Systems and Methods for Lesion Formation Feedback
AssigneeSt. Jude Medical, Cardiology Division, Inc.
InventorsJohn W. Sliwa, Zhenyi Ma
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatuses, systems, and methods of monitoring lesion formation using one-dimensional echograms are disclosed. In certain aspects, lesion formation progress is monitored using the intensity of reflectors in successive echograms during ablation. In another aspect, lesion formation progress is monitored based upon actual or apparent movement of acoustic reflectors before and after ablation. In still another aspect, the presence or absence of resonant microbubbles known to populate forming lesions are used to provide feedback on lesion formation. A lesion analysis processor can be programmed to determine lesion formation progress using any of the foregoing approaches, either alone or in various combinations.
Claims23
A method of measuring lesion formation in a tissue, comprising:
- acquiring a first echogram scanline of the tissue from an ultrasound imaging device operating at a first transmit power and a first gain, wherein the first echogram scanline comprises a first line scan of the tissue from a surface of the tissue to a depth within the tissue;
- delivering an increment of ablation to the tissue;
- acquiring a second echogram scanline of the tissue from the ultrasound imaging device after acquiring the first echogram scanline and delivering the increment of ablation to the tissue, wherein the second echogram scanline comprises a second scan line of the tissue from the surface of the tissue to the depth within the tissue;
- identifying a region that appears darker in the second echogram scanline than in the first echogram scanline when the second echogram scanline is acquired with the ultrasound imaging device operating at the first transmit power and the first gain;
- increasing a brightness of the second echogram scanline until the region that appears darker in the second echogram scanline than in the first echogram scanline appears as bright in the second echogram scanline as it appears in the first echograms scanline;
- and
- after increasing the brightness of the second echogram scanline:
- identifying a region that appears brighter in the second echogram scanline than it appears in the first echogram scanline;
- and
- providing feedback about a lesion forming in the tissue based upon the region that appears brighter in the second echogram scanline than it appears in the first echogram scanline.
A method of measuring lesion formation in cardiac tissue, comprising:
- acquiring a first A-line scan echogram of the cardiac tissue at a first cardiac deformation state;
- acquiring a second A-line scan echogram of the cardiac tissue at a second cardiac deformation state;
- computing a baseline elasticity of the cardiac tissue from the first A-line scan echogram and the second A-line scan echogram;
- ablating the cardiac tissue;
- and, after ablating the cardiac tissue:
- acquiring a third A-line scan echogram of the cardiac tissue at the first cardiac deformation state;
- acquiring a fourth A-line scan echogram of the cardiac tissue at the second cardiac dethrmation state;
- computing a revised elasticity of the cardiac tissue from the third A-line scan echogram and the fourth A-line scan echogram;
- and
- providing feedback about a lesion forming in the cardiac tissue based upon the revised elasticity of the cardiac tissue.
A method of measuring lesion formation in cardiac tissue, comprising:
- acquiring a first A-line scan echogram of the cardiac tissue;
- ablating the cardiac tissue;
- and, after ablating the cardiac tissue:
- acquiring a second A-line scan echogram of the cardiac tissue along a common tissue path relative to the first A-line scan echogram of the cardiac tissue;
- determining an apparent shrinkage of the cardiac tissue along the A-line from the first A-line scan echogram and the second A-line scan echogram;
- and
- providing feedback about a lesion forming in the cardiac tissue based upon the apparent shrinkage of the cardiac tissue.
A method of measuring lesion formation in cardiac tissue, comprising:
- acquiring a first A-line scan echogram of the cardiac tissue at a first cardiac deformation state;
- ablating the cardiac tissue;
- and, after ablating the cardiac tissue:
- acquiring a second A-line scan echogram of the cardiac tissue at the first cardiac deformation state;
- and
- providing feedback about a lesion forming in the cardiac tissue by analyzing at least one of actual movement of acoustic reflectors within the cardiac tissue and apparent movement of acoustic reflectors within the cardiac tissue using at least the first A-line scan and the second A-line scan.
A method of measuring lesion formation in a tissue, comprising:
- emitting narrowband pulsed acoustic energy towards the tissue at a preset frequency, wherein the preset frequency comprises a resonant frequency of a microbubble characteristic of lesion formation;
- detecting echoes of the emitted acoustic energy at one or more of the resonant frequency and harmonics of the resonant frequency;
- and providing feedback about a lesion forming in the tissue by analyzing a distribution of the microbubble characteristic of lesion formation within the tissue using the detected echoes of the emitted acoustic energy.
A system for measuring lesion formation in a tissue, comprising:
- a lesion analysis processor programmed to receive as input at least two A-line scan echograms of the tissue, to determine progress of a lesion forming in the tissue from the at least two A-line scan echograms, and to output feedback about the lesion,
- wherein the at least two A-line scan echograms of the tissue are taken at common cardiac deformation states and along common scan lines.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.