34/00—Computer-aided surgery; Manipulators or robots specially adapted for use in surgery
  • A61B34/20—Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
  • A61B2034/2046—Tracking techniques
  • A61B2034/2065—Tracking using image or pattern recognition
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B90/00—Instruments, implements or accessories specially adapted for surgery or diagnosis and not covered by any of the groups A61B1/00 - A61B50/00, e.g. for luxation treatment or for protecting wound edges
  • A61B90/36—Image-producing devices or illumination devices not otherwise provided for
  • A61B90/37—Surgical systems with images on a monitor during operation
  • A61B2090/374—NMR or MRI
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B90/00—Instruments, implements or accessories specially adapted for surgery or diagnosis and not covered by any of the groups A61B1/00 - A61B50/00, e.g. for luxation treatment or for protecting wound edges
  • A61B90/36—Image-producing devices or illumination devices not otherwise provided for
  • A61B90/37—Surgical systems with images on a monitor during operation
  • A61B2090/376—Surgical systems with images on a monitor during operation using X-rays, e.g. fluoroscopy
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B90/00—Instruments, implements or accessories specially adapted for surgery or diagnosis and not covered by any of the groups A61B1/00 - A61B50/00, e.g. for luxation treatment or for protecting wound edges
  • A61B90/36—Image-producing devices or illumination devices not otherwise provided for
  • A61B90/37—Surgical systems with images on a monitor during operation
  • A61B2090/376—Surgical systems with images on a monitor during operation using X-rays, e.g. fluoroscopy
  • A61B2090/3762—Surgical systems with images on a monitor during operation using X-rays, e.g. fluoroscopy using computed tomography systems [CT]
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B90/00—Instruments, implements or accessories specially adapted for surgery or diagnosis and not covered by any of the groups A61B1/00 - A61B50/00, e.g. for luxation treatment or for protecting wound edges
  • A61B90/36—Image-producing devices or illumination devices not otherwise provided for
  • A61B90/37—Surgical systems with images on a monitor during operation
  • A61B2090/378—Surgical systems with images on a monitor during operation using ultrasound

