# US 7,610,078 B2 · System and method of graphically generating anatomical structures using ultrasound echo information > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,610,078 B2 - Document ID: US7610078B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/213,516 - Filed: 2005-08-26 - Published: 2007-03-01 - Granted: 2009-10-27 - Earliest claimed: 2005-08-26 - Assignees: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. - Inventors: N. Parker Willis - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7610078B2 ## CPC - A61B 8/12: in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters - A61B 5/1076: {for measuring dimensions inside body cavities, e.g. using catheters (A61B3/1005 takes precedence)} - A61B 8/06: Measuring blood flow - A61B 8/0858: {involving measuring tissue layers, e.g. skin, interfaces} - A61B 8/0883: {for diagnosis of the heart} - A61B 34/20: Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis - A61B 18/1492: {having a flexible, catheter-like structure, e.g. for heart ablation (A61B18/1477 takes precedence)} - A61B 2018/00351: {Heart} - A61B 2018/00839: {Bioelectrical parameters, e.g. ECG, EEG} - A61B 2034/105: {Modelling of the patient, e.g. for ligaments or bones} - A61B 2034/2063: {Acoustic tracking systems, e.g. using ultrasound} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract Methods and systems for graphically creating a representation of an anatomical structure, such as a heart, is provided. The distal end of an elongated probe is moved within the anatomical structure, and geometric shapes are defined within a coordinate system. By defining geometric shapes, such as spheres or circles, as the distal probe end is moved within the anatomical structure, the cavity within the anatomical structure can be represented. A representation of at least a portion of the anatomical structure can be graphically generated based on the geometric shapes, e.g., by determining a union of the geometric shapes and conforming the graphical representation around the union of the shapes. In the case of a heart, the union of the shapes will generally represent the blood volume within the heart, so that the graphical anatomical representation (which in this case will be a graphical representation of the endocardial surface of the heart) can be accurately conformed around the representative blood volume. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of graphically creating a representation of an anatomical structure, comprising: moving the distal end of an elongated probe within the anatomical structure; generating data, based on signals emitted by the probe, while the distal probe end is moved within the anatomical structure; defining geometric shapes, based on the generated data, within a coordinate system, each of the geometric shapes originating from the distal probe end; and graphically generating a representation of at least a portion of the anatomical structure based on the geometric shapes. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the coordinate system is a three-dimensional coordinate system. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the anatomical structure is a heart. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the geometric shapes comprise spheres. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the geometric shapes comprise at least two different shapes. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein a size of each geometric shape is defined by a distance between the distal probe end and a surface of the anatomical structure. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the geometric shapes originate from a plurality of points on the probe distal end. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting ranging signals between the probe distal end and a reference point, wherein a position of each geometric shape within the coordinate system is determined based on the ranging signals. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, further comprising transmitting a signal from the probe distal end, wherein the distance is determined based on an intersection between the signal and the surface of the anatomical structure. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the signal is an ultrasound signal. ### Claim 11 A medical system for use with an anatomical structure, comprising: an elongated medical probe including a shaft having a distal end and a signal emitting element carried by the shaft distal end; at least one processor configured for: generating data, based on signals emitted by the element, while the distal probe end is moved within the anatomical structure; defining a plurality of three-dimensional geometric shapes, based on the generated data, within a coordinate system; and graphically generating a representation of at least a portion of the anatomical structure based on the geometric shapes. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the coordinate system is a three-dimensional coordinate system. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the probe is an intravascular catheter. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the geometric shapes comprise spheres. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the geometric shapes comprise at least two different shapes. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein medical probe includes a plurality of signal emitting elements carried by the distal shaft end, and wherein the at least one processor is configured for defining the geometric shapes based on the signal emitted by each element. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein a size of each geometric shape is defined by a distance between the distal shaft end and a surface of the anatomical structure, and the at least one processor is configured for determining the distance based on an intersection between the emitted signal and the surface of the anatomical structure. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the element is an ultrasound transducer. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, further comprising: a tracking element carried by the distal shaft end; and ranging circuitry configured for transmitting signals between the tracking element and a reference point, wherein the at least one processor is configured for determining a position of each geometric shape within the coordinate system based on the signals. