System and method for lung visualization using ultrasound
A system for ultrasound interrogation of a lung including a memory, an electromagnetic (EM) board, an extended working channel (EWC), an EM sensor, a US transducer, and a processor. The memory stores a three dimensional (3D) model and pathway plan for navigating a luminal network. The EM board generates an EM field. The EWC is configured to navigate the luminal network toward a target following the pathway plan. The EM sensor extends distally from a distal end of the EWC and is configured to sense the EM field. The US transducer extends distally from a distal end of the EWC, generates US waves, and receives US waves reflected from the luminal network. The processor processes the sensed EM field to synchronize a location of the EM sensor in the 3D model, to process the reflected US waves to generate images, or to integrate the generated images with the 3D model.
1. A method for lung visualization using ultrasound (US) imaging, the method comprising:
importing a first three-dimensional (3D) model of a luminal network of a lung;
generating an electromagnetic (EM) field about the luminal network;
sensing the EM field via an EM sensor;
transmitting US waves via an US transducer;
generating US images based on the US waves reflected from the luminal network, the EM sensor positioned at a distal portion of one of a first catheter and a second catheter and the US transducer positioned at a distal portion of the other one of the first and second catheters;
processing the sensed EM field to measure a travelling distance of the EM sensor;
scaling the travelling distance so that the scaled travelling distance is matched to a coordinate system of the first 3D model;
replacing lower resolution portions of Computed Tomography (CT) image data from which the first 3D model was generated with the generated US images at a location of the US transducer based on the scaling of the travelling distance, yielding a modified CT image data;
generating a second 3D model from the modified CT image data, wherein the second 3D model has a higher resolution than the first 3D model; and
displaying the second 3D model.
2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising calculating a scale factor for the travelling distance between a coordinate system of the EM field and a coordinate system of the first 3D model.
3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising displaying a status related to the location of the EM sensor.
4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the status indicates whether the EM sensor is located at a not-in-target location, the target, or a location adjacent to healthy tissue.
5. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the status indicates whether treatment of a target is complete.
6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein generating the US images includes generating the US images at a resolution that is finer than a resolution of the first 3D model.
7. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the EM sensor is located at the distal portion of the first catheter.
8. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising recognizing a breathing pattern of a patient.
9. The method according to claim 8 , further comprising identifying the location of the EM sensor based on the breathing pattern.
10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the generated US images are integrated near the location of the EM sensor in the first 3D model.
11. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising identifying tissue density according to the reflected US waves.
12. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising determining whether a treatment device is at a center of a target.
13. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising determining a sufficiency of treatment in consideration of a density of a target according to the reflected US waves.
14. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising detecting a size of a target.
15. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising determining shrinkage of a target in real-time during and after a treatment of the target.
16. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising determining an offset between the EM sensor and the US transducer.
17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein a location of integration of the generated US images with the first 3D model is determined by the offset.
18. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the US transducer is positioned distal of the EM sensor.
19. A method for lung visualization using ultrasound (US) imaging, the method comprising:
importing a first three-dimensional (3D) model of a luminal network of a lung;
generating an electromagnetic (EM) field about the luminal network;
sensing the EM field via an EM sensor;
transmitting US waves via an US transducer;
generating US images based on a reflection of the US waves from the luminal network, the EM sensor positioned at a distal portion of one of a first catheter or a second catheter and the US transducer positioned at a distal portion of the other one of the first or second catheters;
processing the sensed EM field and the reflected US waves to determine whether a new target is detected;
registering the new target to the first 3D model when it is determined that the new target is detected;
replacing lower resolution portions of Computed Tomography (CT) image data from which the the first 3D model was generated with the generated US images at a location of the US transducer based on a detection of the new target, yielding a modified CT image data;
generating a second 3D model from the the modified CT image data, wherein the second 3D model has a higher resolution than the first 3D model; and
displaying the second 3D model.
20. A method for lung visualization using ultrasound (US) imaging, the method comprising:
importing a first three-dimensional (3D) model of a luminal network of a lung;
generating an electromagnetic (EM) field about the luminal network;
sensing the EM field via an EM sensor;
transmitting US waves via an US transducer;
generating US images based on a reflection of the US waves from the luminal network, the EM sensor positioned at a distal portion of one of a first catheter or a second catheter and the US transducer positioned a predetermined distance from the EM sensor at a distal portion of the other one of the first or second catheters;
replacing lower resolution portions of Computed Tomography (CT) image data from which the first 3D model was generated with the generated US images at a location of the US transducer based on the predetermined distance, yielding a modified CT image data;
generating a second 3D model from the modified CT image data, wherein the second 3D model has a higher resolution than the first 3D model; and
displaying the second 3D model.