# US 11,308,621 B2 · Method and apparatus for acquiring blood flow volume and blood flow velocity of coronary artery

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- Number: US 11,308,621 B2
- Document ID: US11308621B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/601,520
- Filed: 2019-04-15
- Published: 2022-03-24
- Granted: 2022-04-19
- Earliest claimed: 2019-04-15
- Applicants: Pulse Medical Imaging Technology (Shanghai) Co. Ltd.
- Inventors: Shengxian Tu; Zehang Li; Jingfeng Han; Guanyu Li
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11308621B2

## CPC

- A61B 6/504: {for diagnosis of blood vessels, e.g. by angiography}
- G06T 7/0014: {using an image reference approach}
- A61B 6/507: {for determination of haemodynamic parameters, e.g. perfusion CT}
- A61B 6/5217: {extracting a diagnostic or physiological parameter from medical diagnostic data}
- G06T 7/62: of area, perimeter, diameter or volume
- G06V 10/25: Determination of region of interest [ROI] or a volume of interest [VOI]
- G16H 30/40: for processing medical images, e.g. editing
- G16H 50/30: for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment
- A61B 6/032: {Transmission computed tomography [CT]}
- G06T 2207/10081: Computed x-ray tomography [CT]
- G06T 2207/30048: Heart; Cardiac
- G06T 2207/30104: Vascular flow; Blood flow; Perfusion
- G06V 2201/03: Recognition of patterns in medical or anatomical images
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL
- G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING
- 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 acquiring a blood flow volume and a blood flow velocity of a coronary artery is provided. The method comprises: acquiring image information of a coronary artery to obtain geometrical feature data of the coronary artery; obtaining, according to the geometrical feature data of the coronary artery, the total volume V of a reference lumen of the coronary artery; and calculating a blood flow volume Q at coronary artery ostia according to the following formula: Q = K * V 3 4 , wherein when the unit of Q is mm3/s, and when the unit of V is mm3, a value range of K is 5-9.5. A blood flow volume and a blood flow velocity of a coronary artery are obtained by means of image information of the coronary artery. Compared with a method, in the prior art, for estimating a blood flow volume of a coronary artery by means of the size of a cardiac muscle, this method is simpler, and can provide a more accurate boundary condition for image-based hemodynamic calculation.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for acquiring a blood flow volume of a coronary artery, comprising:
acquiring image information of a coronary artery to obtain geometrical feature data of the coronary artery;
obtaining, according to the geometrical feature data of the coronary artery, the total volume V of a reference lumen of the coronary artery; and
calculating a blood flow volume Q at coronary artery ostia according to a formula 1:
Q
=
K
*
V
3
4
Formula
⁢
⁢
1
wherein when the unit of Q is mm3/s, and when the unit of V is mm3, a value range of K is 5-9.5, preferably 6.5-8, and most preferably 7, and the image information of the coronary artery is image information of a coronary artery with stenosis.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method for acquiring the blood flow volume of the coronary artery according to claim 1, wherein
the total volume V of the reference lumen of the coronary artery is obtained by means of the following steps:
the geometrical feature data of the coronary artery comprising a length of a coronary artery vessel and a reference lumen area of the coronary artery vessel,
cutting the coronary artery vessel along a center line of the vessel into a plurality of sheets perpendicular to the center line of the vessel, defining a bottom area of each sheet as a reference lumen area of the corresponding part, and summing the volumes of the plurality of sheets to obtain the total volume V of the reference lumen of the coronary artery in combination with the length of the coronary artery vessel.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method for acquiring the blood flow volume of the coronary artery according to claim 2, wherein
a reference lumen area of a region of interest in the coronary artery vessel is obtained by the following method:
the geometrical feature data of the coronary artery comprises a tunica media inner-circumference area S′ of the region of interest in the coronary artery vessel, and
the reference lumen area S=A*S′ of a corresponding region, wherein 0.7≤A<1.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method for acquiring the blood flow volume of the coronary artery according to claim 1, wherein
the total volume V of the reference lumen of the coronary artery is obtained by means of the following steps:
recognizing bifurcation kernels of the coronary artery according to the geometrical feature data of the coronary artery; and
the coronary artery comprising a plurality of bifurcation kernels and a plurality of vascular segments segmented by the bifurcation kernels, summing the volumes of the plurality of bifurcation kernels and the plurality of vascular segments to obtain the total volume V of the reference lumen of the coronary artery.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method for acquiring the blood flow volume of the coronary artery according to claim 4, wherein
each bifurcation kernel is simplified into a circular truncated cone to calculate the volume; an area of one bottom surface of the circular truncated cone is a reference lumen area of a proximal end of the bifurcation kernel, and an area of the other bottom surface of the circular truncated cone is a sum of reference lumen areas of two distal ends of the bifurcation kernel; and a height of the circular truncated cone is a distance from the center of the proximal end of the bifurcation kernel to a bifurcation ridge.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The method for acquiring the blood flow volume of the coronary artery according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of vascular segments are simplified into circular truncated cones to calculate volumes; areas of the top and bottom surfaces of each circular truncated cone are respectively a reference lumen area of a proximal end of the corresponding vascular segment and a reference lumen area of a distal end of the corresponding vascular segment; and a height of each circular truncated cone is a length of a center line of the corresponding vascular segment.

