Intracardiac echocardiography image reconstruction in combination with position tracking system

Abstract

A system and method to display a four-dimensional (4D) model of an imaged anatomy is provided. The system comprises a controller, and an imaging system including an imaging probe in communication with the controller. The imaging probe can acquire generally real-time, 3D image data relative to a direction of image acquisition along an imaging plane. The system also includes a tracking system in communication with the controller. The tracking system includes at least one tracking element integrated with the imaging probe. The system is operable to process the generally real-time, 3D image data acquired by the imaging probe relative to generally real-time tracking information acquired by the tracking system so as to display the 4D model of the imaged anatomy.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A system operable to display a four-dimensional (4D) model of an imaged anatomy, comprising:
 a controller;   an imaging system including an imaging probe in communication with the controller, the imaging probe operable to acquire generally real-time, three-dimensional (3D) image data relative to a direction of image acquisition along an imaging plane;   and
 a tracking system in communication with the controller, the tracking system including 
 at least one tracking element integrated with the imaging probe, 
   
       wherein the system is operable to process the real-time, 3D image data acquired by the imaging probe relative to generally real-time tracking information acquired by the tracking system so as to display a 4D model of the imaged anatomy. 
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the imaging probe includes a 4D imaging catheter operable to acquire a series of partial view, generally real-time, 3D ultrasound image data of the imaged anatomy, wherein the imaging system is further operable to generate the 4D model of the imaged anatomy from the acquired 3D ultrasound image data, and wherein the system registers newly acquired real-time, 3D ultrasonic image data so as to display in superposition relative to the generated 4D model. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 an electrophysiology system in communication with the controller, the electrophysiology system operable to acquire a cardiac cycle and a respiratory cycle information in synchronization with a time of acquisition of image data by the 4D imaging system; and   a display that simultaneously includes illustration of:
 the newly acquired, generally real-time, 3D ultrasound image data superimposed relative to the 4D model, 
 the position of the 4D imaging catheter, and 
 a cardiac and a respiratory cycle information illustrated at a time of acquisition in synchronization relative to the time of acquisition of the newly acquired, generally real-time, 3D ultrasonic image data. 
   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the tracking system includes a dynamic reference comprising tracking element located at the imaged anatomy. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein a spatial relation and an orientation of the generally real-time, 3D ultrasound image data is defined by an image coordinate system referenced in predetermined spatial relation and orientation relative to the 4D imaging catheter, wherein the spatial relation of the at least one tracking element integrated at the 4D imaging catheter relative to the dynamic reference is defined by a tracking coordinate system. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the generally real-time 3D ultrasound image data acquired by the 4D imaging catheter is comprised of a series of partial-view 3D ultrasound image data acquired while rotating the imaging catheter about a longitudinal axis that extends through a center of the 4D imaging catheter. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 5 , further comprising an ablation system having an ablation catheter in communication with the controller, the ablation catheter and the 4D imaging catheter both maneuvered by a steering system, wherein maneuvering of the 4D imaging catheter and the ablation catheter by the steering system is defined relative to a mechanical coordinate system registered in relation to the image coordinate system and the tracking coordinate system. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the controller calculates a degree of rotation of a motor to drive movement of the 4D imaging catheter about the longitudinal axis in synchronization relative to time of image acquisition of 3D ultrasound image data, as well as relative to tracking data acquired by the tracking system and acquisition of the cardiac and respiratory cycle information acquired by the electrophysiology system. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the controller merges the acquired, generally real-time partial 3D views of image data according to a sequence of the cardiac or respiratory cycle information to generate the 4D model. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the controller is operable to calculate a number of image acquisition scans performed by the 4D imaging catheter about the longitudinal axis estimated to generate the 4D model of the imaged anatomy. 
     
     
         11 . A method of image acquisition of an imaged anatomy, the method comprising the steps of:
 acquiring a series of partial view 3D image data with a 4D imaging probe, defined by an image coordinate system and a time reference;   tracking a position of the 4D imaging probe relative to the time reference and a tracking coordinate system;   generating a 4D model of the imaged anatomy by merging the series of partial view 3D image data defined by the position of the 4D imaging probe relative the tracking coordinate system and relative to the time reference; and   displaying the 4D model.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the step of:
 steering movement of the imaging probe and an ablation catheter relative to the tracking data acquired by the tracking system and relative to the 4D model synchronized in generally real-time relative to the time reference.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the step of displaying includes superposing the 4D model with one of a pre-operative or intra-operative image data not acquired with the 4D imaging probe. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the imaging probe includes a 4D imaging catheter operable to acquire a series of generally real-time, partial view, 3D ultrasound image data, wherein the step of displaying includes simultaneously illustrating the acquired generally real-time, 3D ultrasound image data superimposed relative to the 4D model and the position of the 4D imaging catheter. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising the step of registering the acquired series of partial-view 3D ultrasonic image data, the 4D model, and the tracked position of the 4D imaging catheter relative to a dynamic reference sensor located at the imaged anatomy. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the step of acquiring the series of generally real-time, partial-view 3D ultrasound image data includes rotating the 4D imaging catheter about a longitudinal axis that extends through a center of the 4D imaging catheter. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the acquiring step includes calculating a degree of rotation for a motor to drive movement of the 4D imaging catheter about the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , the method further comprising the step of calculating a number of image acquisition scans performed while rotating the 4D imaging catheter about the longitudinal axis so as to generate the 4D model of the imaged anatomy.