System and method for instant and automatic border detection

1. A method for examining tissue having a border, the method comprising:

providing an imaging system, wherein the imaging system comprises:

an imaging catheter comprising an image capture device at a distal portion of the imaging catheter, wherein the imaging catheter is configured to capture, via the image capture device, imaging data associated with a vessel of a patient while positioned within the vessel; and

a processing system operably coupled to the imaging catheter, the processing system comprising a processor coupled to a memory and a display device in communication with the processor;

capturing, with the image capture device, the imaging data while the imaging catheter, including the image capture device, is positioned within the vessel, wherein the vessel comprises a vessel wall comprising a luminal border and a medial-adventitial border;

receiving, with the processor, the imaging data;

generating, with the processor, a plurality of two-dimensional cross-sectional image frames of the vessel based on the imaging data;

receiving, at the processor, a navigational input to navigate sequentially through the plurality of two-dimensional cross-sectional image frames;

sequentially displaying, with the display device, the plurality of two-dimensional cross-sectional image frames in a manner representing motion through the vessel, while the navigational input is received; and

in response to a cessation of the navigational input:

stopping said sequential displaying of the plurality of two-dimensional cross-sectional image frames at a target two-dimensional cross-sectional image frame, wherein the target two-dimensional cross-sectional image frame is a two-dimensional cross-sectional image, of the sequentially displayed plurality of two-dimensional cross-sectional image frames, that was being displayed at the time of the cessation of the navigational input;

displaying, with the display device, the target two-dimensional cross-sectional image frame; and

automatically detecting, with the processor, a location, within the target two-dimensional cross-sectional image frame, of a vessel wall border of the vessel wall, wherein the vessel wall border comprises at least one of the luminal border or the medial-adventitial border;

determining an outline of the vessel wall border based on the detected location of the vessel wall border; and

displaying, with the display device, the target two-dimensional cross-sectional image frame and the outline of the vessel wall border overlaid on the vessel in the target two-dimensional cross-sectional image frame.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the processing system further comprises a computer pointing device, and wherein said receiving the navigational input comprises:

receiving user input from a user via the computer pointing device; and

communicating the user input, as the navigational input, from the computer pointing device to the processor.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said detecting the location, within the target two-dimensional cross-sectional image frame, of the vessel wall border comprises detecting the location of the vessel wall border within a second of the cessation of the navigational input.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said detecting the location of the vessel wall border comprises performing, with the processor, a detection algorithm.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein said detecting the location of the vessel wall border further comprises determining, with the processor, an occlusion of the vessel.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein said determining the occlusion includes comparing the luminal border of the vessel to the medial-adventitial border of the vessel.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said detecting the location of the vessel wall border comprises:

approximating the vessel wall border within a first two-dimensional cross-sectional image frame;

identifying at least one control point on the vessel wall border;

extrapolating the at least one control point to approximate a second vessel wall border in a second two-dimensional cross-sectional image frame; and

adjusting the second vessel wall border in accordance with a frequency factor.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising selecting, with the processor, a two-dimensional cross-sectional image frame from the plurality of two-dimensional cross-sectional image frames.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising displaying, with the display device, the vessel wall border in the selected two-dimensional cross-sectional image frame.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein said providing the imaging system comprises operably coupling the processing system to a proximal portion of the imaging catheter.

11. A system for examining tissue having a border, the system comprising:

an imaging catheter comprising an image capture device at a distal portion of the imaging catheter, wherein the imaging catheter is configured to capture, via the image capture device, imaging data associated with a vessel of a patient while the imaging catheter, including the image capture device, is positioned within the vessel, wherein the vessel comprises a vessel wall comprising a luminal border and a medial-adventitial border; and

a processing system operably coupled to the imaging catheter, the processing system comprising a processor coupled to a memory and a display device in communication with the processor, wherein the processing system is configured to:

receive, with the processor, the imaging data;

generate, with the processor, a plurality of two-dimensional cross-sectional image frames of the vessel based on the imaging data;

receive, at the processor, a navigational input to navigate sequentially through the plurality of two-dimensional cross-sectional image frames;

sequentially display, with the display device, the plurality of two-dimensional cross-sectional image frames in a manner representing motion through the vessel, while the navigational input is received; and

in response to a cessation of the navigational input:

stop said sequential display of the plurality of two-dimensional cross-sectional image frames at a target two-dimensional cross-sectional image frame, wherein the target two-dimensional cross-sectional image frame is a two-dimensional cross-sectional image, of the sequentially displayed plurality of two-dimensional cross-sectional image frames, that was being displayed at the time of the cessation of the navigational input;

display, with the display device, the target two-dimensional cross-sectional image frame; and

automatically detect, with the processor, within the target two-dimensional cross-sectional image frame, of a vessel wall border of the vessel wall, wherein the vessel wall border comprises at least one of the luminal border or the medial-adventitial border;

determine an outline of the vessel wall border based on the detected location of the vessel wall border; and

display, with the display device, the target two-dimensional cross-sectional image frame and the outline of the vessel wall border overlaid on the vessel in the target two-dimensional cross-sectional image frame.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processing system further comprises a computer pointing device, and wherein, to receive the navigational input, the processing system is configured to:

receive a user input from a user via the computer pointing device; and

communicate the user input, as the navigational input, from the computer pointing device to the processor.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein, to detect the location, within the target two-dimensional cross-sectional image frame, of the vessel wall border, the processing system is configured to:

detect the location of the vessel wall border within a second of the cessation of the navigational input.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein, to detect the location of the vessel wall border, the processing system is configured to:

perform, with the processor, a detection algorithm.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein, to detect the location of the vessel wall border, the processing system is further configured to:

determine, with the processor, an occlusion of the vessel.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein to determine the occlusion, the processing system is configured to:

compare the luminal border of the vessel to the medial-adventitial border of the vessel.

17. The system of claim 11 , wherein, to detect the location of the vessel wall border, the processing system is configured to:

approximate the vessel wall border within a first two-dimensional cross-sectional image frame;

identify at least one control point on the vessel wall border;

extrapolate the at least one control point to approximate a second vessel wall border in a second two-dimensional cross-sectional image frame; and

adjust the second vessel wall border in accordance with a frequency factor.

18. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processing system is further configured to:

select, with the processor, a two-dimensional cross-sectional image frame from the plurality of two-dimensional cross-sectional image frames.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the processing system is further configured to:

display, with the display device, the vessel wall border in the selected two-dimensional cross-sectional image frame.

20. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processing system is operably coupled to a proximal portion of the imaging catheter.