Visualization of values of a physical property detected in an organism over time

Abstract

A system for visually indicating, in real time or post hoc, values of a physical property detected over a period of time along a dimension of an organism to a user on a temporal plot and a profile plot, either individually or concurrently. The detected values may be visually indicated on the temporal plot using any of a variety of techniques, including, but not limited to, a contour technique, a line trace technique or a mesh plot technique. Further, the detected values may be visually indicated on the profile plot using any of a variety of techniques, including, but not limited to a contour technique, a line trace technique or a histogram technique. To provide a finer spatial resolution, values may be interpolated for locations between the locations at which values were detected, and these values may be displayed on the temporal plot and the profile plot.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 43 . (canceled) 
     
     
         44 . A system comprising:
 a data processing device adapted to:
 obtain data representing pressure at a plurality of locations along the length of an organism; 
 render in a graphical user interface a plot depicting at least a portion of the pressure data, the plot comprising a spatial axis; 
 receive user input identifying a location along the spatial axis corresponding to a structural feature of the organism; and 
 based on the user input, display the plot in the graphical user interface with a visual indicator of the structural feature positioned relative to the spatial axis of the plot based on the identified location of the structural feature, the visual indicator being displayed to indicate a positional relationship between the structural feature and the data. 
   
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 44 , wherein:
 the visual indicator comprises a user manipulable control; and   the data processing device is adapted to receive the user input through the graphical user interface via manipulation of the control.   
     
     
         46 . The system of  claim 45 , wherein the user manipulable control is movable by the user along the spatial axis. 
     
     
         47 . The system of  claim 44 , wherein the visual indicator comprises a marker. 
     
     
         48 . The system of  claim 47 , wherein the structural feature comprises a sphincter and the marker comprises a user manipulable control movable by the user along the spatial axis to indicate the position of the sphincter. 
     
     
         49 . The system of  claim 48 , wherein the marker comprises a landmark location identifier having a label identifying the structural feature. 
     
     
         50 . The system of  claim 48 , wherein the marker extends across at least a portion of the plot. 
     
     
         51 . The system of  claim 50 , wherein the marker comprises a line extending over the plot along a temporal dimension. 
     
     
         52 . The system of  claim 44 , wherein the visual indicator comprises an anatomical image representing the structural feature. 
     
     
         53 . The system of  claim 52 , wherein the anatomical image comprises an image representing a gastrointestinal tract and the structural feature comprises a sphincter. 
     
     
         54 . The system of  claim 53 , wherein the structural feature comprises a sphincter, and the image comprises a representation of the sphincter aligned with the spatial axis of the plot based on the identified location of the structural feature. 
     
     
         55 . The system of  claim 44 , wherein the data processing device is adapted to render the plot as a spatio-temporal plot depicting pressure contours. 
     
     
         56 . The system of  claim 44 , wherein the visual indicator comprises a textual identification of the structural feature. 
     
     
         57 . The system of  claim 44 , wherein the visual indicator comprises a numerical identification of the location of the structural feature. 
     
     
         58 . The system of  claim 44 , wherein the data processing device is further adapted to:
 render an annotation based on the identified location of the structural feature to indicate the identified location of the structural feature.   
     
     
         59 . The system of  claim 44 , further comprising:
 a sensor component having an elongated axis, the sensor component comprising a plurality of sensors disposed in an array along the elongated axis,   wherein the data processing device is adapted to receive the data representing pressure from the sensor component.   
     
     
         60 . The system of  claim 59 , wherein the sensor component comprises a catheter. 
     
     
         61 . The system of  claim 44 , wherein the plot comprises a spatial-temporal plot. 
     
     
         62 . A system comprising:
 a catheter having an elongated axis, the catheter comprising a plurality of sensors disposed in an array along the elongated axis;   a data processing device adapted to:
 receive data representing the output of the plurality of sensors while the catheter is disposed in a bodily lumen; and 
 identify from the data a location along the length of the catheter of at least one structural feature of the bodily lumen. 
   
     
     
         63 . The system of  62 , wherein the data processing device is adapted to identify the location of the structural feature by identifying a location of maximum pressure over a portion of the axis during an interval of time.