# US 10,307,619 B2 · Reference-library extension during imaging of moving organs > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,307,619 B2 - Document ID: US10307619B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/377,063 - Filed: 2013-02-06 - Published: 2015-01-22 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2012-02-06 - Assignees: Insightec, Ltd. - Applicants: Insightec, Ltd.; Yoav Levy; Yoav Medan - Inventors: Yoav Levy; Yoav Medan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10307619B2 ## CPC - A61N 7/00: Ultrasound therapy (lithotripsy A61B17/22, A61B17/225; massage using supersonic vibration A61H23/00 {; using ultrasound for introducing media into the body A61M37/0092}) - A61N 7/02: Localised ultrasound hyperthermia - G06T 7/248: {involving reference images or patches} - G06T 7/74: {involving reference images or patches} - A61B 5/015: {By temperature mapping of body part} - A61B 2017/00084: {Temperature} - A61B 2090/374: {NMR or MRI} - A61N 2007/0056: {Beam shaping elements} - F04C 2270/041: Controlled or regulated - G06T 2207/10088: Magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] - G06T 2207/10132: Ultrasound image - G06T 2207/30004: Biomedical image processing - G06T 2207/30096: Tumor; Lesion - A61N: ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY (measurement of bioelectric currents A61B; surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body A61B18/00; anaesthetic apparatus in general A61M; incandescent lamps H01K; infrared radiators for heating H05B) - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - F04C: ROTARY-PISTON, OR OSCILLATING-PISTON, POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS (engines F03C); ROTARY-PISTON, OR OSCILLATING-PISTON, POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS ## Abstract Images acquired during an image-guided treatment procedure sometimes exceed the scope of a reference library previously acquired for the purpose of monitoring and/or adjusting the treatment. In this situation, the reference library may be extended dynamically and/or in real time based on the newly acquired treatment images and/or other available information. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for monitoring an anatomical region during treatment thereof, the method comprising: (a) prior to the treatment, establishing a library of reference image records of the anatomical region, each reference image record comprising (i) at least a reference image and (ii) data associated with the reference image including a thermal map corresponding to the reference image; (b) during the treatment, repeatedly (i) acquiring a treatment image of the anatomical region; (ii) comparing a currently acquired treatment image and the reference images in the library based on real-space or k-space image data to determine whether a reference image from the library matches the currently acquired treatment image according to an image-similarity criterion; and (iii) if none of the reference images in the library matches the currently acquired treatment image according to the image-similarity criterion, computationally deforming a treatment thermal map associated with one of previously acquired treatment images and extending the reference library by adding to the library a new reference image record comprising (A) a new reference image and (B) data associated with the new reference image including a new thermal map based at least in part on the deformed treatment thermal map; and (c) monitoring the anatomical region based at least in part on the acquired treatment images and the extended reference library. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the new reference image satisfies the image-similarity criterion with respect to the treatment image. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein extending the reference library comprises adding the currently acquired treatment image to the library as the new reference image. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein extending the reference library comprises adding an image derived from the currently acquired treatment image to the library as the new reference image. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein extending the reference library comprises estimating motion of an object of interest in the anatomical region based on at least one of the currently acquired treatment image or said one of the previously acquired images, acquiring a new treatment image encompassing the object of interest based on the estimated motion, and adding the new treatment image to the library as the new reference image. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein extending the reference library further comprising deriving corresponding data for the new reference image and adding it to the library in association therewith. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the data associated with the reference images further comprises respective locations of an object of interest therein. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the location of the object of interest in the new reference image is derived from the currently acquired treatment image using image analysis. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the location of the object of interest in the new reference image is derived from said one of the previously acquired treatment images and a physical model characterizing motion of the object of interest. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein monitoring the anatomical region comprises monitoring the location of the object of interest based on the locations stored in association with reference images matching the acquired treatment images. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the object of interest comprises a treatment target. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the treatment comprises application of a therapeutic energy beam to the target, the method further comprising adjusting the beam based on the monitored location. ### Claim 13 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the data associated with the reference images further comprises respective locations of multiple objects of interest therein, monitoring the anatomical region comprising monitoring locations of the objects of interest based on the locations stored in association with reference images matching the acquired treatment images. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the objects of interest comprise a treatment target and at least one organ sensitive to therapeutic energy, the treatment comprising application of a therapeutic energy beam to the target, the method further comprising adjusting the beam based on the monitored locations. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the thermal maps are absolute-temperature maps. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein deformation of the treatment thermal map associated with said one of the previously acquired treatment images is based at least in part on characterization of tissue motion and/or tissue deformation of the anatomical region between the currently acquired treatment image and said one of the previously acquired treatment images. