Koninklijke Philips Corporation N.v.

Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.v.

Daniel Simon Anna Ruijters

Nicolaas Hylke Bakker

Robert Johannes Frederik Homan

Sander Hans Denissen

Fred Simon Berend Van Nijnatten

Michael Grass

Raoul Florent

Javier Olivan Bescos

Pieter Maria Mielekamp

Odile Bonnefous

Erik Martinus Hubertus Petrus Van Dijk

Wilhelmus Henrica Gerarda Maria Van Den Boomen

Christoph Neukirchen

Erik Rene Kieft

Marco Verstege

Ronaldus Petrus Johannes Hermans

Sander Slegt

Dirk Dijkkamp

Jeroen Gerard Scheepens

Adrie Baselmans

Ina Klein Teeselink

Thijs Grunhagen

Maikel Hendriks

Jean Stawiaski

Sandar Hans Denissen

Walter Everard Carels

Raymond Chan

Laurent VÉRARD

Sander Denissen

The invention presents an apparatus () for characterization of a condition of a vessel () wall of a living being (). The relationship between temporal blood pressure () and blood flow () measurements of pulsatile blood motion within the vessel () is an indication of the health of the vessel () wall. Furthermore, the invention discloses a system () comprising the apparatus (), and a method () of characterizing the condition of vessel () walls.

Apparatus for characterizing a vessel wall

An apparatus for medical imaging of a patient, including an object of interest, is provided. The apparatus comprises a patient support unit, a processor, and a display. The patient support unit is configured to receive a patient. The processor is configured to receive scout images of the patient acquired in respective positions of the apparatus. Each respective position is represented by a position parameter. The processor is further configured to select at least one iso-centering image from the scout images by geometrical calculation using the position parameter of each scout image and a position parameter representing a present position of the apparatus. The processor is further configured to adapt the appearance of the at least one iso-centering image according to the present position of the apparatus. The display is configured to present the at least one adapted iso-centering image.

Iso-centering in C-arm computer tomography

The invention addresses the problem of correctly positioning a catheter and reducing radiation doses. It relates to an X-ray imaging system () for a robotic catheter, comprising said catheter (), and a processing unit () for receiving X-ray images of a patient environment (). By being adapted to receive one or more auxiliary information items and using said information for determining the catheter position, the processing unit does not entirely have to rely on a large number of scanned image data, thus helping to reduce radiation while correctly delivering the catheter position as a function of as few as a single image, preferably 2D, and said one auxiliary information items. Further, said processing unit allows for at least one of rendering an image and provide said image to a visualization device (), and providing feedback, e.g. steering commands, to said robotic catheter.

X-ray imaging system for a catheter

The present invention relates to tracking an interventional device. In order to provide a facilitated and simplified real-time tracking of an interventional device, a medical imaging system () for tracking an interventional device is provided, that comprises an interface unit (), and a processing unit (). The interface unit is configured to provide first image data () of a first part of an interventional device, which first part is arranged outside an object. The first image data comprises 3D image data. The interface unit is configured to provide second image data () of a second part of the interventional device, which second part is a continuation of the first part, and which second part is arranged inside the object. The second image data comprises 2D image data. The processing unit is configured to compute a first 3D model portion of the interventional device based on the first image data, and to compute a second 3D model portion of the interventional device based on the second image data and the first model portion. The interface unit is configured to provide data of a graphical representation () of the interventional device based on the first and second 3D model portions.

Multicamera device tracking

An X-ray image processing device for providing segmentation information with reduced X-ray dose that includes an interface unit, and a data processing unit. The interface unit is configured to provide a sequence of time series angiographic 2D images of a vascular structure obtained after a contrast agent injection. The data processing unit is configured to determine an arrival time index of a predetermined characteristic related to the contrast agent injection for each of a plurality of determined pixels along the time series, and to compute a connectivity index for each of the plurality of the determined pixels based on the arrival time index. The data processing unit is configured to generate and provide segmentation data of the vascular structure from the plurality of the determined pixels, wherein the segmentation data is based on the connectivity index of the pixels.

Vessel segmentation

In a medical viewing system having an X-ray image acquisition device a data processing unit is adapted for generating two different views on a three-dimensional image set, wherein a first view is corresponding to the viewing direction of the X-ray image acquisition device and a second view has a rotational offset to the first viewing direction. The first view may include live X-ray images, e.g. for monitoring a stent placement. The second viewsupports a clinician to unambiguously judge whether ostia connection points may be blocked that are not clearly visible in anterior-posterior images.