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

The method for acquiring the blood flow volume of the coronary artery according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of vascular segments comprise the most distal vascular segment and other vascular segments other than the most distal vascular segment;
the other vascular segments other than the most distal vascular segment are simplified into cylinders to calculate volumes; a bottom area of each cylinder is a reference lumen area of any part of the vascular segment, and a height of the cylinder is a length of a center line of the vascular segment.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method for acquiring the blood flow volume of the coronary artery according to claim 7, wherein
the geometrical feature data comprises a bifurcation angle α1 between a proximal main vessel and a distal main vessel of any bifurcation kernel, a full length L1 of the distal main vessel, a bifurcation angle α2 between the proximal main vessel and a branch vessel, a full length L2 of the branch vessel,
and any two of a reference lumen area S0 of the proximal main vessel of any bifurcation kernel, a reference lumen area S1 of the proximal end of the distal main vessel of the bifurcation kernel, and a reference lumen area S2 of the proximal end of the branch vessel of the bifurcation kernel; and
one remaining reference lumen area is obtained by means of the following formula 2:
S
0
=
(
1
-
e
r
⁢
α
1
⁢
L
1
α
2
⁢
L
2
)
⁢
S
1
+
(
1
-
e
r
⁢
α
2
⁢
L
2
α
1
⁢
L
1
)
⁢
S
2
Formula
⁢
⁢
2
wherein e is a natural constant, and −∞≤r<−0.6, preferably −2≤r<−0.75, and more preferably r=−1.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method for acquiring the blood flow volume of the coronary artery according to claim 8, wherein
whether a proximal main vessel of a first bifurcation kernel closest to coronary artery vessel ostia has a non-diseased lumen is determined;
if yes, the reference lumen area of the proximal main vessel of the first bifurcation kernel is defined as a reference lumen area of any non-diseased part of the proximal main vessel of the first bifurcation kernel;
all branch vessels on the main vessel where the first bifurcation kernel is located are considered to be not diseased by default, and the reference lumen areas of the proximal ends of all the bifurcated branch vessels on the main vessel where the first bifurcation kernel is located are directly acquired according to the image information;
the reference lumen area of the proximal end of the distal main vessel connected to any bifurcation kernel is calculated one by one from near to far by means of the reference lumen area of the proximal main vessel of any bifurcation kernel and the reference lumen area of the proximal end of the branch vessel according to a distance between any bifurcation kernel on the main vessel where the first bifurcation kernel is located and the coronary artery vessel ostia;
if the proximal main vessel of the first bifurcation kernel closest to the coronary artery vessel ostia does not have a non-diseased lumen,
whether the proximal end of the most distal vessel is diseased is determined;
if no, the reference lumen area of the proximal end of the most distal vessel is directly acquired according to the image information; and
the reference lumen area of the proximal main vessel connected to any bifurcation kernel is calculated one by one from far to near by means of the reference lumen of the proximal end of the distal main vessel and the proximal end of the branch vessel of any bifurcation kernel according to a distance between the bifurcation kernel and the coronary artery vessel ostia.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method for acquiring the blood flow volume of the coronary artery according to claim 1, wherein the image information of the coronary artery is acquired by means of non-invasive coronary artery CT radiography.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

A method for acquiring a blood flow velocity of a coronary artery, wherein the blood flow velocity at coronary artery ostia is obtained by dividing the blood flow volume at coronary artery ostia, obtained according to claim 1, by the reference lumen area at the ostia.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method for acquiring the blood flow velocity of the coronary artery according to claim 11, wherein the blood flow velocity of any vascular segment in the coronary artery other than the coronary artery ostia is calculated stage by stage by means of the following formula 3 or formula 4 after the blood flow velocity at the coronary artery ostia is obtained:
v
1
=
v
0
⁡
(
1
-
e
r
⁢
α
1
⁢
L
1
α
2
⁢
L
2
)
Formula
⁢
⁢
3
v0 is a blood flow velocity of a proximal main vessel of each bifurcation kernel, and v1 is a blood flow velocity of a distal main vessel of the bifurcation kernel;
v
2
=
v
0
⁡
(
1
-
e
r
⁢
α
2
⁢
L
2
α
1
⁢
L
1
)
Formula
⁢
⁢
4
v2 is a blood flow velocity of a branch vessel of each bifurcation kernel.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

An apparatus for acquiring a blood flow velocity of a coronary artery, comprising:
a processor, a memory, and a computer-executable instruction stored in the memory, wherein the processor, when executing the computer-executable instruction, implements the method for acquiring the blood flow velocity of the coronary artery according to claim 11.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

An apparatus for acquiring a blood flow volume of a coronary artery, comprising:
a processor, a memory, and a computer-executable instruction stored in the memory, wherein the processor, when executing the computer-executable instruction, implements the method for acquiring the blood flow volume of the coronary artery according to claim 1.

### Claim 15

An apparatus for acquiring a blood flow volume of a coronary artery, comprising:
a coronary artery geometrical feature analysis module, configured to acquire image information of a coronary artery to obtain geometrical feature data of the coronary artery;
a volume calculation module, configured to obtain the total volume V of a reference lumen of the coronary artery according to the geometrical feature data of the coronary artery; and
a blood flow volume calculation module, configured to calculate a blood flow volume Q at coronary artery ostia according to a formula 1:
Q
=
K
*
V
3
4
Formula
⁢
⁢
1
wherein when the unit of Q is mm3/s, and when the unit of V is mm3, a value range of K is 5-9.5, preferably 6.5-8, and most preferably 7.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The apparatus for acquiring the blood flow volume of the coronary artery according to claim 15, wherein
the coronary artery geometrical feature analysis module is configured to acquire a length of a coronary artery vessel and a reference lumen area of the coronary artery vessel;
the volume calculation module is configured to cut the coronary artery vessel along a center line of the vessel into a plurality of sheets perpendicular to the center line of the vessel, define a bottom area of each sheet as a reference lumen area of the corresponding part, and sum the volumes of the plurality of sheets to obtain the total volume V of the reference lumen of the coronary artery in combination with the length of the coronary artery vessel.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The apparatus for acquiring the blood flow volume of the coronary artery according to claim 16, wherein
the coronary artery geometrical feature analysis module is configured to acquire a reference lumen area of a region of interest in the coronary artery vessel, comprising:
acquiring a tunica media inner-circumference area S′ of the region of interest in the coronary artery vessel, and
the reference lumen area S=A*S′ of a corresponding region, wherein 0.7≤A<1.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The apparatus for acquiring the blood flow volume of the coronary artery according to claim 15, wherein
the volume calculation module is configured to
recognize bifurcation kernels of the coronary artery according to the geometrical feature data of the coronary artery; and
the coronary artery comprising a plurality of bifurcation kernels and a plurality of vascular segments segmented by the bifurcation kernels, sum the volumes of the plurality of bifurcation kernels and the plurality of vascular segments to obtain the total volume V of the reference lumen of the coronary artery.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The apparatus for acquiring the blood flow volume of the coronary artery according to claim 18, wherein
the volume calculation module is configured to simplify each bifurcation kernel into a circular truncated cone to calculate the volume; an area of one bottom surface of the circular truncated cone is a reference lumen area of a proximal end of the bifurcation kernel, and an area of the other bottom surface of the circular truncated cone is a sum of reference lumen areas of two distal ends of the bifurcation kernel; and a height of the circular truncated cone is a distance from the center of the proximal end of the bifurcation kernel to a bifurcation ridge.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The apparatus for acquiring the blood flow volume of the coronary artery according to claim 18, wherein the volume calculation module is configured to simplify the plurality of vascular segments into circular truncated cones to calculate volumes; areas of the top and bottom surfaces of each circular truncated cone are respectively a reference lumen area of a proximal end of the corresponding vascular segment and a reference lumen area of a distal end of the corresponding vascular segment; and a height of each circular truncated cone is a length of a center line of the corresponding vascular segment.