Definitions

• the present invention relates generally to imaging modalities and more particularly to methods and systems for fluoroscopic imaging of an anatomy and remotely annotating the image to show additional image or other information useful during surgery.
• Imaging modalities such as MRI, CT, and echocardiography
• MRI magnetic resonance imaging
• CT computed tomography
• 3D three-dimensional
• MI myocardial infarction
• intramyo cardial injection including both epicardial and transendo cardial injections, intracoronary infusion, intravenous infusion and retrograde delivery.
• intramyo cardial transendo cardial injections while being minimally invasive, also have improved acute retention compared to the other delivery routes. This improved retention in transendo cardial delivery leads to a strong potential for treatment for tissue regeneration and functional recovery and has been shown to slow down and eventually reverse adverse remodeling after a myocardial infarction.
• the infarct zone may be very fragile and intramyo cardial injections in the infarct zone or the border zones of the infarct may have increased risks of perforation and pericardial effusion, which may lead to cardiac tamponade, a life threatening event.
• accurate site targeting and injection of biotherapeutic agents is critical to the safety of the patient.
• X-Ray fluoroscopy is typically used to assist the interventional cardiologist in guiding catheters such as a balloon catheter to the occluded artery in the heart during angioplasty; or in guiding catheters with a miniature grasping device at the end during cardiac biopsies; or in guiding a percutaneous injection catheter to and within the myocardium for transendo cardial injections of biotherapeutic agents such as cells, genes, peptides, proteins (for example, growth factors and chemoattractants). Consequently, the catheters employed in cardiovascular catheterization procedures are designed to be X-ray visible so that they can be clearly seen and tracked during the procedure.
• biotherapeutic agents such as cells, genes, peptides, proteins (for example, growth factors and chemoattractants).
• X-ray imaging is a projection imaging modality and typically two orthogonal views - Right Anterior Oblique (RAO) and Left Anterior Oblique (LAO) - are required to get an accurate sense of the location and orientation of the catheters in the heart in three-dimensional (3D) space.
• REO Right Anterior Oblique
• LAO Left Anterior Oblique
• X-ray fluoroscopy does not distinguish healthy tissue from infarct tissue or tissue in the infarct border zone region nor does it provide a 3D anatomical and topographical view of the patient's heart. This may be especially important to the interventional cardiologist who, depending on the therapy of choice, is attempting to accurately target healthy tissue, infarcted tissue, infarct border zone tissue, or a combination thereof, for intramyo cardial injections of biotherapeutic agents.
• Magnetic resonance imaging is the most accurate diagnosticimaging modality which can provide a high-quality 3D anatomical and functional roadmap of a patient's heart and it is therefore most commonly used with X-ray fluoroscopy in these fusion imaging systems.
• Cardiac MRI segments from which cardiac images can be reconstructed are obtained with excellent tissue contrast. These cardiac images allow accurate and efficient differentiation between healthy tissue, infarcted tissue and infarct border zone tissue.
• ferromagnetic materials that can result in imaging artifacts as well as be a safety hazard to the patient exposed to a strong magnetic field during MRI. Further, even with the most sophisticated techniques and instruments available, capturing MRI images can still take between fifteen to sixty minutes depending on the types of images being acquired and the MRI sequence being run. Therefore, it makes sense that MRI scans are performed prior to the interventional procedures. Cardiac images reconstructed from these scanned segments can then be used concurrently with X-ray fluoroscopy to guide interventional cardiologists during transendo cardial procedures to accurately and safely target regions of healthy, infarct and/or infarct border zone tissue, whether for injection of biotherapeutic agents or sampling of cardiac tissue.
• Interventions 78:468-478 See also, U.S. Patent No. 7,848,553 and U.S. Publication No. 2013/0102890.
• the purpose of this invention is to facilitate the selection and the targeting of injection sites for biotherapeutic delivery or other injectables within the myocardium using transendo cardial injection catheters, equipped with a penetrating element at the distal end of the catheters, in patients suffering from cardiovascular disease including but not limited to chronic myocardial ischemia, acute myocardial infarction; chronic heart failure comprising ischemic and nonischemic heart failure, and dilated cardiomyopathy.
• Biotherapeutics delivery includes cell therapies, gene therapies, protein and peptide therapeutics, and small molecule pharmaceuticals.
• Injectables delivery includes but is not limited to synthetic polymers, natural biopolymers, microp articles within the range of 15 to 150 ⁇ .
• the present invention can also be used to select and target sampling sites for heart biopsy procedures testing for immune rejection in patients undergoing or having undergone a heart transplant; in patients showing signs of cardiomyopathy, cardiac amyloidosis and myocarditis; or in patients whose heart cells are being harvested for other therapeutic or diagnostic purposes.
• Fluoroscopic imaging of a patient's heart is performed by positioning a patient in a sterile field and imaging the heart using an x-ray fluoroscopy system within the sterile to produce a two-dimensional image.
• the two-dimensional image is simultaneously displayed on an operative display within or adjacent the sterile field and on a display of a remote image processor outside the operative field.
• the two-dimensional image of the remote display is manually marked or annotated to show anatomical or treatment information which is simultaneously shown on the operative display.
• Manually marking the image may comprise manipulating a graphical user interface on the remote image processor, and the graphical user interface comprises a touchscreen, a mouse, a roller ball, or a joy stick.
• Manually marking the two-dimensional image may comprise marking any one or more of an outline of the heart or portions thereof, target treatment regions, regions to avoid treating, and the like.
• a patient's heart is imaged using a catheter to produce a real time image.
• the image is presented on a screen and sent to an image processor.
• Treatment parameters are input to the image processor, and the image processor calculates locations of a plurality of target treatment sites which are displayed on the screen.