Medical viewing system and method for generating an angulated view of an object of interest

An apparatus () and a method for adjusting, in perfusion imaging system, a periodic contrast agent injection rate signal (IS) for an injector () as function of an image sampling rate determined by the rotational speed of an X-ray source ()-detector () assembly of an X-ray imager (). Frequency, periodicity and pulse width of the contrast agent injection rate signal (IS) is adjusted to mitigate temporal signal aliasing in a sample of a time attenuation contrast (TAC) signal.

Periodic contrast injections and analysis of harmonics for interventional X-ray perfusion imaging

2D images are registered with 3D volume data. In order to provide 2D/3D registration with a facilitated workflow 3D volume data () of an object, having a frame of reference is received. A transformation plane () is defined in relation to the 3D volume data. A 2D image of the object with an image plane is received. The transformation plane is projected on the image plane. The frame of reference is aligned with the 2D image. At least one alignment interaction value () is projected () on the transformation plane to determine () at least one transformed interaction value (). The frame of reference is translated with the at least one transformed interaction value.

2D/3D image registration

A patient table usable in an X-ray image acquisition arrangement including a table plate connected to a table base via at least one movable joint. The table plate is movable using at least one actuator. To set or re-establish an accurate position/orientation of the movable table plate, the patient table includes a positioning system including a first sensor arrangement for providing position data of the at least one movable joint and a second sensor arrangement for providing position data of the table plate. The accurate position data provided by the second sensor arrangement may be used in a method for improved three-dimensional roadmapping.

Patient table comprising a positioning system and method of using such a patient table

The present invention describes a method for rendering and displaying a curved planar reformat (CPR) view () of a blood vessel's 3D tubular structure (), wherein the viewing direction of the curved planar reformat view () is coupled to the viewing angle on a segmented or raw representation of the 3D tubular structure's rendered voxel volume to be visualized or, alternatively, to the C-arm geometry of a 3D rotational angiography device's C-arm system (). The proposed method thus enables measurements on the X-ray image which do not suffer from spatial foreshortening and do not need to be calibrated. Thereby, said coupling can be performed bidirectional. According to a first aspect of the proposed method, this means that the viewing direction of the aforementioned curved planar reformat view () follows the viewing angle on a segmented or raw representation of the 3D tubular structure's rendered voxel volume to be visualized, or vice versa. According to another aspect of the proposed method, this means that the viewing direction of the curved planar reformat view () is set depending on the C-arm geometry given by the roll (&#x3b8;), pitch (&#x3b8;) and yaw angle (&#x3b8;) of a 3D rotational angiography device's C-arm system (), or vice versa.

Coupling the viewing direction of a blood vessel's CPR view with the viewing angle on the 3D tubular structure's rendered voxel volume and/or with the C-arm geometry of a 3D rotational angiography device's C-arm system

In a method for positioning an X-ray image acquisition device a straight reference plane () intersecting a three-dimensional representation of the object, a center point () within the intersection of the object, a normal vector () to the reference plane and at least one tangential vector () within the reference plane are created. Thereafter, the reference plane, the object's frame of reference and the X-ray image acquisition's frame of reference are registered. At least one viewing direction derived from the normal vector () and/or at least one tangential vector () is defined, wherein the X-ray image acquisition device is adjusted to the geometrical parameters of the X-ray image acquisition device. Thereby, planned and stored optimal viewing directions may be made available by a single push of a button, leading to automatically positioning of the X-ray image acquisition device and a much faster adjustment of the live guidance image, thus resulting in less exposure of radiation as well as a less cumbersome adjustment procedure. Furthermore a more optimal deployment of the interventional devices can be reached, since they can be more accurately positioned.

Automatic C-arm viewing angles for structural heart disease treatment

The invention relates to a device and a method for providing a basis for registering a three-dimensional model of an anatomical region with two-dimensional projection images, by deriving a three-dimensional model of an anatomical region at a phase of a periodic signal; deriving two-dimensional projection images of a region which overlaps with the anatomical region re-constructed as the three-dimensional model; pre-5 selecting a subset of projection images out of the derived two-dimensional projection images, which are closest to the phase; and selecting a reference image for the registration from the subset of pre-selected projection images by choosing the projection image with the most contrast.

Image provision for registration

A Method and system for visualising information by combining 3DRA with diagnostic data like regular CT or MR, and colorized physiologic data like perfusion or functional data to obtain a plurality of volumes obtained from the same patient. These volumes may be a 3DRA volume, a regular greyscale CT or MR volume and a colorized physiologic parameter like a perfusion CT, a perfusion MR or a functional MR volume. Then, an anatomic structure like a vessel is segmented from the 3DRA volume, a slab out of the regular CT or MR data is rendered through the segmented vessel, and a slice out of the colorized volume of the perfusion or functional data is rendered on top of the slab.

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Eindhoven, Netherlands

Daniel Simon Anna Ruijters