System And Method For Optimal Catheter Selection For Individual Patient Anatomy

A method for selection of a catheter for use in a cardiac catheterization procedure having an optimal configuration relative to a heart of a patient on which the procedure is to be performed, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a system including a scanning device capable of obtaining image data on the heart of a patient and reconstructing a three-dimensional (3D) image of the heart from the image data;
• a display capable of illustrating the 3D image and a 3D catheter model;
• and a central processing unit (CPU) operably connected to the scanning device and the display, the CPU operable to analyze the 3D image in comparison with the 3D catheter model;
• obtaining image data of the heart of the patient;
• reconstructing a 3D image of the heart from the image data;
• segmenting various cardiac structures of the 3D image through which the catheter will travel and/or abut when inserted into the heart in the procedure;
• estimating a central axis of one or more segmented cardiac structures in the 3D image:
• identifying catheter support surfaces in the segmented structures of the 3D image;
• and
• evaluating the fit of the 3D model within the 3D image relative to the segmented cardiac structures in the 3D image.