Medical imaging apparatus and method
A medical device is used to image a body cavity using a plurality of axially and angularly spaced imaging sensors. Each imaging sensor generates an image that is distinct from one another due to distinct fields of vision. Each image includes an overlapping zone with commonalities that are used to extrapolate a greater calibrated image.
1. A method comprising:
imaging a first cavity portion of a greater body cavity using at least one imaging sensor of a catheter to generate a first digital image;
imaging a second cavity portion of the greater body cavity using the at least one imaging sensor of the catheter to generate a second digital image, wherein the first and second cavity portions are contiguous portions of the greater body cavity, and wherein first and second digital images partially overlap in an overlap portion;
generating a greater image parameter of the greater body cavity from at least the first and second digital images, the generating including identifying the overlap portion in the first image, identifying the overlap portion in the second image, and using the identified overlap portion to combine the first and second images to generate the greater image parameter,
wherein combining the first and second images to generate the greater image parameter includes performing an image combining operation comprising:
applying a first correction factor, first scaling factor, or first calibration factor to at least part of the first digital image to create a corrected first digital image, and
combining information from the corrected first digital image and the second digital image to form the greater image parameter; and
generating a greater image from at least the corrected first digital image, second digital image and greater image parameter.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the greater image parameter comprises applying an algorithm that identifies common features of each of the first and second images in the overlap portion and adjusting at least one of the first and second images according to the common features.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first and second digital images are pixilated and wherein the common features comprise pixels features.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein a position of the catheter in the body cavity is maintained when imaging the first and second cavity portions.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein imaging the first cavity portion and imaging the second cavity portion are substantially simultaneous.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the image combining operation further comprises applying an algorithm to minimize a measure of image error between two or more component images of the greater image or applying an algorithm to achieve a best fit between two or more component images of the greater image.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the image combining operation further comprises applying an algorithm to minimize a measure of image error for an image calibration aspect or applying an algorithm to achieve a best fit with an image calibration aspect.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one imaging sensor comprises a plurality of imaging sensors that are angularly separated on a circumference of the catheter.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one imaging sensor comprises a plurality of imaging sensors that are axially separated on a circumference of the catheter.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one imaging sensor comprises a plurality of imaging sensors that are angularly and axially separated on a circumference of the catheter.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one imaging sensor comprises a plurality of imaging sensors, wherein the first digital image is generated from a first imaging sensor of the plurality of imaging sensors and the second digital image is generated from a second imaging sensor of the plurality of imaging sensors, and
wherein the method further comprises inserting the catheter into an imaging subject having one or more calibration references each with a known imaging property or physical property, each of the first and second imaging sensors capturing in its field of view at least one of the one or more calibration references, and capturing images of at least one of the calibration references from the first and second imaging sensors.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the imaging subject is a calibration assembly, wherein the method further comprises performing a calibration procedure prior to imaging the body cavity, the calibration procedure utilizing the known imaging property or physical property of at least one of the one or more calibration references and at least the first captured image to assist in determining the first correction factor, first scaling factor, or first calibration factor.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one imaging sensor comprises a plurality of imaging sensors, wherein the first digital image is generated from a first imaging sensor of the plurality of imaging sensors and the second digital image is generated from a second imaging sensor of the plurality of imaging sensors,
wherein the method further comprises one or more calibration references being present in the body cavity, and wherein the first correction factor, first scaling factor, or first calibration factor is determined by identifying a known physical aspect or a known imaging aspect of the calibration reference while imaging the body cavity.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one imaging sensor comprises a plurality of imaging sensors, wherein the first digital image is generated from a first imaging sensor of the plurality of imaging sensors and the second digital image is generated from a second imaging sensor of the plurality of imaging sensors,
wherein the method further comprises identifying one or more physical features or imaging features in the overlap portion that are common to both the first and second digital images, and wherein the first correction factor, first scaling factor, or first calibration factor is determined at least in part by comparing a portion of the first digital image that captures the one or more physical features or imaging features with a portion of the second digital image that captures the one or more physical features or imaging features.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one imaging sensor comprises a plurality of imaging sensors, wherein the first digital image is generated from a first imaging sensor of the plurality of imaging sensors and the second digital image is generated from a second imaging sensor of the plurality of imaging sensors,
wherein the method further comprises inserting the catheter into an imaging subject having one or more calibration references, and encompassing the catheter in a sealed catheter balloon that is capable of being filled with fluid, wherein the first correction factor, first scaling factor, or first calibration factor is determined in part from a parameter of the calibration reference, and wherein the parameter of the calibration reference comprises a physical feature, a visible feature or material composition feature of the balloon.
