IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,364,462
Granted Patent B2
US 12,364,462 · App. 18/317,342 · Granted Jul 22, 2025

Ablation monitoring and control using three-dimensional echo decorrelation imaging

Inventors: T. Douglas Mast (Cincinnati, OH); Peter D. Grimm (Cincinnati, OH); Elmira Ghahramani Zarajabad (New York, NY)
Assignee: University of Cincinnati
A61B8/469A61B8/483A61B8/5207A61B8/5223
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,364,462
App. No.
18/317,342
Granted
Jul 22, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer program products for monitoring and control of tissue ablation using three-dimensional echo decorrelation imaging. A first plurality of pulse-echo image volumes each including a region of interest are received from an ultrasound scanner. One or more pulse-echo image volume pairs are defined from the plurality of pulse-echo image volumes. Echo decorrelation image volumes are defined from the pulse-echo image volume pairs, and an amount of power provided to an ablation probe located in the region of interest is determined based on the echo decorrelation image volume.

Claims (81)

1. A method of controlling an ablation process, comprising:

receiving a plurality of pulse-echo image volumes each captured during ablation and including a region of interest;

defining a first pulse-echo image volume pair that includes a first pulse-echo image volume of the plurality of pulse-echo image volumes and a second pulse-echo image volume of the plurality of pulse-echo image volumes;

generating an echo decorrelation image volume from the first pulse-echo image volume pair;

deriving a control parameter from the echo decorrelation image volume by:

compensating for an artifactual decorrelation component of the echo decorrelation image volume to generate a corrected echo decorrelation image volume by:

defining a second pulse-echo image volume pair that includes a third pulse-echo image volume of the plurality of pulse-echo image volumes and a fourth pulse-echo image volume of the plurality of pulse-echo image volumes,

generating a compensation echo decorrelation image volume from the second pulse-echo image volume pair,

defining the corrected echo decorrelation image volume including a plurality of corrected echo decorrelation image voxels by, for each echo decorrelation image voxel of the echo decorrelation image volume:

subtracting an echo decorrelation value of a respective compensation echo decorrelation image voxel of the compensation echo decorrelation image volume from the echo decorrelation value of the echo decorrelation image voxel of the echo decorrelation image volume to define a difference value,

subtracting the echo decorrelation value of the respective compensation echo decorrelation image voxel of the compensation echo decorrelation image volume from unity to define a normalization value, and

dividing the difference value by the normalization value to generate a corrected echo decorrelation value of a respective corrected echo decorrelation image voxel, and

deriving the control parameter from the corrected echo decorrelation image volume; and

adjusting an amount of power provided to an ablation probe located in the region of interest based on the control parameter.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein adjusting the amount of power provided to the ablation probe based on the control parameter includes:

comparing the control parameter to a predetermined threshold; and

reducing the amount of power provided to the ablation probe in response to the control parameter exceeding the predetermined threshold.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein each pulse-echo image volume of the plurality of pulse-echo image volumes includes a plurality of pulse-echo image voxels each having a position within the respective pulse-echo image volume, the echo decorrelation image volume includes a plurality of echo decorrelation image voxels each associated with a respective pulse-echo image voxel of the plurality of pulse-echo image voxels, and the control parameter is a spatial mean of each echo decorrelation image voxel within the region of interest.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein each pulse-echo image volume of the plurality of pulse-echo image volumes includes a plurality of pulse-echo image voxels each having a position within the respective pulse-echo image volume, the echo decorrelation image volume includes a plurality of echo decorrelation image voxels each associated with a respective pulse-echo image voxel of the plurality of pulse-echo image voxels, and the control parameter is a minimum echo decorrelation value of the echo decorrelation image voxels within the region of interest.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein each pulse-echo image volume of the plurality of pulse-echo image volumes includes a plurality of pulse-echo image voxels each having a position within the respective pulse-echo image volume, the echo decorrelation image volume includes a plurality of echo decorrelation image voxels each associated with a respective pulse-echo image voxel of the plurality of pulse-echo image voxels, and generating the corrected echo decorrelation image volume further includes:

calculating a motion-induced decorrelation value produced by a movement in a reference region of interest,

wherein, for each echo decorrelation image voxel of the echo decorrelation image volume, the echo decorrelation value of the respective compensation echo decorrelation image voxel of the compensation echo decorrelation image volume is equal to the motion-induced decorrelation value.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein calculating the motion-induced decorrelation value produced by the movement in the reference region of interest includes measuring a maximum decorrelation of a selected area in the reference region of interest.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

defining a globally normalized echo decorrelation normalized by a spatial mean of an autocorrelation product within the region of interest.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

predicting ablation zone margins and volumes using weighted K-means clustering.

