# US 11,908,584 B2 · Methods and systems for modeling a necrotized tissue volume in an ablation procedure > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,908,584 B2 - Document ID: US11908584B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/541,621 - Filed: 2019-08-15 - Published: 2019-12-05 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2017-05-15 - Assignees: NE Scientific, LLC - Applicants: NE Scientific, LLC - Inventors: Andrea Borsic - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11908584B2 ## CPC - G16H 50/50: for simulation or modelling of medical disorders - A61B 34/10: Computer-aided planning, simulation or modelling of surgical operations - G16H 20/40: relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture - G16H 30/40: for processing medical images, e.g. editing - G16H 50/20: for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems - A61B 2018/00529: {Liver} - A61B 2018/00577: {Ablation} - A61B 2018/00702: {Power or energy} - A61B 2018/00761: {Duration} - A61B 2018/1869: {with an instrument interstitially inserted into the body, e.g. needles} - G16H: HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract A system for modeling a necrotized tissue volume in an ablation procedure includes a radiology workstation designed and configured to provide a computer model of a volume of human tissue based on corporeal image data, simulate an ablation site in the computer model, detect, in the computer model, at least a preferential pathway for heated vapor produced due to ablation of the tissue, wherein the at least a preferential pathway intersects the ablation site, determine a proportion of vapor escaping to the at least a preferential pathway during an ablation procedure, determiner a heat distribution at the ablation site as a function of the distribution of vapor, and generate a simulation of a necrotized tissue volume in the volume of tissue, wherein the simulation of the necrotized tissue volume represents a volume of tissue necrotized by heat during an ablation procedure performed at the ablation site. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of modeling a necrotized tissue volume in an ablation procedure, the method comprising: providing, at a radiology workstation, a computer model of a volume of human tissue; simulating, by the radiology workstation, an ablation site in the computer model; detecting, by the radiology workstation and in the computer model, at least a preferential pathway for heated vapor produced due to ablation of the tissue, wherein the at least a preferential pathway intersects the ablation site; determining, by the radiology workstation, a proportion of vapor escaping to the at least a preferential pathway during an ablation procedure; determining, by the radiology workstation, a heat distribution at the ablation site as a function of the distribution of vapor; and generating, by the radiology workstation, a simulation of a necrotized tissue volume in the volume of human tissue, wherein the simulation of the necrotized tissue volume represents a volume of tissue necrotized by heat during an ablation procedure performed at the ablation site. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein providing the computer model further comprises generating the computer model. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein generating the computer model further comprises generating the computer model from an image of the volume of human tissue. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein generating the computer model further comprises registering a virtual model of an organ over an image of the volume of human tissue. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein simulating the ablation site further comprises simulating a probe insertion. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the at least a preferential pathway further comprises detecting, in a virtual model of an organ, a pathway that intersects the ablation site. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the at least a preferential pathway further comprises detecting a probe insertion pathway. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the at least a preferential pathway further comprises: introducing an image enhancement substance into the ablation site; capturing an image of the ablation site with the image enhancement substance; and detecting the at least a preferential pathway as a function of the image of the ablation site. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining the distribution of vapor to the at least a preferential pathway further comprises: determining a flow rate of vapor into the at least a preferential pathway; and determining the distribution of vapor to the at least a preferential pathway as a function of the flow rate. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein determining the distribution of vapor as a function of the flow rate further comprises: determining a rate of vapor generation; comparing the flow rate to the rate of vapor generation; and determining the distribution of vapor to the at least a preferential pathway as a function of the comparison. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining the distribution of vapor to the at least a preferential pathway further comprises: deriving a surface area of the at least a preferential pathway; and determining the distribution of vapor as a function of the surface area. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining the distribution of vapor to the at least a preferential pathway further comprises: deriving a volume of the at least a preferential pathway; and determining the distribution of vapor as a function of the volume. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining the heat distribution at the ablation site further comprises: identifying a proportion of heat converted to vapor; and determining the heat distribution at the ablation site as a function of the proportion of the heat converted to vapor and the distribution of vapor to the at least a preferential pathway. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 further comprising calculating a distribution of heat transferred to the tissue by the vapor. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein generating the simulation of the necrotized tissue volume further comprises simulating a primary ablation volume as a function of heat present at the ablation site. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein generating the simulation of the necrotized tissue volume further comprises simulating necrotized tissue along the at least a preferential pathway. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising comparing a simulated volume to a volume of tissue intended to be necrotized. ### Claim 18 A system for modeling a necrotized tissue volume in an ablation procedure, the system comprising: an radiology workstation, wherein the radiology workstation is designed and configured to provide a computer model of a volume of human tissue based on corporeal image data, simulate an ablation site in the computer model, detect, in the computer model, at least a preferential pathway for heated vapor produced due to ablation of the tissue, wherein the at least a preferential pathway intersects the ablation site, determine a proportion of vapor escaping to the at least a preferential pathway during an ablation procedure, determiner a heat distribution at the ablation site as a function of the distribution of vapor, and generate a simulation of a necrotized tissue volume in the volume of human tissue, wherein the simulation of the necrotized tissue volume represents a volume of tissue necrotized by heat during an ablation procedure performed at the ablation site. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14 further comprising a radiological machine in communication with the radiology workstation. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14 further comprising an image-guided surgical suite in communication with the radiology workstation.