• the catheter is advanced to position a treatment element on the catheter proximate a location of a target treatment site, where the actual position of the treatment element may differ from calculated location.
• an image processor calculates a difference between the positions of the calculated and actual treatment sites. The locations of all remaining target treatment may be recalculated by the image processor.
• Imaging may comprise producing a two-dimensional image using x-ray fluoroscopy or producing two orthogonal two-dimensional images. Imaging may further comprise superimposing on the two-dimensional image an outline of the heart, where
• superimposing may comprise providing a static three-dimensional image of the heart, where the image processor registers the three-dimensional image with the two dimensional image and calculates the outline which is projected on the two dimensional image.
• superimposing may comprise manually entering the outline which is projected on the two dimensional image.
• the methods of the present invention may further comprise repeating the advancing, determining, treating and recalculating steps for successive treatment sites.
• the present invention facilitates the selection and the targeting of injection sites for biotherapeutic delivery or other injectables within the myocardium using transendo cardial injection catheters, equipped with a penetrating element at the distal end of the catheters, in patients suffering from cardiovascular disease including but not limited to chronic myocardial ischemia, acute myocardial infarction; chronic heart failure comprising ischemic and nonischemic heart failure, and dilated cardiomyopathy.
• Biotherapeutics delivery includes cell therapies, gene therapies, protein and peptide therapeutics, and small molecule pharmaceuticals.
• Injectables delivery includes but is not limited to synthetic polymers, natural biopolymers, microp articles within the range of 15 to 150 ⁇ .
• the present invention can also be used to select and target sampling sites for heart biopsy procedures testing for immune rejection in patients undergoing or having undergone a heart transplant; in patients showing signs of cardiomyopathy, cardiac amyloidosis and myocarditis; or in patients whose heart cells are being harvested for other therapeutic or diagnostic purposes.
• a patient's heart is imaged using a catheter to produce a real time image which is displayed on a screen.
• the image is also sent to an image processor where treatment parameters are input.
• the image processor then calculates safe regions and/or unsafe regions for performing a treatment or diagnosis within the heart based upon the inputted treatment conditions.
• the image processor superimposes information on the image on the screen to identify the safe and/or unsafe regions.
• the superimposed information may comprise at least one of color coding, creation of boundaries, insertion of written information, and insertion of icons.
• the 3D space within the field of view of the fluoroscopy system is virtually created within the fusion imaging system.
• a ventriculogram is taken of the patient's left ventricle in two orthogonal views.
• the 3D model created from the MRI scan is then virtually placed into a 3D space and registered to fit the ventriculograms of the X-ray fluoroscopy system.
• the 3D model is thus transposed either in 2D or 3D onto the live X-ray fluoroscopy screen.
• the software of the fusion imaging system can then be used to define and display essential parameters and limitations central to the safe treatment of the patient according to the study protocol.
• important information such as the myocardial infarct location and size, differentiation between infarct zones if there is more than one, left ventricular wall thickness, hypokinetic and akinetic regions, target injection zones and 'Do not inject' zones (including but not limited to the papillary muscle, regions close to the mitral valve, the apex, the basal septal wall where the HIS bundle lies and thin regions of the myocardial wall) are necessary data points for the safe treatment of the patient.
• X-ray fluoroscopy is a projection imaging modality and it typically requires projections in two orthogonal views - RAO view and LAO view - to determine the location and orientation of the percutaneous catheters in the left ventricle.
• two transparencies are overlaid and secured onto the single monitor of the X-ray system.
• a ventriculogram is performed during which contrast dye is injected into the left ventricle and the left ventricle is mapped.
• the left ventricular contours of the heart in diastole and systole are traced on one transparency in one orthogonal view; that transparency is then flipped out of the way; the C-arm of the X-ray fluorosocopy system is rotated to switch to the other orthogonal view; and the contours of the heart in diastole and systole are traced in that view on the second transparency.
• the transendocardial injections are then performed and each time an injection is made, the injection site is also marked in both orthogonal views on the two transparencies. This requires constant switching between the orthogonal views and between the transparencies.
• this back and forth switching of the transparencies in each view and of the C-arm of the X- ray fluoroscopy system is performed numerous times during a single procedure and can become cumbersome while increasing the length of the procedure. Further, the person changing the overlays stands close to the sterile zone and should be careful not to
• the left ventricular contours of the patient's heart in diastole and systole are digitally outlined with a touchscreen, mouse, tablet or other graphical input device and displayed on a monitor of a separate computer or work station in both orthogonal views in 2D space either in the control room or in a designated area of the catheterization suite away from the X-ray fluoroscopy system and outside of the sterile zone.
• the computer or work station has an internal modem or network connection device which is in communication with the computer of the single plane X-ray fluoroscopy system via an intranet communications link system.
• the communications link to the network may be of any acceptable type, including telephone lines, fiber optics, cable modem links, wireless data transfer systems among others. What is thus input and displayed on the monitor of the separate computer or work station is output onto the monitor of the single plane X-ray fluorosocopy system and vice versa. .
• information such as the myocardial infarct location, hypokinetic and akinetic regions, and 'Do not inject' zones as previously described are important to identify.