9. A system for controlling an ablation process, comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory coupled to the one or more processors and including program code that, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the system to:

receive a plurality of pulse-echo image volumes each captured during ablation and including a region of interest;

define a first pulse-echo image volume pair that includes a first pulse-echo image volume of the plurality of pulse-echo image volumes and a second pulse-echo image volume of the plurality of pulse-echo image volumes;

generate an echo decorrelation image volume from the first pulse-echo image volume pair;

derive a control parameter from the echo decorrelation image volume by:

compensating for an artifactual decorrelation component of the echo decorrelation image volume to generate a corrected echo decorrelation image volume by:

defining a second pulse-echo image volume pair that includes a third pulse-echo image volume of the plurality of pulse-echo image volumes and a fourth pulse-echo image volume of the plurality of pulse-echo image volumes,

generating a compensation echo decorrelation image volume from the second pulse-echo image volume pair,

defining the corrected echo decorrelation image volume including a plurality of corrected echo decorrelation image voxels by, for each echo decorrelation image voxel of the echo decorrelation image volume:

subtracting an echo decorrelation value of a respective compensation echo decorrelation image voxel of the compensation echo decorrelation image volume from the echo decorrelation value of the echo decorrelation image voxel of the echo decorrelation image volume to define a difference value,

subtracting the echo decorrelation value of the respective compensation echo decorrelation image voxel of the compensation echo decorrelation image volume from unity to define a normalization value, and

dividing the difference value by the normalization value to generate a corrected echo decorrelation value of a respective corrected echo decorrelation image voxel, and

deriving the control parameter from the corrected echo decorrelation image volume; and

adjust an amount of power provided to an ablation probe located in the region of interest based on the control parameter.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the program code causes the system to adjust the amount of power provided to the ablation probe based on the control parameter by causing the system to:

compare the control parameter to a predetermined threshold; and

reduce the amount of power provided to the ablation probe in response to the control parameter exceeding the predetermined threshold.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein:

each pulse-echo image volume of the plurality of pulse-echo image volumes includes a plurality of pulse-echo image voxels each having a position within the respective pulse-echo image volume,

the echo decorrelation image volume includes a plurality of echo decorrelation image voxels each associated with a respective pulse-echo image voxel of the plurality of pulse-echo image voxels, and

the control parameter is one of a spatial mean of each echo decorrelation image voxel within the region of interest or a minimum echo decorrelation value of the echo decorrelation image voxels within the region of interest.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein:

each pulse-echo image volume of the plurality of pulse-echo image volumes includes a plurality of pulse-echo image voxels each having a position within the respective pulse-echo image volume,

the echo decorrelation image volume includes a plurality of echo decorrelation image voxels each associated with a respective pulse-echo image voxel of the plurality of pulse-echo image voxels, and

the program code causes the system to generate the corrected echo decorrelation image volume by causing the system to further:

calculate a motion-induced decorrelation value produced by a movement in a reference region of interest,

wherein, for each echo decorrelation image voxel of the echo decorrelation image volume, the echo decorrelation value of the respective compensation echo decorrelation image voxel of the compensation echo decorrelation image volume is equal to the motion-induced decorrelation value.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the program code causes the system to calculate the motion-induced decorrelation value produced by the movement in the reference region of interest by causing the system to measure a maximum decorrelation of a selected area in the reference region of interest.

14. The system of claim 9 , wherein the program code further causes the system to:

define a globally normalized echo decorrelation normalized by a spatial mean of an autocorrelation product within the region of interest.

15. The system of claim 9 , wherein the program code further causes the system to:

predict ablation zone margins and volumes using weighted K-means clustering.

16. A computer program product for controlling an ablation process, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium; and

program code stored on the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to:

receive a plurality of pulse-echo image volumes each captured during ablation and including a region of interest;

define a first pulse-echo image volume pair that includes a first pulse-echo image volume of the plurality of pulse-echo image volumes and a second pulse-echo image volume of the plurality of pulse-echo image volumes;

generate an echo decorrelation image volume from the first pulse-echo image volume pair;

derive a control parameter from the echo decorrelation image volume by:

compensating for an artifactual decorrelation component of the echo decorrelation image volume to generate a corrected echo decorrelation image volume by:

defining a second pulse-echo image volume pair that includes a third pulse-echo image volume of the plurality of pulse-echo image volumes and a fourth pulse-echo image volume of the plurality of pulse-echo image volumes,

generating a compensation echo decorrelation image volume from the second pulse-echo image volume pair,

defining the corrected echo decorrelation image volume including a plurality of corrected echo decorrelation image voxels by, for each echo decorrelation image voxel of the echo decorrelation image volume:

subtracting an echo decorrelation value of a respective compensation echo decorrelation image voxel of the compensation echo decorrelation image volume from the echo decorrelation value of the echo decorrelation image voxel of the echo decorrelation image volume to define a difference value,

subtracting the echo decorrelation value of the respective compensation echo decorrelation image voxel of the compensation echo decorrelation image volume from unity to define a normalization value, and

dividing the difference value by the normalization value to generate a corrected echo decorrelation value of a respective corrected echo decorrelation image voxel, and

deriving the control parameter from the corrected echo decorrelation image volume; and

adjust an amount of power provided to an ablation probe located in the region of interest based on the control parameter.

17. The program product of claim 16 , wherein the program code further causes the one or more processors to:

define a globally normalized echo decorrelation normalized by a spatial mean of an autocorrelation product within the region of interest.

18. The program product of claim 16 , wherein the program code further causes the one or more processors to:

predict ablation zone margins and volumes using weighted K-means clustering.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 18, 2024
From: MAST, T. DOUGLAS; GRIMM, PETER D.; ZARAJABAD, ELMIRA GHAHRAMANI
To: UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI
Reel/Frame 067154/0519 →
CONFIRMATORY LICENSE Recorded Jan 10, 2024
From: UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI
To: NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH (NIH), U.S. DEPT. OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (DHHS), U.S. GOVERNMENT
Reel/Frame 066076/0231 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63341831 · May 13, 2022
Related Publication 20230363738A1 · Nov 16, 2023
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