### Claim 21 (depends on 18)

The apparatus for acquiring the blood flow volume of the coronary artery according to claim 18, wherein the plurality of vascular segments comprise the most distal vascular segment and other vascular segments other than the most distal vascular segment;
the volume calculation module is configured to simplify the other vascular segments other than the most distal vascular segment into cylinders to calculate volumes; a bottom area of each cylinder is a reference lumen area of any part of the vascular segment; and a height of the cylinder is a length of a center line of the vascular segment.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The apparatus for acquiring the blood flow volume of the coronary artery according to claim 21, wherein
the coronary artery geometrical feature analysis module is configured to
acquire a bifurcation angle α1 between a proximal main vessel and a distal main vessel of any bifurcation kernel, a full length L1 of the distal main vessel, a bifurcation angle αz between the proximal main vessel and a branch vessel, a full length L2 of the branch vessel,
and any two of a reference lumen area S0 of the proximal main vessel of any bifurcation kernel, a reference lumen area S1 of the proximal end of the distal main vessel of the bifurcation kernel, and a reference lumen area S2 of the proximal end of the branch vessel of the bifurcation kernel; and
obtain one remaining reference lumen area by means of the following formula 2:
S
0
=
(
1
-
e
r
⁢
α
1
⁢
L
1
α
2
⁢
L
2
)
⁢
S
1
+
(
1
-
e
r
⁢
α
2
⁢
L
2
α
1
⁢
L
1
)
⁢
S
2
Formula
⁢
⁢
2
wherein e is a natural constant; and −∞≤r<−0.6, preferably −2≤r<−0.75, and most preferably r=−1.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The apparatus for acquiring the blood flow volume of the coronary artery according to claim 22, wherein
the coronary artery geometrical feature analysis module is configured to
determine whether a proximal main vessel of a first bifurcation kernel closest to coronary artery vessel ostia has a non-diseased lumen;
if yes, define the reference lumen area of the proximal main vessel of the first bifurcation kernel as a reference lumen area of any non-diseased part of the proximal main vessel of the first bifurcation kernel;
consider all branch vessels on the main vessel where the first bifurcation kernel is located to be not diseased by default, and directly acquire, according to the image information, the reference lumen areas of the proximal ends of all the bifurcated branch vessels on the main vessel where the first bifurcation kernel is located;
calculate the reference lumen area of the proximal end of the distal main vessel connected to any bifurcation kernel one by one from near to far by means of the reference lumen area of the proximal main vessel of any bifurcation kernel and the reference lumen area of the proximal end of the branch vessel according to a distance between any bifurcation kernel on the main vessel where the first bifurcation kernel is located and the coronary artery vessel ostia; and
if the proximal main vessel of the first bifurcation kernel closest to the coronary artery vessel ostia does not have a non-diseased lumen,
determine whether the proximal end of the most distal vessel is diseased;
if no, directly acquire the reference lumen area of the proximal end of the most distal vessel according to the image information; and
calculate the reference lumen area of the proximal main vessel connected to any bifurcation kernel one by one from far to near by means of the reference lumen of the proximal end of the distal main vessel and the proximal end of the branch vessel of any bifurcation kernel according to a distance between the bifurcation kernel and the coronary artery vessel ostia.

### Claim 24 (depends on 15)

The apparatus for acquiring the blood flow volume of the coronary artery according to claim 15, wherein the coronary artery geometrical feature analysis module acquires the image information of the coronary artery by means of non-invasive coronary artery CT radiography.

### Claim 25 (depends on 15)

An apparatus for acquiring a blood flow velocity of a coronary artery, comprising:
the apparatus for acquiring the blood flow volume of the coronary artery according to claim 15, configured to acquire a blood flow volume at coronary artery ostia; and
a blood flow velocity calculation module, configured to obtain a blood flow velocity at the coronary artery ostia by dividing the blood flow volume at the coronary artery ostia by the reference lumen area at the ostia.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The apparatus for acquiring the blood flow velocity of the coronary artery according to claim 25, wherein the blood flow velocity calculation module is configured to calculate the blood flow velocity of any vascular segment in the coronary artery other than the coronary artery ostia stage by stage by means of the following formula 3 or formula 4 after the blood flow velocity at the coronary artery ostia is obtained:
v
1
=
v
0
⁡
(
1
-
e
r
⁢
α
1
⁢
L
1
α
2
⁢
L
2
)
Formula
⁢
⁢
3
v0 is a blood flow velocity of a proximal main vessel of each bifurcation kernel, and v1 is a blood flow velocity of a distal main vessel of the bifurcation kernel;
v
2
=
v
0
⁡
(
1
-
e
r
⁢
α
2
⁢
L
2
α
1
⁢
L
1
)
Formula
⁢
⁢
4
v2 is a blood flow velocity of a branch vessel of each bifurcation kernel.