EP0429148A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for imaging the anatomy
Assignee: ALLEN, GEORGE S.
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Filing: 1990-10-22
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2010-10-22
Abstract
Abstract A fiducial implant (10) for the human body detectable by an imaging system (102) comprises a first portion (12) and a second portion (14). The first portion (12) is sufficiently large and comprised of a material for detection by an imaging system (102), and sufficiently small to avoid the distortion of the skin when placed at an interface between the skin and the bone. The first portion (12) also has at least a portion which is spherical and defines a surface (16) for cooperating with a tool for securing the second portion to the bone (18). The second portion (14) is configured for fixed attachment to a bone (18) beneath the skin without penetrating entirely through the bone and without fracturing the bone (18). Additionally, the placement of n fiducial implants (where n≧4) into a portion of anatomy of the human body allows for the generation of a particular image slice of the portion of the anatomy taken by an imaging system with respect to a first time period, at subsequent imaging sessions and also with different scan modalities. This provides a doctor with the ability to accurately follow the progress of the portion of the anatomy of interest. Moreover, the existence of fiducial implants allows a target to be identified within the portion of anatomy relative to an external coordinate system. The portion of anatomy with the target may then be operated on, for instance, robotically, or precisely irradiated.
Inventors
- 👤 George S. Allen
- 👤 Robert J. Maciunas
- 👤 John Michael Fitzpatrick
- 👤 R. Mandava Venkateswara
- 👤 Hsuan Chang
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-10 02:35
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B6/00; A61B6/12; A61B90/00; A61B90/39; A61B90/36; A61B2090/363; A61B2090/3904; A61B2090/3916; A61B90/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
116 words
A method for displaying images of portions of the anatomy comprising: (a) implanting at least three fiducial implants in spatial relationship to form a plane in a portion of the anatomy to be detected; (b) taking a first series of images at parallel cross-sectional slices of fixed thickness of said portion of the anatomy with some of said slices passing through all of said fiducial implants; (c) storing a first set of data corresponding to said images in a storage device with reference to the plane established by said fiducial implants; (d) displaying at least a portion of said first series of images corresponding to said data for view by a user from said storage device.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
116 words
A method for displaying images of portions of the anatomy comprising: (a) implanting at least three fiducial implants in spatial relationship to form a plane in a portion of the anatomy to be detected; (b) taking a first series of images at parallel cross-sectional slices of fixed thickness of said portion of the anatomy with some of said slices passing through all of said fiducial implants; (c) storing a first set of data corresponding to said images in a storage device with reference to the plane established by said fiducial implants; (d) displaying at least a portion of said first series of images corresponding to said data for view by a user from said storage device.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
88 words
The method according to claim 1 further comprising: (a) taking a second series of images at parallel cross-section slices of fixed thickness of said portion of the anatomy with some of said slices passing through all of said fiducial implants; (b) storing a second set of data corresponding to said second series of images in said storage device with reference to the plane established by said fiducial implants; (c) displaying at least a portion of said second set of images corresponding to said data from said storage device.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method according to claim 2 wherein at least a portion of said first series of images are displayed simultaneously with at least a portion of said second set of images.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method according to claim 3 further comprising calculating the transformation angle between said first set of images at parallel cross-sectional slices and said second set of images at parallel cross-sectional slices into the second displayed image.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method according to claim 3 further comprising calculating the transformation angle of one displayed image scan according to test parameters input by the user.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method according to claim 5 wherein said test parameters include three eulerian angles associated with the transformation and input by the user.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
78 words
The method according to claim 4 wherein said transformation includes selecting the second image to be transformed from said second series of images, labeling three fiducials in the selected second image, selecting a second image from said second series of images, labeling three fiducials in the first image, calculating the transformation of said second image to said first image, store transformation data in data base library, and execute the transformation of said second image to said first image.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method according to claim 7 wherein the entire second series of images are transformed and replaced the old data in said data base library.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method according to claim 8 further comprising displaying the transformed data on said first display for comparison with data on said second display.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
222 words
A method for displaying images of the anatomy comprising: (a) implanting at least three fiducial implants in spatial relationship to form a plane on a portion of the anatomy to be detected; (b) taking a first series of images at parallel cross-sectional slices of fixed thickness of said portion of the anatomy; (c) storing said first set of data corresponding to said images in a storing device; (d) taking a second set of images at parallel cross-section slices of fixed thickness of said portion of the anatomy; (e) storing said second set of data corresponding to said second series of images in a storing device; (f) transmitting data corresponding to said first set of data and said second set of data to a database library; (g) displaying at least a first slice of said first set of images; (h) localizing fiducials in said first slice; (i) displaying a second slice of said second set of data; (j) localizing fiducials in said second slice; (k) labeling three fiducials in said first slice; (l) labeling three fiducials in said second slice; (m) calculating the transformation of said first slice to second slice; (n) storing said transformation data in a database library; (o) executing said transformation of said first image to said second image; (p) displaying said first image as transferred with said second image.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
222 words
A method for displaying images of the anatomy comprising: (a) implanting at least three fiducial implants in spatial relationship to form a plane on a portion of the anatomy to be detected; (b) taking a first series of images at parallel cross-sectional slices of fixed thickness of said portion of the anatomy; (c) storing said first set of data corresponding to said images in a storing device; (d) taking a second set of images at parallel cross-section slices of fixed thickness of said portion of the anatomy; (e) storing said second set of data corresponding to said second series of images in a storing device; (f) transmitting data corresponding to said first set of data and said second set of data to a database library; (g) displaying at least a first slice of said first set of images; (h) localizing fiducials in said first slice; (i) displaying a second slice of said second set of data; (j) localizing fiducials in said second slice; (k) labeling three fiducials in said first slice; (l) labeling three fiducials in said second slice; (m) calculating the transformation of said first slice to second slice; (n) storing said transformation data in a database library; (o) executing said transformation of said first image to said second image; (p) displaying said first image as transferred with said second image.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
