# US 12,599,362 B2 · Image processing device, image processing system, image display method, and image processing program

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- Number: US 12,599,362 B2
- Document ID: US12599362B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/304,692
- Filed: 2023-04-21
- Published: 2023-08-17
- Granted: 2026-04-14
- Earliest claimed: 2020-10-22
- Assignees: Terumo Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Terumo Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Yasukazu Sakamoto; Katsuhiko Shimizu; Hiroyuki Ishihara; Clément Jacquet; Stephen Tchen; Thomas Henn; Ryosuke Saga
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12599362B2

## CPC

- A61B 8/12: in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters
- G06T 12/00: Tomographic reconstruction from projections
- A61B 5/0066: {Optical coherence imaging}
- A61B 5/0084: {for introduction into the body, e.g. by catheters (A61B5/1459 takes precedence)}
- A61B 8/0891: {for diagnosis of blood vessels}
- A61B 8/463: {characterised by displaying multiple images or images and diagnostic data on one display}
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL

## Abstract

An image processing device is an image processing device that causes a display to display, as a three-dimensional image, three-dimensional data representing a biological tissue. The image processing device includes: a control unit configured to form, in the three-dimensional data, a cutting region for exposing a lumen of the biological tissue in the three-dimensional image, and to display, on the display, a two-dimensional image representing a portion corresponding to the cutting region in one cross section of the biological tissue at a position corresponding to the one cross section in the three-dimensional image.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An image processing device configured to cause a display to display, as a three-dimensional image, three-dimensional data representing a biological tissue, the image processing device comprising:
a control unit configured to:
acquire tomographic data as the three-dimensional data, the tomographic data including a plurality of cross-sectional images of the biological tissue;
generate the three-dimensional image based on the plurality of cross- sectional images;
form, in the three-dimensional data, a cutting region for exposing a lumen of the biological tissue in the three-dimensional image;
generate a two-dimensional image representing a portion corresponding to the cutting region in one of the plurality of cross-sectional images;
display, on the display, the two-dimensional image at a position corresponding to a cross-sectional position of the one of the plurality of cross-sectional images in the three-dimensional image; and
set a viewpoint when the three-dimensional image is displayed by positioning a virtual camera in a three-dimensional space,
wherein in a case where the virtual camera is not on a plane corresponding to the cross-sectional position in the three-dimensional image, the control unit is configured to display, on the display, the two-dimensional image on the plane, and
wherein in a case where the virtual camera is on the plane, the control unit is configured to display, on the display, the two-dimensional image in inclination with respect to the plane.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The image processing device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to:
generate and update the three-dimensional data based on the plurality of cross-sectional images of the biological tissue acquired by a sensor that acquires tomographic data of the biological tissue while moving in a lumen of the biological tissue;
generate, as the two-dimensional image, an image representing a portion corresponding to the cutting region in a cross-sectional image of the biological tissue newly acquired by the sensor; and
display, on the display, the two-dimensional image at a position corresponding to a cross-sectional position of the newly acquired cross-sectional image in the three-dimensional image every time new tomographic data is acquired by the sensor.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The image processing device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to display, on the display, the two-dimensional image on a window other than a window on which the three-dimensional image is displayed in a case where the virtual camera is on the plane.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

An image processing system comprising:
the image processing device according to claim 1; and
a probe including a sensor configured to acquire tomographic data of the biological tissue while moving in a lumen of the biological tissue.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The image processing system according to claim 4, further comprising:
the display.

### Claim 6

An image display method for causing a display to display, as a three-dimensional image, three-dimensional data representing a biological tissue, the image display method comprising:
acquiring, by a computer, tomographic data as the three-dimensional data, the tomographic data including a plurality of cross-sectional images of the biological tissue;
generating, by the computer, the three-dimensional image based on the plurality of cross-sectional images;
forming, by the computer, in the three-dimensional data, a cutting region for exposing a lumen of the biological tissue in the three-dimensional image;
generating, by the computer, a two-dimensional image representing a portion corresponding to the cutting region in one of the plurality of cross-sectional images;
displaying, by the computer, the two-dimensional image at a position corresponding to a cross-sectional position of the one of the plurality of cross-sectional images in the three-dimensional image;
setting, by the computer, a viewpoint when the three-dimensional image is displayed by positioning a virtual camera in a three-dimensional space;
wherein in a case where the virtual camera is not on a plane corresponding to the cross-sectional position in the three-dimensional image, the displaying, on the display, the two-dimensional image on the plane; and
wherein in a case where the virtual camera is on the plane, the displaying, on the display, the two-dimensional image in inclination with respect to the plane.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The image display method according to claim 6, further comprising:
generating and updating, by the computer, the three-dimensional data based on the plurality of cross-sectional images of the biological tissue acquired by a sensor that acquires tomographic data of the biological tissue while moving in a lumen of the biological tissue; and
displaying, on the display, the two-dimensional image at a position corresponding to a cross-sectional position of the newly acquired cross-sectional image in the three-dimensional image every time new is acquired by the sensor.

### Claim 8

An image processing device configured to cause a display to display, as a three-dimensional image, three-dimensional data representing a biological tissue, the image processing device comprising:
a control unit configured to:
acquire tomographic data as the three-dimensional data, the tomographic data including a plurality of cross-sectional images of the biological tissue;
generate the three-dimensional image based on the plurality of cross- sectional images;
form, in the three-dimensional data, a cutting region for exposing a lumen of the biological tissue in the three-dimensional image;
generate a two-dimensional image representing a portion corresponding to the cutting region in one of the plurality of cross-sectional images;
display, on the display, the two-dimensional image at a position corresponding to a cross-sectional position of the one of the plurality of cross-sectional images in the three-dimensional image;
set a viewpoint when the three-dimensional image is displayed by positioning a virtual camera in a three-dimensional space;
wherein the control unit is configured to display, on the display, the two-dimensional image in inclination obliquely downward with respect to the plane in a case where the virtual camera is above a plane corresponding to the cross-sectional position in the three-dimensional image; and
wherein the control unit is configured to display, on the display, the two-dimensional image in inclination obliquely upward with respect to the plane in a case where the virtual camera is below the plane.

### Claim 9

An image display method for causing a display to display, as a three-dimensional image, three-dimensional data representing a biological tissue, the image display method comprising:
acquiring, by a computer, tomographic data as the three-dimensional data, the tomographic data including a plurality of cross-sectional images of the biological tissue;
generating, by the computer, the three-dimensional image based on the plurality of cross-sectional images;
forming, by the computer, in the three-dimensional data, a cutting region for exposing a lumen of the biological tissue in the three-dimensional image;
generating, by the computer, a two-dimensional image representing a portion corresponding to the cutting region in one of the plurality of cross-sectional images;
displaying, on the display, the two-dimensional image at a position corresponding to a cross-sectional position of the one of the plurality of cross-sectional images in the three-dimensional image;
setting, by the computer, a viewpoint when the three-dimensional image is displayed by positioning a virtual camera in a three-dimensional space;
wherein the computer is configured to display, on the display, the two-dimensional image in inclination obliquely downward with respect to the plane in a case where the virtual camera is above a plane corresponding to the cross-sectional position in the three-dimensional image; and
wherein the computer is configured to display, on the display, the two-dimensional image in inclination obliquely upward with respect to the plane in a case where the virtual camera is below the plane.