Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US7758499?dq=6825444
Timestamp: 2016-09-25 07:49:56
Document Index: 51747515

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 01919745', 'application No. 01919745', 'application No. 01919745', 'Application No. 162420', 'Application No. 11', 'application No. 2', 'application No. 02795407']

Patent US7758499 - Method and apparatus for viewing through blood - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inPatentsA method, apparatus, and system for viewing through blood in situ including a flexible catheter for insertion into a blood vessel, an optical assembly positioned at the distal end of the catheter, a working channel, and a control unit for regulating the opacity level of blood in the blood vessel around...http://www.google.com/patents/US7758499?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US7758499 - Method and apparatus for viewing through bloodAdvanced Patent SearchTry the new Google Patents, with machine-classified Google Scholar results, and Japanese and South Korean patents.Publication numberUS7758499 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 11/560,796Publication dateJul 20, 2010Priority dateAug 10, 2001Fee statusPaidAlso published asCA2456418A1, EP1465684A2, EP1465684A4, EP1465684B1, US6692430, US20020068853, US20040147806, US20070100241, WO2003013624A2, WO2003013624A3Publication number11560796, 560796, US 7758499 B2, US 7758499B2, US-B2-7758499, US7758499 B2, US7758499B2InventorsDoron AdlerOriginal AssigneeC2Cure, Inc.Export CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (180), Non-Patent Citations (21), Referenced by (48), Classifications (29), Legal Events (1) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetMethod and apparatus for viewing through blood
US 7758499 B2Abstract
i. A flexible catheter with a proximal end and a distal end, said distal end being shaped for insertion into a blood vessel along a guide wire thereby to reach remote places in the vasculature or other organs. ii. An optical assembly positioned at the distal end of said catheter comprising an image sensor positioned non-perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of said catheter. iii. At least one illumination source for illuminating an immediate region beyond the distal end of said catheter. iv. At least one working channel running from the proximal to the distal end of said catheter. Preferably said illumination source utilizes at least one wavelength taken from within a range comprising visible light, near infra-red, and infra-red light.
Preferably said rectangular pixel array measures 128�256 pixels.
i. A flexible catheter with a proximal end and a distal end, said distal end being shaped for insertion into a blood vessel along a guide wire thereby to reach remote places in the vasculature or other organs. ii. An optical assembly positioned at the distal end of said catheter. iii. At least one working channel running from the proximal to the distal end of said catheter. iv. A control unit for regulating the opacity level of blood in said blood vessel around said distal end of said catheter, controllably injecting quantities of fluid into said blood vessel in the vicinity of said optical assembly, thereby enhancing visibility. Preferably said optical assembly comprises an illumination sensor operable to sense at least one wavelength taken from within a range from visible light to infra-red light.
i. A flexible catheter with a proximal end and a distal end, said distal end being shaped for insertion into a blood vessel along a guide wire thereby to reach remote places in the vasculature or other organs. ii. An optical assembly positioned at the distal end of said catheter. iii. At least one working channel running from the proximal to the distal end of said catheter iv. A semi-permeable membrane positioned at said distal end of said catheter, surrounding said optical assembly extendable to displace blood from around the optical assembly allowing clear visibility. Preferably said membrane is rigid.
i. off-line image training initialization, and; ii. real-time image data interpolation. Preferably said off-line image training initialization comprises:
i. training image construction; ii. reconstruction of a lower resolution new image from said training image; iii. finding edge directions of said lower resolution image, and; iv. training a neural network to obtain a set of filters. Preferably said training image is clipped and rotated to obtain robust edges in each one of a plurality of directions.
i. calculating the average intensity of said real time image, yielding an intensity image; ii. generating a first image by correcting the intensity of said intensity image; iii. calculating a local contrast image; iv. generating a second image by enhancing said local contrast image, and; v. summing said first image and said local contrast image to generate an output image. Preferably said first image is produced by modifying the intensity of said real time image using a lookup table.
i. finding edge directions of each pixel, and; ii. interpolating data using an appropriate direction filter from a set of direction filters. A preferred embodiment comprises generating said set of direction filters in said off-line image training.
1. A small-diameter flexible catheter, with a distal end that can be inserted into the blood vessel or any other internal cavity along a guide wire and reach remote places in the vasculature or other organs; and 2. A viewing apparatus, which is positioned at the distal end of the catheter, and consists of a specifically designed image sensor, a distorting optical assembly and an illumination source.
(a) The image sensor is shaped to fit within the restricted dimensions of the catheter. The image sensor is positioned non-perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the catheter; in a preferred embodiment parallel to the longitudinal axis of the catheter. The small width of the imaging area makes it possible to reduce the diameter of the catheter. The design of the sensor allows the catheter to contain both the viewing apparatus and a working channel without a prohibitive increase in catheter diameter. (b) An optical assembly. One preferred embodiment consists of a lens with two optical planes, a shutter and a prism or mirror with a reflecting surface. The optical assembly is designed to distort and deflect the light received from the viewed object to fit the sensor. (c) The light source or sources may be visible light sources, IR sources or any combination of the light sources in one embodiment, according to the embodiment's uses. The lighting is either aimed directly at the imaged object from the direction of the optical sensor head or directed generally at the scene, i.e. without directing the light sources straight ahead at the object. 3. One or more working channels, which run along the length of the catheter, from the proximal end to the distal end, through which therapeutic instruments can be inserted to the site of their operation. The working channel is also used for the injection of liquids or gas, as is described in some of the embodiments. A channel for a guide wire is necessary, and may be provided as a dedicated channel for the guide wire only or combined with a an injection channel. 4. A local controller situated at the distal head of the catheter for coordinating data flow to and from the optical image sensor head and carrying out commands coming from a central processing and control unit outside the body regarding, for example, shutter speed and changing the intensity of the light sources. The communication between the local controller and the central unit is conducted through a wire connection or a wireless connection. The local controller may be an entirely separate element situated at the distal head of the catheter as described above, but it also may be a part of the image sensor. Another option is that some or all of the local controller's functions are carried out by the central control and display unit described hereafter. 5. A central control and display unit is typically located on a rack in the operating/catheterization room. This unit executes, among other tasks, basic reconstruction of the image including color reconstruction, interface to the user, display of the video and additional data, manual/automatic control over image acquisition parameters, and a specific image reconstructing algorithm for improving resolution and local contrasts based on the specific design of the sensor. The embodiments described are designed for use in both diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Therefore, they can be used on catheters as a viewing device only or as part of a PTCA, scenting, laser, or any other operative device. Another option for combining intra-vascular imaging with the diagnostic and operative devices is by mounting the viewing apparatus at the distal end of a guide wire. The guide wire is inserted into the artery at the beginning of a catheterization procedure, and the guide wire guides the catheters used during the procedure to their proper location. The positioning of the imaging apparatus on a guide wire makes it possible to use it in very restricted spaces. Positioning of the imaging apparatus on the guide wire also allows better navigation inside the vessel and the replacement of the diagnostic and operating tools while keeping an insertion path open by means of the wire.
1. Improvement of image resolution based on redundant information residing in the system, intended specifically for improving image resolution. 2. Improvement of image quality and image adjustment for the specific medical application, for example: color, local contrasts, and emphasis on pathologies. 3. Evaluation of relative temperature based on video information for spotting pathologic areas suspected as inflamed. 4. Evaluation of the blurring parameters of the image based on the blurring model of the blood and the acquired image. 5. Reconstruction of the original image according to the blurring model and evaluated parameters. Images processed by the video control and command unit 40 may be displayed, typically on the previously mentioned monitor, as video images in one of two display modalities. The first modality is a succession of separate images as received by the image sensor 1. This modality requires a minimal delay. The second modality is a stream of video images. In order to enable a stream of video images the processing and control unit 28 performs a time interpolation of missing images to provide a continuous image. As a result, a delay of up to a second between image acquisition and display is typical.
Reference is now made to FIG. 6, which is a simplified diagram showing an image sensor 70. The sensor comprises an imaging area 71 which is shaped as a rectangle pixel area, such as a 128�256 pixel array. The sensor may also contain additional circuitry 72 that performs functions such as analog to digital conversion, timing control, and local control. I/O supply pads 73 are shown in this example below circuitry 72 along the short side of the rectangular sensor. The sensor 70 is located in the optical head assembly previously noted in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4A, 4B, and 4C. The sensor 70 serves to capture the visible or IR light from the scene as shaped by the lenses and shutters located in front of it. As previously noted, the sensor is positioned non-perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the catheter. In a preferred embodiment it is placed parallel to that axis. The small width of the imaging area makes it possible to reduce the diameter of the catheter.
1. An optical sensor head with two sensors for obtaining a stereoscopic image. 2. A distal balloon made of a transparent membrane blocking the passage of red blood cells but allowing the passage of fluids. In the present embodiment, the injected fluid can also be used for the inflation of the distal balloon membrane. 3. Laser operated surgery mechanism using service channel and local imaging device(s). This embodiment enables an accurate operation procedure with continuous imaging of the operation area. 4. Mounting the viewing apparatus close to the front end of a needle for performing biopsies and other diagnostic or therapeutic procedures. 5. Another embodiment is that of biopsy and sample retrieval. Reference is made to FIG. 9. Working channel B 9 is used to pass either or both the suction and nano-gripper 98 and the laser device 98 distally, in front of the optical head 90. Biological sample collection, using a suction/nano-gripper 99 mechanism and the optical head 90 to enable visual inspection of the desired location. Samples may be transferred through the working channel B 9 outside the patient's body for analysis. The suction/nano-gripper 99 is used to hold a sample in position and the laser apparatus is used to cut the sample from surrounding tissue. The optical head 90 is similar to the previously mentioned optical head configuration. The suction/nano-gripper 99 and laser device 98 can alternately or together be positioned in front of the optical head 90 to provide visual feedback. This process enables biopsy of samples which can be removed from the patient's body through working channel B 9. The application in the field of cardiovascular therapy is only one of the possible applications for the present invention. Minimally invasive surgery is applied in many fields of medical diagnosis and therapy, such as in other vascular, breast, urethral and renal, and abdominal procedures, for example, and the present invention may be applied in these fields.
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600/156, 600/109International ClassificationA61B6/00, A61B5/0275, A61B5/00, A61B1/00, A61B1/313, A61B1/04, A61B1/05, A61B1/015Cooperative ClassificationY10S977/876, Y10S977/869, A61B1/3137, A61B1/0638, A61B1/00091, A61B1/05, A61B1/00082, A61B5/0084, A61B5/0275, A61B5/02007, A61B1/015, A61B1/00193European ClassificationA61B1/00E4H1, A61B1/00E4H5, A61B1/015, A61B1/00S7, A61B5/02D, A61B1/313FLegal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionJan 20, 2014FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 4RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services