122 words
An apparatus for displaying images of portions of the anatomy comprising: (a) three fiducial implants configured for implantation in spatial relationship to form a plane in a portion of the anatomy to be detected; (b) means for taking a first series of images at parallel cross-sectional slices of fixed thickness of said portion of the anatomy with some of said slices passing through all of said fiducial implants; (c) means for storing a first set of data corresponding to said images in a storage device with reference to the plane established by said fiducial implants; (d) means for displaying at least a portion of said first series of images corresponding to said data for view by a user from said storage device.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
122 words
An apparatus for displaying images of portions of the anatomy comprising: (a) three fiducial implants configured for implantation in spatial relationship to form a plane in a portion of the anatomy to be detected; (b) means for taking a first series of images at parallel cross-sectional slices of fixed thickness of said portion of the anatomy with some of said slices passing through all of said fiducial implants; (c) means for storing a first set of data corresponding to said images in a storage device with reference to the plane established by said fiducial implants; (d) means for displaying at least a portion of said first series of images corresponding to said data for view by a user from said storage device.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
94 words
The apparatus according to claim 11 further comprising: (a) means for taking a second series of images at parallel cross-section slices of fixed thickness of said portion of the anatomy with some of said slices passing through all of said fiducial implants; (b) means for storing a second set of data corresponding to said second series of images in said storage device with reference to the plane established by said fiducial implants; (c) means for displaying at least a portion of said second set of images corresponding to said data from said storage device.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said means for displaying said images includes displaying at least a portion of said first series of images simultaneously with at least a portion of said second set of images.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus according to claim 13 further comprising means for calculating the transformation angle between said first set of images at parallel cross-sectional slices and said second set of images at parallel cross-sectional slices into the second displayed image.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus according to claim 13 further comprising means for inputting intos said apparatus test parameters and means for calculating the transformation angle of one displayed image scan according to test parameters input by the user.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
24 words
The apparatus according to claim is wherein said means for inputting test parameters includes means for inputting three eulerian angles associated with the transformation.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
96 words
The apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said means for calculating the transformation includes means for selecting a second image to be transformed from said second series of images, means for labeling three fiducials in the selected second image, means for selecting a first image from said first series of images, means for labeling three fiducials in the first image, means for calculating the transformation of said second image to said first image, means for storing transformation data in data base library, and means for executing the transformation of said second image to said first image.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
46 words
The apparatus according to claim 17 wherein said means for executing the transformation includes transforming the entire second series of images and means for replacing the said data corresponding to said second series of images with data corresponding to said transformation in said data base library.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus according to claim 8 further comprising means for displaying the transformed data on said first display for comparison with data on said second display.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
259 words
An apparatus for displaying images of the anatomy comprising: (a) three fiducial implants configured for implantation in spatial relationship to form a plane on a portion of the anatomy to be detected; (b) means for taking a first series of images at parallel cross-sectional slices of fixed thickness of said portion of the anatomy; (c) means for storing said first set of data corresponding to said images in a storing device; (d) means for taking a second set of images at parallel cross-section slices of fixed thickness of said portion of the anatomy; (e) means for storing said second set of data corresponding to said second series of images in a storing device; (f) means for transmitting data corresponding to said first set of data and said second set of data to a database library; (g) means for displaying at least a first slice of said first set of images; (h) means for localizing fiducials in said first slice; (i) means for displaying a second slice of said second set of data; (j) means for localizing fiducials in said second slice; (k) means for labeling three fiducials in said first slice; (l) means for labeling said three localized fiducials in said second slice; (m) means for calculating the transformation of said first slice to second slice based on said labeled fiducials; (n) means for storing said transformation data in a database library; (o) means for executing said transformation of said first image to said second image; (p) means for displaying said first image as transferred with said second image.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
259 words
An apparatus for displaying images of the anatomy comprising: (a) three fiducial implants configured for implantation in spatial relationship to form a plane on a portion of the anatomy to be detected; (b) means for taking a first series of images at parallel cross-sectional slices of fixed thickness of said portion of the anatomy; (c) means for storing said first set of data corresponding to said images in a storing device; (d) means for taking a second set of images at parallel cross-section slices of fixed thickness of said portion of the anatomy; (e) means for storing said second set of data corresponding to said second series of images in a storing device; (f) means for transmitting data corresponding to said first set of data and said second set of data to a database library; (g) means for displaying at least a first slice of said first set of images; (h) means for localizing fiducials in said first slice; (i) means for displaying a second slice of said second set of data; (j) means for localizing fiducials in said second slice; (k) means for labeling three fiducials in said first slice; (l) means for labeling said three localized fiducials in said second slice; (m) means for calculating the transformation of said first slice to second slice based on said labeled fiducials; (n) means for storing said transformation data in a database library; (o) means for executing said transformation of said first image to said second image; (p) means for displaying said first image as transferred with said second image.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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