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein deformation of the treatment thermal map associated with said one of the previously acquired treatment images is further based on a computational physical model. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the computational physical model characterizes at least one of tissue elasticity or temperature evolution in the monitored anatomical region. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the anatomical region comprises monitoring a temperature change therein based on phase differences between the acquired treatment images and matching reference images. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein monitoring the anatomical region further comprises monitoring an absolute temperature therein based on the thermal maps stored in association with the reference images matching the acquired treatment images. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, further comprising establishing a thermal map of the anatomical region after treatment, and retroactively adjusting the monitored absolute temperature during treatment based thereon. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the library is initially empty of reference images. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the library initially contains a plurality of reference images each corresponding to a different stage of motion of the anatomical region. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising modifying parameters associated with the treatment based at least in part on the monitoring. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, wherein the parameters comprise at least one of a treatment energy, a treatment power, a treatment beam shape, or a targeted area. ### Claim 26 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising changing imaging parameters during the treatment. ### Claim 27 A system for monitoring an anatomical region during treatment thereof, the system comprising: (a) an imaging apparatus for imaging the anatomical region; (b) memory for storing a library of reference image records comprising (i) reference images of the anatomical region and (ii) data associated with the reference images including thermal maps corresponding to the reference images; and (c) a computation unit configured to (i) repeatedly cause the imaging apparatus to acquire a treatment image of the anatomical region during the treatment, (ii) comparing a currently acquired treatment image and the reference images in the library based on real-space or k-space image data to determine whether any of the reference images in the library matches the currently acquired treatment image according to an image-similarity criterion, (iii) if none of the reference images in the library matches the currently acquired treatment image, computationally deforming a treatment thermal map associated with one of previously acquired treatment images and extend the reference library by adding to the library a new reference image record comprising (A) a new reference image and (B) data associated with the new reference image including a new thermal map based at least in part on the deformed treatment thermal map, and (iv) monitor the anatomical region based at least in part on the acquired treatment images and the extended reference library. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The system of claim 27, further comprising an ultrasound transducer array for focusing a therapeutic energy beam onto a target in the anatomical region. ### Claim 29 (depends on 27) The system of claim 27, wherein the computation unit is configured to adjust the beam based on the monitoring. ### Claim 30 (depends on 27) The system of claim 27, wherein the computation unit is further configured to derive data corresponding to the new reference image and adding it to the library in association therewith. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The system of claim 30, wherein the data associated with the reference images further comprises respective locations of at least one object of interest therein. ### Claim 32 (depends on 30) The system of claim 30, wherein the computation unit is further configured to monitor a location of the at least one object of interest based on the locations stored in association with reference images matching the acquired treatment images. ### Claim 33 (depends on 27) The system of claim 27, wherein the thermal maps are absolute-temperature maps. ### Claim 34 (depends on 27) The system of claim 27, wherein the computation unit is configured to monitor an absolute temperature in the anatomical region based on phase differences between the acquired treatment images and matching reference images and on the thermal maps stored in association with the matching reference images. ### Claim 35 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the location of the anatomical region on the reference image comprises spatial coordinates. ### Claim 36 (depends on 27) The system of claim 27, wherein the locations of the anatomical region on the reference images comprise spatial coordinates. ### Claim 37 (depends on 27) The system of claim 27, wherein the computation unit is further configured to computationally deform the treatment thermal map associated with said one of the previously acquired treatment images using a computational physical model. ### Claim 38 (depends on 37) The system of claim 37, wherein the computation unit is further configured to computationally deform the treatment thermal map associated with said one of the previously acquired treatment images based at least in part on characterization of tissue motion and/or tissue deformation of the anatomical region between the currently acquired treatment image and said one of the previously acquired treatment images. ### Claim 39 (depends on 37) The system of claim 37, wherein the computational physical model characterizes at least one of tissue elasticity or temperature evolution in the monitored anatomical region. ### Claim 40 (depends on 27) The system of claim 27, wherein the computation unit is further configured to: process the currently acquired treatment image so as to remove a hot spot therefrom; and comparing the processed treatment image and the reference images in the library based on real-space or k-space image data to determine whether any of the reference images in the library matches the processed treatment image according to the image-similarity criterion. ### Claim 41 (depends on 27) The system of claim 27, wherein the computation unit is further configured to: predict a change in at least one of the reference images resulting from the treatment; manipulate the at least one of the reference images to reflect the predicted change; and comparing the currently acquired treatment image and the manipulated reference image based on real-space or k-space image data to determine an image similarity therebetween.