• This information may be displayed on a monitor in the catheterization suite and will help guide the interventional cardiologist during the procedures. This is done after mapping the left ventricle in the two orthogonal views and prior to the start of the transendo cardial injection procedures. Based on the specific requirements of the procedure and the therapy, the operator marks these important zones on the remote computer to clearly define the areas where injections should and should not be made on the ventriculograms in both orthogonal views. These demarcations are done by color coding, by the use of solid and dashed lines, and/or by the use of different shapes and patterns. As previously stated, the two orthogonal views are helpful to verify the location and orientation of the percutaneous catheters in the left ventricle and to verify and mark an injection site.
• a function or key is used to toggle between the annotated LV contour maps in the two orthogonal views on the remote computer and displayed on the monitor of the X-ray fluoroscopy system. Toggling between the two LV contour maps enables the operator to remotely mark up the target injection sites in each view without having to switch between transparencies secured to the monitor of the single plane X- ray fluoroscopy system in the catheterization suite. Marking of the injection sites is done by digitally marking the location of the catheter tip during the transendo cardial injection process. If it is isocentered and the table is not moved, a single label should be valid in both views. Marks may be color coded, have varying shapes or sizes and/or have any number of associated fields to record additional information.
• the site coloring or numbering can be subsequently displayed with adjustable level of transparency or hidden on the display. They may be grouped such that certain properties may be changed for the group instead of individually. A number of parameters associated with the marked sites may further be displayed on the screen in a separate window. In the latter, the operator is able to choose the parameters he or she wants to appear next to the marked injection site if needed by checking or unchecking checkboxes associated with such parameters.
• these parameters include the injection site number, the total number of injections, the volume of therapeutic agent injected (ranging from 0.1ml to 1.0ml per injection for intramyo cardial injections), the dosage of therapeutic agent being delivered (concentration, total number of cells ranging from 1 x 106 to 200 x 106, total amount of plasmid/gene or peptide or protein, total number of particles), a time stamp, screen coordinates, the ventricular wall thickness or
• the software interface will also enable the 2D left ventricle image projections, the marked injection sites and the parameters in either view to be toggled ON and OFF.
• These algorithms may be executed by a computer and may result in (1) a uniform equally distributed grid projection on the endocardial surface; (2) a uniform grid excluding the infarct zone and spaced at 0 to 20 millimeters from the infarct zone; (3) a uniform grid within the infarct zone; (4) a uniform grid distally located and equally distributed within the distal third of the ventricle or the apical region of the left ventricle; (5) a uniformly distributed circular pattern or other functional geometric distributions that may be preferred.
• the target sites ranging in number from 1 to 20 are thus preselected based on a set of parameters required for the specific procedure.
• these parameters can further include distance from the infarct zone, wall thickness of at least 5 millimeters, distance between injection sites (greater or equal to 5 millimeters), equally spaced injection sites, randomly spaced injection sites from the infarct zone, randomly spaced injection sites at a defined distance from the infract zone and can exclude previous sites of therapeutic delivery for transendo cardial injections and previous sampling sites for cardiac biopsies.
• diagnostic cardiac MRI scans, CT scans and echocardiography may be used to determine required pre- specified information which includes but is not limited to wall thickness and infarcted tissue location.
• a ventriculogram is performed in both orthogonal views and the contours of the left ventricle mapped as described in Example 1.
• An algorithm selected from the list described above is then executed by the computer and target sites are pre-selected with the pre-defined parameters and are then displayed. Similar to Example 1, display of the preselected target points is done by means of markers of different shapes, patterns and/or colours which can be toggled on and off, grouped or ungrouped.
• the tip of the penetrating element at the distal end of the transendo cardial catheter or the guiding biopsy catheter is then moved to one of the preselected target points.
• the actual injection site is then marked at which point the preselected target point may be hidden or replaced.
• the marker for the actual injection or sampling marker may be of different shape, pattern and/or color than the target marker(s).
• the new marker is saved and may be shaded or hidden before moving to the next preselected target point. If the actual target site differs from the preselected target site, an algorithm can be applied to readjust the rest of the preselected target sites based on the parameters forced on the pre-selection. This algorithm can be rerun after each
• injection/sampling is performed to adjust the preselected sites accordingly. Further, if the interventional cardiologist is not satisfied with the preselected target sites, the interventional cardiologist can indicate where he/she prefers the first site to be and that site can be registered by clicking on the new site position in both RAO and LAO views and the algorithm can then be rerun to change the locations of the rest of the preselected target sites relative to the redefined first site.
• target sites within the left ventricle of a patient, where injection has been performed are registered and saved. These target points can be displayed along with a series of parameters comprising the patient identification number, an injection number, a time stamp, the identity of the therapy injected, the volume injected at the injection site, the concentration injected, the total dosage injected, screen coordinates, the wall thickness and/or electrophysiologic activity at the injection sites, the distance from the infarct location to the injection sites, the distance from the nearest injection site, and the quality or character of contrast delivery from either the base of the penetrating element or through the distal penetrating element.
• the series of parameters can include the previous record of where samples have been taken from a patient's heart including data related to the sample character such as their rejection grade score. This may facilitate future sampling strategy and algorithm preselection as discussed in example 2. Additional parameters include patient identification number, a sample number, a time stamp, a set of coordinates where the tissue is being sampled, the wall where the sample is taken, the segment of a standard 17 -segment heart model bulls-eye plot where the sample is taken, the wall thickness at the sampling site, the distance of the sampling site from the infarct location, and the distance from the nearest sampling site if more than one sample is taken.
