US7822461B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System and method for endoscopic path planning
Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA Inc
•
Filing: 2004-07-09
•
Granted: 2010-10-26
•
Expires: 2024-07-09
Abstract
Abstract A system and method for endoscopic path planning is provided. The method comprises: identifying a target in a lung, wherein the target is located in a peripheral airway of the lung; generating an endoscopic path to the target, wherein a peripheral artery is used as a surrogate for the peripheral airway; and viewing the endoscopic path.
Inventors
- 👤 Bernhard Geiger
- 👤 Atilla Peter Kiraly
- 👤 David P. Naidich
- 👤 Carol L. Novak
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 21:04
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06T; G06T19/00; G06T19/003; A; A61; A61B; A61B90/00; A61B90/36; A61B90/37; A61B2090/374; A61B34/00; A61B34/10; G06T2210/00; G06T2210/41
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
160 words
A system for endoscopic path planning, comprising: a memory device for storing a program; a processor in communication with the memory device, the processor operative with the program to: receive an image of a lung, wherein the image includes airways and arteries, and wherein certain peripheral airways are not visible in the image, but peripheral arteries corresponding to the non-visible peripheral airways are visible in the image; identify a target in an image of a lung, wherein the target is located near a non-visible peripheral airway; and automatically generate an endoscopic path to the target, wherein the endoscopic path follows a visible airway that leads to the non-visible peripheral airway, and then, follows a path computed by the processor based on coordinates of the non-visible peripheral airway's nearest matching peripheral artery to the target, wherein the endoscopic path is inside the visible airway that leads to the non-visible peripheral airway and the non-visible peripheral airway that leads to the target.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
160 words
A system for endoscopic path planning, comprising: a memory device for storing a program; a processor in communication with the memory device, the processor operative with the program to: receive an image of a lung, wherein the image includes airways and arteries, and wherein certain peripheral airways are not visible in the image, but peripheral arteries corresponding to the non-visible peripheral airways are visible in the image; identify a target in an image of a lung, wherein the target is located near a non-visible peripheral airway; and automatically generate an endoscopic path to the target, wherein the endoscopic path follows a visible airway that leads to the non-visible peripheral airway, and then, follows a path computed by the processor based on coordinates of the non-visible peripheral airway's nearest matching peripheral artery to the target, wherein the endoscopic path is inside the visible airway that leads to the non-visible peripheral airway and the non-visible peripheral airway that leads to the target.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
78 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein when the system is used to perform a bronchoscopy, the processor is further operative with the program to: receive an image that identifies a location of a tip of a bronchoscope that has been inserted into the lung; register the image with a corresponding image from the endoscopic path; and determine where the tip of the bronchoscope is located in relation to where it should be located in the endoscopic path.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
The system of claim 2 , wherein the processor is further operative with the program to: cause a user to reposition the tip of the bronchoscope to match where it should be located in the endoscopic path.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein the target comprises a nodule, cancerous protrusion, non-cancerous protrusion, lesion, tumor, or stenosis.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein the image is received from a device employing a computed tomographic (CT), helical CT, x-ray, positron emission tomographic, fluoroscopic, ultrasound, or magnetic resonance (MR) imaging technique.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further operative with the program when identifying the target to: select the target.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
100 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further operative with the program when generating an endoscopic path to the target to: segment airways and arteries in the lung; compute an airway tree of the segmented airways and an artery tree of the segmented arteries; match the computed airway and artery trees to each other; use the matched trees to find the non-visible peripheral airway's nearest matching peripheral artery; and select a jump point where the endoscopic path switches from following the visible airway to following the path computed based on coordinates of the nearest matching peripheral artery.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system of claim 7 , wherein the jump point is near an end of the visible airway.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system of claim 7 , wherein the jump point is at a midpoint of the visible airway.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further operative with the program to: display the endoscopic path.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
144 words
A system for endoscopic path planning, comprising: means for receiving an image of a lung, wherein the image includes airways and arteries, and wherein certain peripheral airways are not visible in the image, but peripheral arteries corresponding to the non-visible peripheral airways are visible in the image; means for identifying a target in an image of a lung, wherein the target is located near a non-visible peripheral airway; and means for automatically generating an endoscopic path to the target, wherein the endoscopic path follows a visible airway that leads to the non-visible peripheral airway, and then, follows a path computed by a machine based on coordinates of the non-visible peripheral airway's nearest matching peripheral artery to the target, wherein the endoscopic path is inside the visible airway that leads to the non-visible peripheral airway and the non-visible peripheral airway that leads to the target.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
144 words
A system for endoscopic path planning, comprising: means for receiving an image of a lung, wherein the image includes airways and arteries, and wherein certain peripheral airways are not visible in the image, but peripheral arteries corresponding to the non-visible peripheral airways are visible in the image; means for identifying a target in an image of a lung, wherein the target is located near a non-visible peripheral airway; and means for automatically generating an endoscopic path to the target, wherein the endoscopic path follows a visible airway that leads to the non-visible peripheral airway, and then, follows a path computed by a machine based on coordinates of the non-visible peripheral airway's nearest matching peripheral artery to the target, wherein the endoscopic path is inside the visible airway that leads to the non-visible peripheral airway and the non-visible peripheral airway that leads to the target.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5365927A
Cited
US5458111A
Cited
US20030032876A1
Cited
US6694163B1
Cited
US5611025A
Cited
US6702736B2
Cited
US5699799A
Cited
US6343936B1
Cited
US5971767A
Cited
US6346940B1
Cited
US7167180B1
Cited
US7194117B2
Cited
US20040015070A1
Cited
US6892090B2
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2013-10-25 | 2014-04-26 | 2014-10-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2017-10-25 | 2018-04-26 | 2018-10-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2021-10-25 | 2022-04-26 | 2022-10-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |