# US 10,478,156 B2 · Imaging apparatus for diagnosis, method of controlling the same, program, and computer readable storage medium

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- Number: US 10,478,156 B2
- Document ID: US10478156B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/081,371
- Filed: 2016-03-25
- Published: 2016-07-21
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2013-09-27
- Assignees: Terumo Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Terumo Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Ema Itoh; Isao Mori
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10478156B2

## CPC

- A61B 8/5223: {for extracting a diagnostic or physiological parameter from medical diagnostic data (for algorithms to analyse biomedical images G06T7/0012)}
- A61B 5/0066: {Optical coherence imaging}
- A61B 5/0073: {by tomography, i.e. reconstruction of 3D images from 2D projections (A61B5/0066 takes precedence)}
- A61B 5/0084: {for introduction into the body, e.g. by catheters (A61B5/1459 takes precedence)}
- A61B 5/6852: {Catheters}
- A61B 5/6876: {Blood vessel}
- A61B 5/7221: {Determining signal validity, reliability or quality (preventing, reducing or removing noise induced by motion artefacts A61B5/7207; noise originating from a therapeutic or surgical apparatus A61B5/7217)}
- A61B 8/0891: {for diagnosis of blood vessels}
- A61B 8/12: in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters
- A61B 8/4416: {related to combined acquisition of different diagnostic modalities, e.g. combination of ultrasound and X-ray acquisitions}
- A61B 8/445: {Details of catheter construction}
- A61B 8/4461: {Features of the scanning mechanism, e.g. for moving the transducer within the housing of the probe}
- A61B 8/4494: {characterised by the arrangement of the transducer elements}
- A61B 8/461: {Displaying means of special interest}
- A61B 8/5207: {involving processing of raw data to produce diagnostic data, e.g. for generating an image}
- A61B 8/5261: {combining images from different diagnostic modalities, e.g. ultrasound and X-ray}
- A61B 8/14: Echotomography
- A61B 8/4281: {characterised by sound-transmitting media or devices for coupling the transducer to the tissue}
- A61B 8/463: {characterised by displaying multiple images or images and diagnostic data on one display}
- A61B 8/54: {Control of the diagnostic device}
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)

## Abstract

An imaging apparatus, method, and computer readable medium are disclosed, which can detect in a case where a foreign substance such as air and blood other than transparent liquid is present inside a catheter, and can urge a user to perform priming so that an image having higher accuracy can be reconstructed. According to the present disclosure, the imaging apparatus can determined whether or not the foreign substance such as air and blood is present between an imaging core and an inner surface of a catheter sheath, from line data which is generated based on interference light data obtained when the priming is performed or at stages before and after pull-back scanning is performed. In a case where the foreign substance enters, a message urging the user to perform the priming is displayed.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An imaging apparatus for diagnosis accommodating an imaging core which has an optical transceiver for transmitting light from a light source toward a vascular tissue and for receiving reflected light from the vascular tissue, and reconstructing a blood vessel image based on interference light data obtained by converting into an electric signal interference light in which measurement light obtained by rotating the imaging core by using a catheter which has an open hole at a distal end portion and reference light separated from the light from the light source are synthesized, the imaging apparatus for diagnosis comprising:
line data generation means for generating line data in a radial direction from a rotary center position of the imaging core based on the interference light data;
determination means for determining whether or not a foreign substance other than a predetermined liquid enters between the imaging core and an inner surface of the catheter based on distribution of signal strength values in the line data which is generated by the line data generation means; and
display means for displaying a message which indicates that entrance of the foreign substance is detected in a case where a determination result of the determination means indicates the entrance of the foreign substance.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The imaging apparatus for diagnosis according to claim 1,
wherein the display means displays a message urging a user to perform priming in which the predetermined liquid fills an inside of the catheter.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The imaging apparatus for diagnosis according to claim 1, further comprising:
control means for prohibiting transition to next processing when the determination result of the determination means indicates the entrance of the foreign substance.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The imaging apparatus for diagnosis according to claim 1,
wherein the foreign substance which is a determination target of the determination means is an air bubble or blood.

### Claim 5

A method of controlling an imaging apparatus for diagnosis accommodating an imaging core which has an optical transceiver for transmitting light from a light source toward a vascular tissue and for receiving reflected light from the vascular tissue, and reconstructing a blood vessel image based on interference light data obtained by converting into an electric signal interference light in which measurement light obtained by rotating the imaging core by using a catheter which has an open hole at a distal end portion and reference light separated from the light from the light source are synthesized, the method of controlling an imaging apparatus for diagnosis comprising:
generating line data in a radial direction from a rotary center position of the imaging core based on the interference light data;
determining whether or not a foreign substance other than a predetermined liquid enters between the imaging core and an inner surface of the catheter based on distribution of signal strength values in the generated line data; and
displaying a message which indicates that entrance of the foreign substance is detected in a case where the entrance of the foreign substance is determined.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of controlling an imaging apparatus for diagnosis according to claim 5, further comprising:
displaying a message instructing a user to perform priming in which the predetermined liquid fills an inside of the catheter.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The method of controlling an imaging apparatus for diagnosis according to claim 5, further comprising:
prohibiting transition to next processing when the entrance of the foreign substance is indicated.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The method of controlling an imaging apparatus for diagnosis according to claim 5, wherein the foreign substance is an air bubble or blood.

### Claim 9

A non-transitory computer readable medium containing a computer program having computer readable code embodied to carry out a method of controlling an imaging apparatus for diagnosis accommodating an imaging core which has an optical transceiver for transmitting light from a light source toward a vascular tissue and for receiving reflected light from the vascular tissue, and reconstructing a blood vessel image based on interference light data obtained by converting into an electric signal interference light in which measurement light obtained by rotating the imaging core by using a catheter which has an open hole at a distal end portion and reference light separated from the light from the light source are synthesized, the method of controlling an imaging apparatus for diagnosis comprising:
generating line data in a radial direction from a rotary center position of the imaging core based on the interference light data;
determining whether or not a foreign substance other than a predetermined liquid enters between the imaging core and an inner surface of the catheter based on distribution of signal strength values in the generated line data; and
displaying a message which indicates that entrance of the foreign substance is detected in a case where the entrance of the foreign substance is determined.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 9, further comprising:
displaying a message instructing a user to perform priming in which the predetermined liquid fills an inside of the catheter.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 9, further comprising:
prohibiting transition to next processing when the entrance of the foreign substance is indicated.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 9, wherein the foreign substance is an air bubble or blood.