Real-time 3-D ultrasound reconstruction of knee and its implications for patient specific implants and 3-D joint injections
Inventors
Mahfouz, Mohamed R. • Wasielewski, Ray C.
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11123040-B2
Publication Date
2021-09-21
Expiration Date
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for treating a patient. The method includes acquiring a plurality of radio frequency (RF) signals with an ultrasound transducer, each RF signal representing one or more return echoes from a scan line of a pulse-mode echo ultrasound scan. A position of the ultrasound transducer corresponding to each of the acquired RF signals is determined, and a plurality of contour lines generated from the plurality of RF signals. The method estimates a 3-D shape and position of an anatomical feature, such as a joint of patient based on the generated contour lines and corresponding ultrasound transducer positions. An apparatus, or computer includes a processor and a memory with instructions that, when executed by the processor, perform the aforementioned method.
Core Innovation
The invention generates a 3D patient-specific bone model by acquiring a plurality of raw signals from an ultrasound scan of a patient's bone using an ultrasound probe and tracking the acquisition of the raw signals in three dimensional (3D) space to generate corresponding tracking data. Each raw signal is transformed into an envelope that comprises a plurality of peaks by applying an envelope detection algorithm, where each peak corresponds with a tissue interface echo.
Bone echo identification is performed from the tissue interface echoes, and a two dimensional (2D) bone contour is determined from the plurality of bone echoes corresponding to each scan location of the ultrasound probe, thereby resulting in 2D bone contours. The 2D bone contours are transformed into an integrated 3D point cloud using the tracking data.
A deforming operation deforms a non-patient specific 3D bone model in correspondence with the integrated 3D point cloud to generate a 3D patient-specific bone model. The resulting 3D model is reconstructed based on ultrasound-derived contours registered using tracking data, and the non-patient specific model provides a reference for deformation.
Claims Coverage
The document contains two independent method claims, covering 3 inventive features that convert ultrasound scan signals into a 3D patient-specific bone model by envelope-peak tissue-interface echo processing, 2D contour extraction, transformation into a 3D point cloud using tracking data, and deformation of a non-patient specific 3D bone model.
Envelope-based tissue interface echo processing for 3D point cloud integration
Acquiring a plurality of raw signals from an ultrasound scan of a patient's bone; tracking the acquiring in three dimensional (3D) space and generating corresponding tracking data; transforming each raw signal into an envelope with a plurality of peaks via an envelope detection algorithm where each peak corresponds with a tissue interface echo; identifying a bone echo from the tissue interface echoes.
2D bone contour extraction and tracking-registered 3D point cloud generation
Determining a two dimensional (2D) bone contour from the plurality of bone echoes for each scan location to obtain 2D bone contours; transforming the 2D bone contours into an integrated 3D point cloud using the tracking data.
Deforming a non-patient specific 3D bone model to generate a patient-specific 3D bone model
Deforming a non-patient specific 3D bone model corresponding to the patient's bone in correspondence with the integrated 3D point cloud to generate a 3D patient-specific bone model.
Across the independent claims, the inventive subject matter centers on producing envelopes with peaks corresponding to tissue interface echoes from ultrasound signals, selecting and converting those echoes into 2D bone contours, transforming the contours into a tracking-registered 3D point cloud, and deforming a non-patient specific 3D bone model to generate a 3D patient-specific bone model.
Stated Advantages
Real-time 3-D ultrasound reconstruction.
Improved injection accuracy by visualizing 3-D needle position/path on a monitor.
Non-ionizing imaging (no radiation).
Patient-specific 3-D bone models for guiding needle-based joint injections.
Documented Applications
Real-time guidance for knee joint injections using needle-based joint injection guidance with 3-D ultrasound reconstruction.
Guiding needle-based joint injections for joints using reconstructed patient-specific 3-D bone models.
Patient-specific implants using the described reconstruction and patient-specific 3-D bone models.
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