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, further comprising an output device configured for displaying the graphical representation. ### Claim 21 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the element is configured for emitting signals in at least two different modes, and the at least two different geometric shapes are respectively defined based on the at least two modes. ### Claim 22 A method of graphically creating a representation of an anatomical structure, comprising: moving the distal end of an elongated probe within the anatomical structure; defining geometric shapes within a coordinate system while the distal probe end is moved within the anatomical structure, each of the geometric shapes originating from the distal probe end; determining a union of the geometric shapes; and graphically generating a representation of at least a portion of the anatomical structure based on the union of the geometric shapes. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, wherein the coordinate system is a three-dimensional coordinate system. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, wherein the anatomical structure is a heart. ### Claim 25 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, wherein the geometric shapes comprise three-dimensional shapes. ### Claim 26 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, wherein the geometric shapes comprise two-dimensional shapes. ### Claim 27 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, wherein the geometric shapes comprise spheres. ### Claim 28 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, wherein the geometric shapes comprise circles. ### Claim 29 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, wherein the geometric shapes comprise at least two different shapes. ### Claim 30 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, wherein a size of each geometric shape is defined by a distance between the distal probe end and a surface of the anatomical structure. ### Claim 31 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, wherein the geometric shapes originate from a plurality of points on the probe distal end. ### Claim 32 (depends on 28) The method of claim 28, further comprising transmitting a signal from the probe distal end, wherein the distance is determined based on an intersection between the signal and the surface of the anatomical structure. ### Claim 33 (depends on 30) The method of claim 30, wherein the signal is an ultrasound signal. ### Claim 34 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, further comprising transmitting ranging signals between the probe distal end and a reference point, wherein a position of each geometric shape within the coordinate system is determined based on the ranging signals. ### Claim 35 A medical system for use with an anatomical structure, comprising: an elongated medical probe including a shaft having a distal end and a signal emitting element carried by the shaft distal end; at least one processor configured for: defining a plurality of geometric shapes within a coordinate system based on the signal emitted by the element; determining a union of the geometric shapes; and graphically generating a representation of at least a portion of the anatomical structure based on the union of the geometric shapes. ### Claim 36 (depends on 35) The system of claim 35, wherein the coordinate system is a three-dimensional coordinate system. ### Claim 37 (depends on 35) The system of claim 35, wherein the probe is an intravascular catheter. ### Claim 38 (depends on 35) The system of claim 35, wherein the geometric shapes comprise three-dimensional shapes. ### Claim 39 (depends on 35) The system of claim 35, wherein the geometric shapes comprise two-dimensional shapes. ### Claim 40 (depends on 35) The system of claim 35, wherein the geometric shapes comprise spheres. ### Claim 41 (depends on 35) The system of claim 35, wherein the geometric shapes comprise circles. ### Claim 42 (depends on 35) The system of claim 35, wherein the geometric shapes comprise at least two different shapes. ### Claim 43 (depends on 35) The system of claim 35, wherein medical probe includes a plurality of signal emitting elements carried by the distal shaft end, and wherein the at least one processor is configured for defining the geometric shapes based on the signal emitted by each element. ### Claim 44 (depends on 42) The system of claim 42, wherein the element is configured for emitting signals in at least two different modes, and the at least two different geometric shapes are respectively defined based on the at least two modes. ### Claim 45 (depends on 35) The system of claim 35, wherein a size of each geometric shape is defined by a distance between the distal shaft end and a surface of the anatomical structure, and the at least one processor is configured for determining the distance based on an intersection between the emitted signal and the surface of the anatomical structure. ### Claim 46 (depends on 35) The system of claim 35, wherein the element is an ultrasound transducer. ### Claim 47 (depends on 35) The system of claim 35, further comprising: a tracking element carried by the distal shaft end; and ranging circuitry configured for transmitting signals between the tracking element and a reference point, wherein the at least one processor is configured for determining a position of each geometric shape within the coordinate system based on the signals. ### Claim 48 (depends on 35) The system of claim 35, further comprising an output device configured for displaying the graphical representation. ### Claim 49 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical generation of the representation comprises creating a graphical anatomical shell around the geometric shapes. ### Claim 50 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the graphical generation of the representation comprises creating a graphical anatomical shell around the geometric shapes. ### Claim 51 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, wherein the graphical generation of the representation comprises creating a graphical anatomical shell around the union of the geometric shapes. ### Claim 52 (depends on 35) The system of claim 35, wherein the graphical generation of the representation comprises creating a graphical anatomical shell around the geometric shapes.