US 12,268,545 B2
Method and system for characterizing valvular regurgitation/insufficiency from sequences of images
Jean-Paul Aben, Limbricht (NL)
Assigned to Pie Medical Imaging B.V., Maastricht (NL)
Filed by Pie Medical Imaging B.V., Maastricht (NL)
Filed on Oct. 20, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/506,180.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/104,320, filed on Oct. 22, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0125398 A1, Apr. 28, 2022
Int. Cl. A61B 6/00 (2024.01); A61B 6/50 (2024.01); G06T 7/246 (2017.01); G06T 7/62 (2017.01); G06V 10/44 (2022.01); G16H 30/40 (2018.01); G16H 50/30 (2018.01)
CPC A61B 6/5217 (2013.01) [A61B 6/481 (2013.01); A61B 6/503 (2013.01); A61B 6/504 (2013.01); A61B 6/507 (2013.01); A61B 6/5288 (2013.01); G06T 7/248 (2017.01); G06T 7/62 (2017.01); G06V 10/44 (2022.01); G16H 30/40 (2018.01); G16H 50/30 (2018.01); A61B 6/487 (2013.01); G06T 2207/10116 (2013.01); G06T 2207/10121 (2013.01); G06V 2201/031 (2022.01)] 22 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for characterizing blood flow in an atrioventricular valve of a human heart, the atrioventricular valve connecting an atrium with a corresponding ventricle of the heart, the ventricle being fluidly coupled to a particular vessel that transports blood outside the ventricle, the method comprising:
a) obtaining two-dimensional (2D) angiographic x-ray image data of the heart, wherein the 2D angiographic x-ray image data covers a first period of time prior to injection of contrast agent into the heart and a second period of time after injection of contrast agent into the heart;
b) identifying a contour of the atrium within the 2D angiographic x-ray image data of a);
c) identifying a contour of a region within the particular vessel within the 2D angiographic x-ray image data of a);
d) converting the 2D angiographic x-ray image data of a) to densitometric image data;
e) calculating a first time-density curve for the atrium from the contour of the atrium of b) and the densitometric image data of d);
f) calculating a second time-density curve for the region of the particular vessel from the contour of the region of the vessel of c) and the densitometric image data of d); and
g) generating data that characterizes at least one regurgitation fraction related to the atrioventricular valve of the heart from the first and second time-density curves of e) and f), respectively, and a contrast arrival frame corresponding to arrival of the contrast agent at the ventricle of the heart in the 2D angiographic x-ray image data;
wherein the data that characterizes at least one regurgitation fraction related to the atrioventricular valve of the heart of g) is derived from second data representing forward blood flow from the ventricle to the particular vessel and first data representing regurgitant blood flow from the ventricle to the atrium;
wherein the second data is calculated by determining area under the second time-density curve of f) starting from the contrast arrival frame over a number of cardiac cycles; and
wherein the first data is calculated by determining area under the first time-density curve of e) starting from the contrast arrival frame over the number of cardiac cycles.
 
22. An imaging system for characterizing blood flow in an atrioventricular valve of a human heart, the atrioventricular valve connecting an atrium with a corresponding ventricle of the heart, the ventricle being fluidly coupled to a particular vessel that transports blood outside the ventricle, the imaging system comprising:
a data acquisition system configured to acquire two dimensional (2D) angiographic x-ray image data of the heart, wherein the 2D angiographic x-ray image data covers a first period of time prior to injection of contrast agent into the heart and a second period of time after injection of contrast agent into the heart; and
at least one processor configured to execute program instructions for carrying out method steps comprising:
a) obtaining the 2D angiographic x-ray image data of the heart;
b) identifying a contour of the atrium within the 2D angiographic x-ray image data of a);
c) identifying a contour of a region within the particular vessel within the 2D angiographic x-ray image data of a);
d) converting the 2D angiographic x-ray image data of a) to densitometric image data;
e) calculating a first time-density curve for the atrium from the contour of the atrium of b) and the densitometric image data of d);
f) calculating a second time-density curve for the region of the particular vessel from the contour of the region of the vessel of c) and the densitometric image data of d); and
g) generating data that characterizes at least one regurgitation fraction related to the atrioventricular valve of the heart from the first and second time-density curves of e) and f), respectively, and a contrast arrival frame corresponding to arrival of the contrast agent at the ventricle of the heart in the 2D angiographic x-ray image data;
wherein the data that characterizes at least one regurgitation fraction related to the atrioventricular valve of the heart of g) is derived from second data representing forward blood flow from the ventricle to the particular vessel and first data representing regurgitant blood flow from the ventricle to the atrium;
wherein the second data is calculated by determining area under the second time-density curve of f) starting from the contrast arrival frame over a number of cardiac cycles; and
wherein the first data is calculated by determining area under the first time-density curve of e) starting from the contrast arrival frame over the number of cardiac cycle.