The Cleveland Clinic Foundation

Picker International, Inc.

David W Piraino

Donald W Kormos

Iain H Kalfas

Gene H Barnett

Charles P Steiner

Paul Schoenhagen

Nancy Obuchowski

Po-Hao Chen

Systems and methods are provided for automated identification of acute aortic syndromes in computed tomography images. A region of interest in a chest of a patient is imaged via a computed tomography (CT) scanner to provide images at a plurality of locations. The region of interest includes one of an ascending aorta, an aortic arch, and a descending aorta of the patient. For each of the plurality of locations within the region of interest, a value representing a variation in radiodensity values within the location is determined from the image to provide a set of variation values. A parameter representing a likelihood that the patient is experiencing an acute aortic syndrome is determined via a derived model from the set of variation values. The parameter representing the likelihood that the patient is experiencing the acute aortic syndrome is provided to a user at an associated output device.

Automated identification of acute aortic syndromes in computed tomography images

A patient is secured to a subject support ( ). A stereotaxic wand ( ) is inserted into a tool guide ( ). The wand has a tip portion ( ), a portion extending along a pointing axis ( ) of the wand, an offset portion ( ) which is offset from the pointing axis of the wand, and at least two wand emitters ( ), mounted in alignment with the pointing axis of the wand. The two emitters selectively emit wand signals which are received by three receivers ( ) mounted to a frame assembly ( ). The tool guide includes a bore ( ) extending along a guide axis. The bore is configured for selectively receiving a tool and the tip portion of the wand. An entry point and a trajectory are identified by the surgeon with the wand in the guide. More specifically, a trajectory and location of the wand are superimposed on a diagnostic image on a monitor ( ). If the surgeon is satisfied with the entry point and trajectory shown on the monitor, a surgical tool is inserted into the bore while the tool guide is held along the designated trajectory and at the designated entry point.

Tool guide for a surgical tool

A patient is secured to a subject support (10). A stereotaxic wand (40) is inserted into a tool guide (60). The wand has a tip portion (44), a portion extending along a pointing axis (46) of the wand, an offset portion (42) which is offset from the pointing axis of the wand, and at least two wand emitters (48, 50), mounted in alignment with the pointing axis of the wand. The two emitters selectively emit wand signals which are received by three receivers (14) mounted to a frame assembly (12). The tool guide includes a bore (66) extending along a guide axis. The bore is configured for selectively receiving a tool and the tip portion of the wand. An entry point and a trajectory are identified by the surgeon with the wand in the guide. More specifically, a trajectory and location of the wand are superimposed on a diagnostic image on a monitor (30). If the surgeon is satisfied with the entry point and trajectory shown on the monitor, a surgical tool is inserted into the bore while the tool guide is held along the designated trajectory and at the designated entry point.

Frameless stereotaxy system for indicating the position and axis of a

A patient is secured to a subject support (10). A stereotaxic wand (40) is inserted into a tool guide (60). The wand has a tip portion (44), a portion extending along a pointing axis (46) of the wand, an offset portion (42) which is offset from the pointing axis of the wand, and at least three wand emitters (48, 50, 52), mounted in alignment with the pointing axis of the wand. The three emitters selectively emit infrared light which is received by two CCD cameras (14) mounted to a frame assembly (12). The tool guide includes a bore (76) extending along a guide axis. The bore is configured for selectively receiving a tool and the tip portion of the wand. An entry point and a trajectory are identified by the surgeon with the wand in the guide. More specifically, a trajectory and location of the wand are superimposed on a diagnostic image on a monitor (30). If the surgeon is satisfied with the entry point and trajectory shown on the monitor, a surgical tool is inserted into the bore while the tool guide is held along the designated trajectory and at the designated entry point.

Stereotaxy wand and tool guide

An exoskeleton material (12), such as a thermoplastic mesh, is heat softened. The heat softened material is stretched over and conformed to a soft tissue region of the patient, such as a patient's breast. The material is allowed or caused to set or harden and is affixed (14) to a patient support (10) such that the soft tissue is firmly constrained. Magnetic resonance visible markers (18) are affixed to the exoskeleton material adjacent the soft tissue. The patient is examined with a magnetic resonance imaging device (20) to generate a three-dimensional image representation (28) for display on a monitor (32). Using the markers, a wand (40) with emitters (42) receivers (44), and a coordinate system relationship processor (48) determines, a relation or transform between a coordinate system of the patient and a coordinate system of the image is determined and displayed on the monitor. A trajectory for a biopsy, resection, or the like, is planned using a guide (50). Emitters (52) on the guide are activated to generate a corresponding human-readable trajectory display through the image displayed on the monitor. After repositioning the guide as necessary, an appropriate trajectory and depth through the patient is selected from the human-readable display. An appropriate medical instrument (64) is inserted along the guide to perform the biopsy, resection, or other medical procedure.

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Shaker Heights, OH, United States of America

David W Piraino