# US 12,217,872 B2 · Diagnostically useful results in real time > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,217,872 B2 - Document ID: US12217872B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/182,285 - Filed: 2023-03-10 - Published: 2023-09-07 - Granted: 2025-02-04 - Earliest claimed: 2012-10-24 - Assignees: CathWorks Ltd. - Applicants: Cathworks Ltd. - Inventors: Ifat Lavi; Ran Kornowski; Idit Avrahami; Nessi Benishti; Guy Lavi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12217872B2 ## CPC - G16H 50/30: for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment - A61B 5/02007: {Evaluating blood vessel condition, e.g. elasticity, compliance} - A61B 5/026: Measuring blood flow {(A61B3/1233, A61B3/1241 take precedence)} - A61B 6/022: {Stereoscopic imaging} - A61B 6/504: {for diagnosis of blood vessels, e.g. by angiography} - G06T 7/00: Image analysis - G06T 7/0012: {Biomedical image inspection} - G16H 30/20: for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS - G16H 30/40: for processing medical images, e.g. editing - G16H 50/50: for simulation or modelling of medical disorders - A61B 5/021: Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels - A61B 5/7289: {Retrospective gating, i.e. associating measured signals or images with a physiological event after the actual measurement or image acquisition, e.g. by simultaneously recording an additional physiological signal during the measurement or image acquisition} - A61B 6/032: {Transmission computed tomography [CT]} - A61B 6/037: {Emission tomography} - A61B 6/481: {involving the use of contrast agents} - 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} - A61B 6/541: {involving acquisition triggered by a physiological signal} - A61B 8/06: Measuring blood flow - A61B 2576/023: for the heart - G06T 2200/04: involving 3D image data - G06T 2207/10072: Tomographic images - G06T 2207/10116: X-ray image - G06T 2207/10132: Ultrasound image - G06T 2207/30101: Blood vessel; Artery; Vein; Vascular - G06T 2207/30104: Vascular flow; Blood flow; Perfusion - G06T 2207/30172: Centreline of tubular or elongated structure - G06T 2210/41: Medical - G06T 2211/404: Angiography - 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) - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL ## Abstract A method and apparatus for vascular assessment are disclosed. The apparatus, in some embodiments, receives, from a medical imaging device, a medical image of a coronary vessel tree of a subject and calculates a plurality of geometric measurements associated with individual portions of a vascular segment of the coronary vessel tree. The apparatus also determines a plurality of resistances associated with the plurality of geometric measurements associated with the individual portions of the vascular segment and determines a plurality of pressure drops across the individual portions of the vascular segment based on the determined resistances and a calculated or estimated blood flow. The apparatus further calculates based on the plurality of pressure drops, a functional index indicative of a presence or an absence of a stenosis within the vascular segment. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer-implemented method comprising: obtaining a plurality of medical images of a coronary vessel tree; determining first pressure drops associated with the coronary vessel tree, wherein individual pressure drops are associated with individual vessels segments which form the coronary vessel tree; for a particular vessel segment, adjusting the first pressure drop to revascularize the particular vessel segment and form second pressure drops associated with the coronary vessel tree; and determining an index indicative of vascular function, based, at least in part, on a comparison between the first pressure drops and the second pressure drops. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein an individual pressure drop is determined for an individual vessel segment based on resistances associated with the individual vessel segment. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein an individual pressure drop is determined for an individual segment based on flow information associated with, at least, the individual vessel segment. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the individual pressure drop is determined for the individual segment based on flow information associated with a branch in which the individual vessel segment is included. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the first pressure drop to revascularize the particular vessel segment comprises adjusting geometry information associated with the particular vessel segment. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the index indicates an effect associated with revascularization of the particular vessel segment. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein a command is received via a user interface to model an effect associated with revascularization. ### Claim 8 Non-transitory computer storage media storing instructions that when executed by a system of one or more computers, cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising: obtaining a plurality of medical images of a coronary vessel tree; determining first pressure drops associated with the coronary vessel tree, wherein individual pressure drops are associated with individual vessel segments which form the coronary vessel tree; for a particular vessel segment, adjusting the first pressure drop to revascularize the particular vessel segment and form second pressure drops associated with the coronary vessel tree; and determining an index indicative of vascular function, based, at least in part, on a comparison between the first pressure drops and the second pressure drops. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The computer storage media of claim 8, wherein an individual pressure drop is determined for an individual vessel segment based on resistances associated with the individual vessel segment. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The computer storage media of claim 8, wherein an individual pressure drop is determined for an individual segment based on flow information associated with, at least, the individual vessel segment. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The computer storage media of claim 10, wherein the individual pressure drop is determined for the individual segment based on flow information associated with a branch in which the individual vessel segment is included. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The computer storage media of claim 8, wherein adjusting the first pressure drop to revascularize the particular vessel segment comprises adjusting geometry information associated with the particular vessel segment. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The computer storage media of claim 8, wherein the index indicates an effect associated with revascularization of the particular vessel segment. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The computer storage media of claim 13, wherein a command is received via a user interface to model the effect associated with revascularization. ### Claim 15 A system comprising one or more processors and non-transitory computer storage media storing instructions that when executed by the system of one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising: obtaining a plurality of medical images of a coronary vessel tree; determining first pressure drops associated with the coronary vessel tree, wherein individual pressure drops are associated with individual vessels segments which form the coronary vessel tree; for a particular vessel segment, adjusting the first pressure drop to revascularize the particular vessel segment and form second pressure drops associated with the coronary vessel tree; and determining an index indicative of vascular function, based, at least in part, on a comparison between the first pressure drops and the second pressure drops. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein an individual pressure drop is determined for an individual vessel segment based on resistances associated with the individual vessel segment. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein an individual pressure drop is determined for an individual segment based on flow information associated with, at least, the individual vessel segment. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17, wherein the individual pressure drop is determined for the individual segment based on flow information associated with a branch in which the individual vessel segment is included. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the index indicates an effect associated with revascularization of the particular vessel segment. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19, wherein a command is received via a user interface to model the effect associated with revascularization.