# US 10,478,151 B2 · System and method for automated monitoring of fetal head descent during labor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,478,151 B2 - Document ID: US10478151B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/457,169 - Filed: 2014-08-12 - Published: 2016-02-18 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2014-08-12 - Assignees: General Electric Company - Applicants: General Electric Company - Inventors: Nitin Singhal; Kajoli Banerjee Krishnan; Christian Fritz Perrey; Klaus Pintoffl; Walter Duda, Jr.; Francesca Patruno - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10478151B2 ## CPC - A61B 8/0866: {involving foetal diagnosis; pre-natal or peri-natal diagnosis of the baby} - A61B 5/1075: {for measuring dimensions by non-invasive methods, e.g. for determining thickness of tissue layer (A61B8/0858 takes precedence)} - A61B 5/1122: {of movement trajectories} - A61B 5/1128: {using image analysis (A61B5/1127 takes precedence)} - A61B 5/4362: {Assessing foetal parameters} - A61B 8/5223: {for extracting a diagnostic or physiological parameter from medical diagnostic data (for algorithms to analyse biomedical images G06T7/0012)} - G16H 50/30: for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment - A61B 5/1079: {using optical or photographic means} - A61B 2503/02: Foetus - A61B 2576/00: Medical imaging apparatus involving image processing or analysis (A61B1/00009, A61B6/52 and A61B8/52 take precedence) - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - G16H: HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA ## Abstract A method for automatically monitoring fetal head descent in a birth canal is presented. The method includes segmenting each image in one or more images into a plurality of neighborhood components, determining a cost function corresponding to each neighborhood component in the plurality of neighborhood components in each of the one or more images, identifying at least two structures of interest in each image in the one or more images based on the cost function, wherein the at least two structures of interest include a pubic ramus and a fetal head, measuring an angle of progression based on the at least two structures of interest, and determining the fetal head descent in the birth canal based on the angle of progression. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for automatically monitoring fetal head descent in a birth canal, comprising: acquiring, via at least one processor, one or more transperineal ultrasound images corresponding to a birth canal of a patient in labor such that the one or more transperineal ultrasound images comprise at least two structures of interest; segmenting, via the at least one processor, each of the one or more transperineal ultrasound images into a plurality of neighborhood components; determining, via the at least one processor, a cost function corresponding to each neighborhood component in the plurality of neighborhood components in each of the one or more transperineal ultrasound images; identifying, via the at least one processor, the at least two structures of interest in each of the one or more transperineal ultrasound images based on the cost function, wherein the at least two structures of interest comprise a pubic ramus and a fetal head; measuring, via the at least one processor, an angle of progression between a first line passing through the pubic ramus and a second line extending from an inferior apex of the pubic ramus and tangentially intersecting a contour of the fetal skull; determining, via the at least one processor, the fetal head descent in the birth canal based on the angle of progression to automatically monitor progression of the fetal head in the birth canal of the patient during labor; and visualizing the one or more transperineal ultrasound images, the pubic ramus, the fetal head, a tangent point on the fetal head, the angle of progression, the fetal head descent, or combinations thereof on a display, wherein at least the angle of progression is overlaid on the one or more transperineal ultrasound images, wherein the steps of acquiring the one or more transperineal ultrasound images, segmenting each of the one or more transperineal ultrasound images, determining the cost function, identifying the at least two structures of interest, measuring the angle of progression, determining the fetal head descent, and visualizing are automated steps. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more transperineal ultrasound images comprise two-dimensional transperineal ultrasound images. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein segmenting each of the one or more transperineal ultrasound images further comprises enhancing a contrast of each of the one or more transperineal ultrasound images to generate a corresponding contrast enhanced image. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein segmenting each of the one or more transperineal ultrasound images further comprises smoothening spatial discontinuities in tissues in each of the one or more transperineal ultrasound images. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein smoothening spatial discontinuities in the tissues in each of the one or more transperineal ultrasound images comprises processing the corresponding contrast enhanced image via use of a filter to generate a corresponding contrast enhanced smoothened image. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein segmenting each of the one or more transperineal ultrasound images further comprises processing the corresponding contrast enhanced smoothened image via a Frangi mask, a curvature mask, or a combined mask to generate a corresponding filtered image. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, further comprising labeling the plurality of neighborhood components in each of the one or more transperineal ultrasound images. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining the cost function comprises computing the cost function corresponding to each neighborhood component in each of the one or more transperineal ultrasound images based on a location of the neighborhood component, a size of the neighborhood component, an anatomical presentation of the neighborhood component, or combinations thereof. