Medical viewing system with a viewing angle optimization function

1. A system, comprising:

an X-ray image acquisition device having a field of view and a controllable viewing angle;

an echocardiography imaging device including an ultrasonic probe; and

a processing unit, wherein the processing unit is connected to the X-ray image acquisition device to receive live X-ray images from the X-ray image acquisition device and to control an orientation of the X-ray image acquisition device, and wherein the processing unit is connected to the echocardiography image acquisition device to receive live echocardiography images from the echocardiography image acquisition device, and

wherein the processing unit:

controls a position of the X-ray image acquisition device to acquire a first set of X-ray fluoroscopy images of the ultrasonic probe at two different viewing angles,

registers the live echocardiography images and the live X-ray images to each other based on the first set of X-ray fluoroscopy images,

localizes positions of a set of aortic valve cusp nadirs in the live X-ray images acquired by the X-ray image acquisition device subsequent to the registration,

establishes a set of markers to match the localized positions of the set of aortic valve cusp nadirs in the live X-ray images acquired by the X-ray image acquisition device subsequent to the registration, and

determines an optimal viewing angle of the X-ray image acquisition device, in which the markers of the set of markers which are matched to the localized positions of the set of aortic valve cusp nadirs appear spaced equally apart in a single straight line in the field of view of the X-ray image acquisition device.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the X-ray image acquisition device comprises a C-arm X-ray image acquisition device which is movable to change its viewing angle.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a display unit for displaying the live X-ray images and the live echocardiography images individually, and fused together.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein localizing positions of the set of aortic valve cusp nadirs comprises recognizing the positions of the set of aortic valve cusp nadirs in the live echocardiography images or the live X-ray images around a preliminary set of markers given by an operator,

wherein the processing unit is further adapted to adjust the preliminary set of markers according to the recognized positions.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processing unit extracts positions of the set of characteristic features for forming the set of markers from a three-dimensional model of at least the aortic valve.

6. A system, comprising:

an X-ray image acquisition device for providing live X-ray images from a variable viewing angle, wherein the X-ray image acquisition device has a field of view,

an echocardiography imaging device having an ultrasonic probe for providing live echocardiography images, and

a processing unit connected to the X-ray image acquisition device and the echocardiography imaging device,

wherein the X-ray image acquisition device and processing unit acquire a first set of X-ray fluoroscopy images of the ultrasonic probe at two different viewing angles,

wherein the processing unit:

registers the live echocardiography images and the live X-ray images to each other based on the first set of X-ray fluoroscopy images,

localizes positions of a set of characteristic features in the live X-ray images acquired by the X-ray image acquisition device,

establishes a set of markers to match the localized positions of the characteristic features in the live X-ray images acquired by the X-ray image acquisition device, and

determines an optimal viewing angle of the X-ray image acquisition device, in which the markers of the set of markers comprise a predetermined relationship in the field of view of the X-ray image acquisition device.

7. The system of claim 6 ,

wherein the set of characteristic features comprises cusp nadirs.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the X-ray image acquisition device comprises a C-arm X-ray image acquisition device which is movable to change its viewing angle.

9. The system of claim 6 , further comprising a display unit for displaying the live X-ray images and the live echocardiography images individually, and fused together.

10. A method, comprising:

acquiring a first set of X-ray fluoroscopy images of an ultrasonic probe of an echocardiography imaging device at two different viewing angles, by an X-ray image acquisition device having a field of view,

registering live echocardiography images acquired by the ultrasonic probe and live X-ray images acquired by the X-ray image acquisition device to each other based on the first set of X-ray fluoroscopy images, by a processing unit,

localizing positions of a set of characteristic features in the live X-ray images acquired by the X-ray image acquisition device,

establishing a set of markers to match the localized positions of the characteristic features in the live X-ray images acquired by the X-ray image acquisition device, and

determining an optimal viewing angle of the X-ray image acquisition device, in which the markers of the set of markers comprise a predetermined relationship in the field of view of the X-ray image acquisition device.

11. The system of claim 6 ,

wherein localizing positions of the set of characteristic features comprises recognizing the positions of the set of characteristic features in the live echocardiography images or the live X-ray images around a preliminary set of markers given by an operator,

wherein the processing unit is further adapted to adjust the preliminary set of markers according to the recognized positions.

12. The system of claim 11 ,

wherein the processing unit recognizes the characteristic features in a central region of the live X-ray images.

13. The system of claim 6 , wherein the processing unit extracts positions of the set of characteristic features for forming the set of markers from a three-dimensional model of at least one organ of interest.

14. The system of claim 13 ,

wherein the processing unit automatically fits the extracted positions of the set of characteristic features to a native organ in saved or live aortogram images as they are received by the processing unit.

15. The method of claim 10 , further comprising displaying the live X-ray images and the live echocardiography images individually, and fused together.

16. The method of claim 10 ,

wherein localizing the positions of a set of characteristic features in the live X-ray images comprises localizing cusp nadirs.

17. The method of claim 10 , further comprising

recognizing the positions of the set of characteristic features in the live echocardiography images or the live X-ray images around a preliminary set of markers given by an operator, and

adjusting the preliminary set of markers according to the recognized positions.

18. The method of claim 10 ,

wherein recognizing the positions of the set of characteristic features is conducted in a central region of the live X-ray images.

19. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

extracting positions of the set of characteristic features for forming the set of markers from a three-dimensional model of an organ of interest.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:

automatically fitting the extracted positions of the set of characteristic features to a native organ in saved or live aortogram images as they are received by the processing unit.