Apparatus for vessel characterization

Abstract

A three-dimensional morphological vessel model ( 20 ) can be obtained by assigning diameters ( 14,15 ) along the vessel derived from a two-dimensional morphological projection ( 10 ) at locations in the three-dimensional model defined by the temporal locations ( 21,22 ) of a trackable instrument ( 5 ). An apparatus ( 7 ), a system ( 1 ) and a method ( 100 ) for use of the system ( 1 ) in characterizing the vessel of a living being ( 2 ) by rendering a three-dimensional morphological vessel model ( 20 ) are presented.

1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a processor,   wherein the apparatus is configured to be coupled to:
 a tracking unit configured to measure location information of a trackable instrument in a vessel lumen of a vessel of a living being over time as the trackable instrument moves within the vessel lumen through a plurality of locations comprising a first location at a first time; and 
 an imaging unit configured to generate a projection image of the vessel; 
   wherein the processor is configured to:
 responsive to the trackable instrument being positioned at the first location of the vessel lumen at the first time:
 identify, within the projection image, first outer borders of the vessel lumen at the first location; and 
 determine, based on the projection image, a first distance between the first outer borders; 
 
 generate a three-dimensional (3D) model of the vessel that is different than the projection image; and 
 output, to a display in communication with the processor, a graphical representation of the 3D model, 
   wherein a first portion of the 3D model is representative of the first location of the vessel lumen,   wherein the first portion of the 3D model comprises a first diameter,   wherein, to generate the 3D model, the processor is configured to assign the first distance determined based on the projection image to be the first diameter of the first portion of the 3D model.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the plurality of locations comprise a second location at a second time,   wherein the processor is configured to:
 responsive to the trackable instrument being positioned at the second location of the vessel lumen at the second time:
 identify, within the projection image, second outer borders of the vessel lumen at the second location; and 
 determine, based on the projection image, a second distance between the second outer borders; 
 
   wherein a second portion of the 3D model is representative of the second location of the vessel lumen,   wherein the second portion of the 3D model comprises a second diameter,   wherein, to generate the 3D model, the processor is configured to assign the second distance determined based on the projection image to be the second diameter of the second portion of the 3D model.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the first location of the trackable instrument at the first time and the second location of the trackable instrument at the second time originate at a same phase of a cyclical cardiac or breathing motion of the living being. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 the trackable instrument.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 ,
 wherein the trackable instrument comprises a sensor for measuring physiological information, and   wherein the processor is configured to:
 assign, based on the location information, the physiological information measured by the sensor at the first location to the first portion of the 3D model; and 
 output, to the display, a graphical representation the physiological information, wherein the graphical representation of the physiological information is positioned adjacent to the first portion in the graphical representation of the 3D model. 
   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the physiological information is at least one of a blood pressure, a blood flow velocity, fractional flow reserve (FFR), or a blood flow resistance. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the sensor comprises at least one of a pressure sensor or a flow sensor. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 the tracking unit.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the tracking unit comprises an electromagnetic tracking unit, an optical tracking unit, an ultrasound tracking unit, or an electrical impedance tracking unit. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 the imaging unit.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the imaging unit comprises a radiological imaging unit, an ultrasound imaging unit, or a magnetic resonance imaging unit.