Ultrasound based three-dimensional lesion verification within a vasculature
A catheter-based ultrasound imaging system configured to provide a full circumferential 360-degree view around an intra-vascular/intra-cardiac imaging-catheter-head by generating a three-dimensional view of the tissue surrounding the imaging-head over time. The ultrasound imaging system can also provide tissue-state mapping capability. The evaluation of the vasculature and tissue characteristics include path and depth of lesions during cardiac-interventions such as ablation. The ultrasound imaging system comprises a catheter with a static or rotating sensor array tip supporting continuous circumferential rotation around its axis, connected to an ultrasound module and respective processing machinery allowing ultrafast imaging and a rotary motor that translates radial movements around a longitudinal catheter axis through a rotary torque transmitting part to rotate the sensor array-tip. This allows the capture and reconstruction of information of the vasculature including tissue structure around the catheter tip for generation of the three-dimensional view over time.
1 . An imaging system comprising:
a catheter-based ultrasound imaging device comprising a fully-rotatable ultrasound transducer array and configured to operate in both an ultrafast planewave imaging acquisition mode and an ultrafast diverging imaging acquisition mode and capture image data associated reflected signal data; and
a console configured to be operably associated with the catheter-based ultrasound imaging device and to receive the image data therefrom, wherein the console comprises a processor configured to:
determine:
one or more image data collection procedures to be performed via the catheter-based ultrasound imaging device with respect to intravascular tissue, the catheter-based ultrasound imaging device configured to operate in at least the ultrafast planewave imaging acquisition mode and the ultrafast diverging imaging acquisition mode in response to receipt of operation signals from the console in which the fully-rotatable ultrasound transducer array of the catheter-based ultrasound imaging device carries out multiple wave transmit-receive cycles to surrounding intravascular tissue; and
associated one or more image reconstruction procedures to be performed on image data received from the catheter-based ultrasound imaging device;
dynamically control and cause operation of the catheter-based ultrasound imaging device based on the determined one or more image collection procedures, said processor configured to cause continuous full rotation of the ultrasound transducer array and further cause transmission of multiple wave transmit cycles from the ultrasound transducer array to, and receipt of multiple wave receive cycles from, the surrounding intravascular tissue to thereby extract functional and/or anatomical parameter data and reconstruct one or more images, either subsequent to or concurrent with receipt of echoes of the ultrasound pulses;
dynamically reconstruct at least a three-dimensional (3D) image providing a 360-degree visualization of intravascular tissue from the image data received from the catheter-based ultrasound imaging device, said image data comprising planewave data and diverging wave data, wherein said 3D image visually depicts one or more lesion formations in a targeted portion of the intravascular tissue as a result of an ablation procedure, including a pathway of the one or more lesion formations and a depth of the one or more lesion formations, wherein the 3D image further depicts any discontinuities present in one or more discrete ablations cooperatively forming the one or more lesion formations, including one or more physical gaps between two or more discrete ablations and one or more physical gaps present within a depth of the one or more discrete ablations, wherein the one or more image reconstruction procedures comprises processing reflected ultrasound signal data using at least one of a functional imaging algorithm and an anatomical imaging algorithm to extract associated functional and anatomical parameter data of intravascular tissue;
wherein reconstruction of the 3D image, including visual depiction of the one or more lesion formations, is based, at least in part, on registration of 3D image data representative of lesion formation identified in the intravascular tissue with histopathological data representative of ground truth tissue microstructure of the intravascular tissue, wherein said 3D image data comprises lesion maps reconstructed in 3D and said histopathological data comprises a series of histopathological two-dimensional (2D) images reconstructed into a labelled 3 D volume; and
dynamically map the 3D image to an ablation plan and correlate the one or more lesion formations to a set of planned lesion formation data of the ablation plan to thereby provide intra-operative feedback to an operator based on the correlation indicating if the one or more lesion formations are complete.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the ablation plan comprises predetermined structure and thickness of the targeted portion of the intravascular tissue.
3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the predetermined lesion formation data comprises lesion formations in the targeted portion of the intravascular tissue having known success in the treatment of a cardiac-related condition.
4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the condition is atrial fibrillation (AF).
5 . The system of claim 2 , wherein planned lesion formation data comprises at least one of a pathway of lesion formation and a depth of lesion formation.
6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein, upon a positive correlation, the console processor is configured to output a notification to the operator in the form of an indication of a complete and successful ablation of the targeted portion of the intravascular tissue.
7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein, upon a negative correlation, the console processor is configured to output a notification to the operator in the form of a visual indication of an incomplete and unsuccessful ablation of the targeted portion of the intravascular tissue.
8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more image data collection procedures comprises at least one of a scheduled rotation of an ultrasound transducer array of the catheter-based ultrasound imaging device and scheduled transmission of ultrasound pulses to, and receipt of echoes of the ultrasound pulses from, the intravascular tissue.
9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the one or more image data collection procedures comprises synchronization of the rotation of the ultrasound transducer array with transmission of pulses, and subsequent receipt thereof.
10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more image reconstruction procedures further comprises:
reconstructing, via the console processor, at least one of a two-, three-, or four-image from the extracted functional and/or anatomical parameter data; and
mapping, via the console processor, the reconstructed two-, three-, or four-dimensional image to the ablation plan to thereby provide intra-operative feedback to the operator indicating whether the ablation procedure is successful or unsuccessful.
11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the console processor is configured to update the ablation plan based on the reconstructed image.