• a sampling device or bioptome that includes the ability to deliver contrast either through a penetrating distal element in the tissue or a contrast port at the base of the biopsy element
• the quality or character of contrast delivered through the catheter from either the base of the penetrating element or through a penetrating element could also be recorded.
• the electrophysiologic activity at the sample site could also be recorded,
• FIG. 3 we describe a method for selecting target points within the left ventricle of a patient to inject therapeutic agents in transendo cardial intramyocardial interventions or to sample tissue in biopsy procedures.
• this method we combine a 3D heart model reconstructed prior to an interventional procedure from cardiac slices obtained using an imaging modality capable of 3D visualization of cardiovascular structures (magnetic resonance imaging, computer tomography, echocardiography), with live X-ray fluoroscopy images during a catheterization procedure.
• the 3D model reconstruction of the heart is registered onto the orthogonal ventriculograms, and projected onto the live X-ray fluoroscopy images. This creates combined X-ray projection images with an overlay of the registered MR, CT or echocardiography images.
• Registration is achieved by first aligning at least two anatomical fiducial markers on the 3D reconstructed model with corresponding points on the ventriculograms in the two orthogonal views. This and all subsequent steps in target point selection are performed on a separate computer or workstation in the control room or in a designated area of the catheterization suite away from the X-ray fluoroscopy system and the sterile zone and in direct communication with the X-ray fluoroscopy system such that the resulting output can be displayed on the monitor of the fluoroscopy system or to separate monitors visible to the physician.
• Target injection or sampling areas are selected based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the procedures.
• wall thickness less or equal to 5 millimeters the location of the infarct, the size of the infarct, the distance from the infarct to the injection site and the basal section of the septal wall of the left ventricle can be identified and marked along the 3D surface of the left ventricle on the remote computer and output onto the fluoroscopy monitor.
• tissue sampling for biopsy procedures the wall thickness, the location of the infarct, the size of the infarct and previous biopsy sampling sites can all be marked. These areas may be denoted by colour coding, by the use of solid and dashed lines, and/or by the use of different shapes and patterns.
• the tip of the penetrating element at the distal end of the transendocardial injection catheter or of the guiding biopsy catheter is moved to a target point.
• the target point is fixed in 2D space by means of a target marker on the monitor.
• the target marker is overlapped onto the tip of the penetrating element in two orthogonal RAO and LAO views, wherein the target marker can be forced to travel in 3D space along the endocardium when it is in target identification mode so that it is in the same 3D space as the tip of the penetrating element.
• Registration of the fixed target point and the target marker is done by means of markers which can take different shapes, and can be colour coded.
• markers which can take different shapes, and can be colour coded.
• registration of the actual injection point is done by replacing the target point marker with a marker having a different shape and/or colour.
• the new marker is saved and can be hidden or shaded before moving to the next target point.
• Example 1 As in Example 1 , if a bi-plane X-ray fluoroscopy system is available in the catheterization suite, there is no need to toggle from RAO view to LAO view since both views are typically projected onto two separate screens mounted to the bi-plane X-ray system.
• these parameters can include distance from the infarct zone, distance between injection sites (greater or equal to 5 millimeters), equally spaced injection sites, randomly spaced injection sites from the infarct zone, randomly spaced injection sites at a defined distance from the infract zone, or pre- specified electrophysiologic activity.
• the target sites Prior to the start of the procedure, the target sites are preselected using the algorithm with the pre-defined parameters and they are displayed by the software. Similar to Example 3, display of the preselected target points is done by means of markers of different shapes, patterns and/or colors which can be toggled on and off.
• the tip of the penetrating element at the distal end of the transendo cardial catheter or the guiding biopsy catheter is then moved to one of the preselected target points.
• the actual target point is then registered by replacing the marker marking the preselected target point with a new marker of different shape, pattern and/or colour.
• the new marker is saved and can be shaded or hidden before moving to the next preselected target point. If the actual target site differs from the preselected target site, an algorithm can be applied to readjust the rest of the preselected target sites based on the parameters forced on the pre-selection. This algorithm can be rerun after each
• injection/sampling is performed to adjust the preselected sites accordingly. Further, if the interventional cardiologist is not satisfied with the preselected target sites, the interventional cardiologist can indicate where he/she prefers any target to be and that target can be registered by clicking on the new position in both RAO and LAO views and the algorithm can then be rerun to change the locations of the rest of the preselected target sites relative to the first.
• target points within the left ventricle of a patient, where injection has been performed are registered and saved. These target points can be displayed with a series of parameters comprising of the patient identification number, an injection number, a time stamp, the identity of the therapy injected, the volume injected at the injection site, the concentration injected, the total dosage injected, screen coordinates, the wall thickness at the injection sites, electrophysiologic activity, the distance from the infarct location to the injection sites and the distance from the nearest injection site.
• the series of parameters can include the patient identification number, a sample number, a time stamp, a set of coordinates where the tissue is being sampled, the wall where the sample is taken, the segment of a standard 17 -segment heart model bulls-eye plot where the sample is taken, the wall thickness at the sampling site, electrophysiologic activity, the distance of the sampling site from the infarct location, the distance from the nearest sampling site if more than one sample is taken,

