Patent ID: 6200268
Filing Date: 2001-03-13
Classification: A61B,G06T

Abstract:
A method of identifying components within a vascular object from an ultrasonic signal, the method comprising the steps of:transmitting an ultrasonic signal within a selected region of the vascular object and collecting a backscatter signal reflected from the vascular object;reconstructing an IVUS image of the selected region from the backscatter signal;preparing a histology image of the selected region of the vascular object, the histology image distinguishing different components of the vascular object;selecting a region of interest from the histology image, the region of interest representing one component from the different components of the vascular object and being at a coordinate location on the histology image;mapping the coordinate location to a location on the IVUS image corresponding to the coordinate location;translating the location on the IVUS image to a signal portion in the backscatter signal corresponding to the location, the signal portion representing a signal signature of the one component of the vascular object; andcorrelating the signal signature to the one component.