| 摘要 |
Navigational imaging system and method for use in branched luminal structure. Flexible, spatially steerable probe is equipped with forward- and side-imaging mutually complementing means to enable sub-surface imaging, quantitative determination of probe's positioning with respect to anatomical identifiers of structure, forming 3D image of structure in a volume defined by the imaging means, and positioning of probe in registration with a 3D coordinate system that is independent from the structure. Method includes determining anatomical identifiers of luminal structure branches based on 3D and sub-surface images, assigning such identifiers as fiducial points, and correlating the determined identifiers with those obtained from anatomical model to select target branch for further steering the probe. Optionally, data representing a distance between a branch of lumen from fiducial point and angular orientation of the branch is extracted from complete 3D and quantitative image of lumen obtained during a pull-back of probe along the lumen. |
| 主权项 |
1. A navigational system comprising:
an imaging probe configured to image a luminal structure, the probe having
an elongated flexible body having a proximal end, an opposite distal end, a longitudinal axis, and an outer wall extending from the proximal end to the distal end, said outer wall having at least a portion which is at least partially transparent to imaging energy used for imaging by the probe;an energy guide extended inside the flexible body and configured to deliver the imaging energy between the proximal end and the distal end;a steering mechanism disposed in the body and configured to deflect the distal end and rotate the distal end around the longitudinal axis; andat least one energy directing element configured to send the imaging energy delivered by the energy guide to the luminal structure; a flexible shaft engaged by a rotating mechanism at the proximal end, the flexible shaft configured to rotate the at least one energy directing element to scan the luminal structure through the outer wall with a first beam of imaging energy to form a sideway field of view (FOV) of the probe within a first angular range;
wherein the at least one energy directing element is configured to scan, with the steering mechanism, the luminal structure with a second beam of imaging energy to form a forward FOV of the probe within a second angular range;wherein the first angular range is defined outside a range of −45 degrees to 45 degrees with respect to the longitudinal axis; and the second angular range is defined within the range of −45 degrees to 45 degrees with respect to the axis;and
an imaging console, including a data-processing unit, in operable communication with the imaging probe and configured
to process imaging energy acquired by the probe to generate image data based on optical coherence tomography (OCT), andto calculate a global position assumed by the distal end within the luminal structure during imaging of the luminal structure by comparing:
(i) a first measurement of geometrical properties of a branch of the luminal structure obtained from first image data, the first image data acquired by the imaging probe from the luminal structure within both the sideway and forward FOVs, with(ii) one of
(iia) a second measurement of said geometrical properties of the luminal structure obtained from reference 3D image data of the luminal structure, the reference 3D image data of the luminal structure pre-acquired and stored in data-processing memory, and(iib) a record of first measurements obtained from the first image data;wherein the global position is defined as a position with respect to a target in the luminal structure, the target located outside both the sideway FOV and the forward FOV. |