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein measuring the angle of progression comprises: identifying end points of the pubic ramus; and drawing the first line to connect the end points of the pubic ramus. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising determining a tangent point on the fetal head. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising drawing the second line from one end point of the pubic ramus such that the second line intersects the fetal head tangentially at the tangent point on the fetal head. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein measuring the angle of progression comprises measuring an angle subtended between the first line and the second line. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein determining the fetal head descent in the birth canal based on the angle of progression comprises identifying a fetal station based on a look-up table, and wherein the look-up table provides a correspondence between the angle of progression and the fetal station. ### Claim 14 A system, comprising: at least one processor configured to automatically: obtain one or more transperineal ultrasound images corresponding to a birth canal of a patient in labor such that the one or more transperineal ultrasound images comprise at least two structures of interest; segment each of the one or more transperineal ultrasound images into a plurality of neighborhood components; determine a cost function corresponding to each neighborhood component in the plurality of neighborhood components in each of the one or more transperineal ultrasound images; identify the least two structures of interest in each of the one or more transperineal ultrasound images based on the cost function, wherein the at least two structures of interest comprise a pubic ramus and a fetal head; measure an angle of progression between a first line passing through the pubic ramus and a second line extending from an inferior apex of the pubic ramus and tangentially intersecting a contour of the fetal skull; determine fetal head descent in the region of interest in the object of interest based on the angle of progression; and visualize the one or more transperineal ultrasound images, the pubic ramus, the fetal head, a tangent point on the fetal head, the angle of progression, the fetal head descent, or combinations thereof on a display, wherein at least the angle of progression is overlaid on the one or more transperineal ultrasound images. ### Claim 15 A computer-readable non-transitory media storing computer executable code to perform the method of: acquiring one or more transperineal ultrasound images corresponding to a birth canal of a patient in labor such that the one or more transperineal ultrasound images comprise at least two structures of interest; segment each of the one or more transperineal ultrasound images into a plurality of neighborhood components; determine a cost function corresponding to each neighborhood component in the plurality of neighborhood components in each of the one or more transperineal ultrasound images; identify the at least two structures of interest in each of the one or more transperineal ultrasound images based on the cost function, wherein the at least two structures of interest comprise a pubic ramus and a fetal head; measure an angle of progression between a first line passing through the pubic ramus and a second line extending from an inferior apex of the pubic ramus and tangentially intersecting a contour of the fetal skull; determine fetal head descent in the birth canal based on the angle of progression; and visualize the one or more transperineal ultrasound images, the pubic ramus, the fetal head, a tangent point on the fetal head, the angle of progression, the fetal head descent, or combinations thereof on a display, wherein at least the angle of progression is overlaid on the one or more transperineal ultrasound images, wherein the steps of acquiring the one or more transperineal ultrasound images, segmenting each of the one or more transperineal ultrasound images, determining the cost function, identifying the at least two structures of interest, measuring the angle of progression, determining the fetal head descent, and visualizing are automated steps. ### Claim 16 An imaging system, the system comprising: an ultrasound imaging system configured to obtain one or more transperineal ultrasound images corresponding to a birth canal of a patient in labor such that the one or more transperineal ultrasound images comprise at least two structures of interest; at least one processor in operative association with the ultrasound imaging system, wherein the at least one processor is configured to automatically: segment each of the one or more transperineal ultrasound images into a plurality of neighborhood components; determine a cost function corresponding to each neighborhood component in the plurality of neighborhood components in each of the one or more transperineal ultrasound images; identify the at least two structures of interest in each of the one or more transperineal ultrasound images based on the cost function, wherein the at least two structures of interest comprise a pubic ramus and a fetal head; measure an angle of progression between a first line passing through the pubic ramus and a second line extending from an inferior apex of the pubic ramus and tangentially intersecting a contour of the fetal skull; determine fetal head descent in the birth canal based on the angle of progression; and visualize the one or more transperineal ultrasound images, the pubic ramus, the fetal head, a tangent point on the fetal head, the angle of progression, the fetal head descent, or combinations thereof on a display, wherein at least the angle of progression is overlaid on the one or more transperineal ultrasound images. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The imaging system of claim 16, further comprising the display configured to visualize the one or more transperineal ultrasound images, the pubic ramus, the fetal head, the tangent point on the fetal head, the angle of progression, the fetal head descent, or combinations thereof thereon.