16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one imaging sensor comprises a plurality of imaging sensors, wherein the first digital image is generated from a first imaging sensor of the plurality of imaging sensors and the second digital image is generated from a second imaging sensor of the plurality of imaging sensors, and wherein the common image aspect comprises a feature of the body cavity.
17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one imaging sensor generates an image utilizing visible light.
18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one imaging sensor generates an image utilizing non-visible light.
19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one imaging sensor generates an image utilizing laser light.
20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one imaging sensor generates an image utilizing ultrasound energy.
21. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one imaging sensor generates an image utilizing radio frequency energy.
22. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises encompassing the catheter in a sealed catheter balloon that is capable of being filled with fluid, wherein the balloon is pressurized with a multitude of fluid pressures within a portion of the body cavity having a pliancy, wherein a first image capture of the greater image parameter of the body cavity is generated when a first fluid pressure is present to cause a first deformation of balloon in the portion of the body cavity, and a second image capture of the greater image parameter of the body cavity is generated when a second fluid pressure is present to cause a second deformation of the balloon in the portion of the body cavity, and wherein the first image capture and the second image capture are then analyzed to determine at least one of the first deformation, the second deformation, the difference between the first and second deformations, or a measure of the compliancy.
23. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises encompassing the catheter in a sealed catheter balloon that is capable of being filled with fluid, and wherein the balloon has an expandable covering that promotes expansion of the balloon in a radial dimension and restricts expansion in an axial direction.
24. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one imaging sensor comprises a plurality of imaging sensors, encompassing the catheter in a sealed catheter balloon that is capable of being filled with fluid, and wherein the balloon has a plurality of balloon imaging references with at least one imaging reference being captured in the overlap portion.
25. The method of claim 24 , wherein the plurality of balloon imaging references comprise distortable reference markings, and wherein a measure of distortion of the distortable reference markings is utilized to determine a physical property of the greater image parameter.
26. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises encompassing the catheter in a sealed catheter balloon that is capable of being filled with fluid, wherein pressurization of the balloon is utilized to install a stent.
27. The method of claim 26 , wherein the greater image parameter is utilized to determine an effectiveness of the stent installation.
28. The method of claim 1 , wherein the greater image parameter comprises a 2-D image of a portion of the body cavity.
29. The method of claim 1 , wherein the greater image parameter comprises a 3-D surface image of a portion of the body cavity.
30. The method of claim 1 , wherein the greater image parameter comprises a 3-D rendering of a portion of the body cavity.
31. The method of claim 1 , wherein the greater image parameter comprises a cross-section of a portion of the body cavity.
32. The method of claim 1 , wherein the greater image parameter comprises a diameter of a portion of the body cavity.
33. The method of claim 1 , wherein the greater image parameter comprises a dimension of the body cavity.
34. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the catheter includes a stent proximate to a balloon.
35. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one imaging sensor comprises a single imaging sensor that is configured to rotate within the body cavity, and wherein the first digital image and second digital image are generated at differing rotational angles.
36. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first correction factor, first scaling factor, or first calibration factor adjusts for relative image scaling between the portion of the first digital image and the portion of the second digital image.
37. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first correction factor, first scaling factor, or first calibration factor adjusts for a relative image view angle or imaging angle between the portion of the first digital image and the portion of the second digital image.
38. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first correction factor, first scaling factor, or first calibration factor adjusts for a relative image pixel location or pixel angle between the portion of the first digital image and the portion of the second digital image.
39. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first correction factor, first scaling factor, or first calibration factor adjusts for a relative image sensor distortion between the portion of the first digital image and the portion of the second digital image.
40. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first correction factor, first scaling factor, or first calibration factor adjusts for a relative lens or optical fiber distortion between the portion of the first digital image and the portion of the second digital image.
41. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first correction factor, first scaling factor, or first calibration factor adjusts for a relative image capture position between the portion of the first digital image and the portion of the second digital image.
42. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first correction factor, first scaling factor, or first calibration factor adjusts for a relative image beam angle or array scan angle between the portion of the first digital image and the portion of the second digital image.
43. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first correction factor, first scaling factor, or first calibration factor adjusts for a relative sensor position between the portion of the first digital image and the portion of the second digital image.
44. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first correction factor, first scaling factor, or first calibration factor adjusts for a relative image calibration between the portion of the first digital image and the portion of the second digital image.
45. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one imaging sensor comprises a plurality of imaging sensors, and wherein the first digital image contains information derived from a first subset of the plurality of imaging sensors containing at least one sensor that is not contained in the second subset of the plurality of imaging sensors.
46. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first digital image contains information derived from the at least one imaging sensor when it is located in a first position and the second digital image contains information derived from the at least one image sensor when it is located in a second position.
47. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one imaging sensor comprises at least one ultrasound transducer.
48. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one imaging sensor comprises at least one ultrasound transducer, and wherein the method further comprises locating the at least one ultrasound transducer on the catheter.
49. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one imaging sensor comprises at least one ultrasound transducer, and wherein the method further comprises encompassing the catheter in a sealed catheter balloon that is capable of being filled with fluid.
50. The method of claim 49 , wherein the balloon has a plurality of balloon imaging references in the fields of view of the at least one ultrasound transducer.
51. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one imaging sensor comprises at least one array of ultrasound transducers.
52. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one imaging sensor comprises a plurality of ultrasound transducer arrays.
53. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one imaging sensor comprises at least one radio frequency transducer.
54. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one imaging sensor comprises at least one radio frequency transducer, and wherein the method further comprises locating the at least one radio frequency transducer on the catheter.
55. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one imaging sensor comprises at least one radio frequency transducer, and wherein the method further comprises encompassing the catheter in a sealed catheter balloon that is capable of being filled with fluid.
56. The method of claim 55 , wherein the balloon has a plurality of balloon imaging references in the fields of view of the at least one radio frequency transducer.
57. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one imaging sensor comprises at least one array of radio frequency transducers.
58. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one imaging sensor comprises a plurality of radio frequency transducer arrays.
59. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one imaging sensor comprises one of: an optical sensor, a charge coupled device, an active pixel sensor, a lens, an optical fiber or a combination thereof.
60. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one imaging sensor comprises at least one optical sensor, lens, or optical fiber, and wherein the method further comprises locating the at least one optical sensor, lens, or optical fiber on the catheter.
61. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one imaging sensor comprises at least one optical sensor, lens, or optical fiber, and wherein the method further comprises encompassing the optical sensor, lens, or optical fiber in a sealed catheter balloon that is capable of being filled with fluid.
62. The method of claim 61 , wherein the balloon has a plurality of balloon imaging references in the fields of view of the at least one optical sensor.
63. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one imaging sensor comprises a multitude of optical sensors, lenses, or optical fibers.
64. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one imaging sensor comprises at least one signal transducer capable of transmitting a signal and measuring a return time or distance for one or more signal reflections.
65. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one imaging sensor comprises a multitude of signal transducers, each capable of measuring a return time or distance for one or more signal reflections.
66. A method comprising:
imaging a first cavity portion of a greater body cavity using at least one imaging sensor of a catheter to generate a first digital image;
imaging a second cavity portion of the greater body cavity using the at least one imaging sensor of the catheter to generate a second digital image, wherein the first and second cavity portions are contiguous portions of the greater body cavity, and wherein first and second digital images partially overlap in an overlap portion;
generating a greater image parameter of the greater body cavity from at least the first and second digital images, the generating including identifying the overlap portion in the first image, identifying the overlap portion in the second image, and using the identified overlap portion to combine the first and second images to generate the greater image parameter,
wherein combining the first and second images to generate the greater image parameter includes performing an image combining operation comprising:
applying a first correction factor, first scaling factor, or first calibration factor to at least part of the first digital image to create a corrected first digital image,
applying a second correction factor, second scaling factor, or second calibration factor to at least part of the second digital image, and
combining information from the corrected first digital image and the corrected second digital image to form the greater image parameter; and
generating a greater image from at least the corrected first digital image, corrected second digital image, and greater image parameter.