Landscapes

• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Medical Informatics (AREA)
• Nuclear Medicine, Radiotherapy & Molecular Imaging (AREA)
• Radiology & Medical Imaging (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
• Biomedical Technology (AREA)
• Heart & Thoracic Surgery (AREA)
• Biophysics (AREA)
• Molecular Biology (AREA)
• Surgery (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Public Health (AREA)
• Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
• Pathology (AREA)
• High Energy & Nuclear Physics (AREA)
• Optics & Photonics (AREA)
• Human Computer Interaction (AREA)
• Cardiology (AREA)
• Computer Vision & Pattern Recognition (AREA)
• Pulmonology (AREA)
• Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
• Dentistry (AREA)
• Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery (AREA)
• Vascular Medicine (AREA)
• Apparatus For Radiation Diagnosis (AREA)
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging Apparatus (AREA)

Priority Applications (5)

Applications Claiming Priority (6)

Related Child Applications (2)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=51167349

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (5)

Cited By (12)

Families Citing this family (11)

Citations (11)

Family Cites Families (39)

• 2014
  • 2014-01-08 EP EP14738045.5A patent/EP2943123B1/en active Active
  • 2014-01-08 JP JP2015551863A patent/JP6887216B2/ja active Active
  • 2014-01-08 WO PCT/US2014/010732 patent/WO2014110169A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2014-01-08 US US14/793,594 patent/US11357463B2/en active Active
  • 2014-01-08 CN CN201480012557.5A patent/CN105007820B/zh active Active
• 2019
  • 2019-06-26 JP JP2019118447A patent/JP2019193837A/ja not_active Withdrawn
• 2021
  • 2021-06-24 US US17/357,649 patent/US20210315532A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2021-10-08 JP JP2021165944A patent/JP7374970B2/ja active Active
  • 2021-10-08 JP JP2021165945A patent/JP2022000288A/ja active Pending
• 2023
  • 2023-08-21 JP JP2023133984A patent/JP2023157961A/ja not_active Withdrawn
• 2024
  • 2024-05-10 JP JP2024077015A patent/JP2024105494A/ja active Pending
• 2025
  • 2025-07-29 JP JP2025126256A patent/JP2025157564A/ja active Pending

Patent Citations (12)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events