Device and Method for Identifying Anatomical Structures

Abstract

A device is provided having a proximal portion and a distal portion. An ultrasound transducer is disposed within the distal portion, wherein the transducer is configured to scan tissue and detect certain portions of a patent's anatomy during the scanning process.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A real-time, quantitative method for distinguishing a first tissue from surrounding tissue during a medical procedure on a mammalian patient, the method comprising:
 ultrasonically scanning, by an array of ultrasound transducers disposed on a device used in said procedure, a region of said patient's anatomy to generate a b-mode image of said region of said patient's anatomy;   identifying image texture and echogenicity information from a digital representation of anatomical structures in said b-mode image;   identifying at least one voltage trace associated with an anatomical tissue from at least one scan line from said digital representation of anatomical structures in said b-mode image;   comparing said at least one identified voltage trace to a predetermined voltage trace representing said first tissue;   determining a presence or an absence of a spectral signature of said first tissue in said at least one identified voltage trace based on the comparison;   determining said anatomical tissue associated with said at least one identified voltage trace to be said first tissue if said spectral signature of said first tissue is present;   upon a determination that said anatomical tissue associated with said at least one identified voltage trace is said first tissue, generating a 2-dimensional image of said first tissue on an output display displaying said b-mode image; and   generating at least one notification to a user to indicate a proximity of said device to said first tissue, wherein said at least one notification includes at least one of a color and an audible alarm indicating that said device is within a predetermined distance of said first tissue,   wherein said first tissue comprises nerve tissue or bone tissue.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one notification enables avoidance of said first tissue as said device is advanced through said patient's anatomy. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said device is configured to be rotated about a longitudinal axis of said device for ultrasonically scanning a region of said patient's anatomy extending radially away from said longitudinal axis of said device. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said device is configured to create a pathway through said patient's anatomy as said device is advanced through said patient's anatomy towards a surgical site, without tearing said patient's anatomy. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said device is configured to expand said pathway to said surgical site. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the comparing said at least one identified voltage trace to said predetermined voltage trace representing said first tissue comprises determining that a difference between said at least one identified voltage trace and said predetermined voltage trace representing said first tissue is less than a determined threshold. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said array of ultrasound transducers comprises an array of capacitive micro machined ultrasonic transducers (CMUT). 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said spectral signature is resultant from said ultrasonically scanning. 
     
     
         9 . A real-time, quantitative method for distinguishing a first tissue from surrounding tissue during a medical procedure on a mammalian patient, the method comprising:
 ultrasonically scanning, by a plurality of ultrasound transducers disposed on a device used in said procedure, a region of said patient's anatomy to generate a b-mode image of said region of said patient's anatomy, wherein at least one ultrasound transducer, of said plurality of ultrasound transducers, is angled with respect to a longitudinal axis of said device and configured to scan a region that extends at least partially radially away from said longitudinal axis of said device;   identifying image texture and echogenicity information from a digital representation of anatomical structures in said b-mode image;   identifying at least one voltage trace associated with an anatomical tissue from at least one scan line from said digital representation of anatomical structures in said b-mode image;   comparing said at least one identified voltage trace to a predetermined voltage trace representing said first tissue;   determining a presence or an absence of a spectral signature of said first tissue in said at least one identified voltage trace based on the comparison;   determining said anatomical tissue associated with said at least one identified voltage trace to be said first tissue if said spectral signature of said first tissue is present;   upon a determination that said anatomical tissue associated with said at least one identified voltage trace is said first tissue, generating a 2-dimensional image of said first tissue on an output display displaying said b-mode image; and   generating at least one notification to a user to indicate a proximity of said device to said first tissue, wherein said at least one notification includes at least one of a color and an audible alarm indicating that said device is within a predetermined distance of said first tissue,   wherein said first tissue comprises nerve tissue or bone tissue.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said device is configured to be rotated about said longitudinal axis of said device for ultrasonically scanning a region of said patient's anatomy extending radially away from said longitudinal axis of said device. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the comparing said at least one identified voltage trace to said predetermined voltage trace representing said first tissue comprises determining that a difference between said at least one identified voltage trace and said predetermined voltage trace representing said first tissue is less than a determined threshold. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said plurality of ultrasound transducers comprises an array of capacitive micro machined ultrasonic transducers (CMUT). 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said spectral signature is resultant from said ultrasonically scanning. 
     
     
         14 . A system for distinguishing a first tissue from surrounding tissue during a medical procedure on a mammalian patient, the system comprising:
 a scanning device having an array of ultrasound transducers configured to scan a region of said patient's anatomy;   a display device; and   a computing device in electrical communication with said display device and said scanning device, said computing device configured to:   ultrasonically scan, by said array of ultrasound transducers, said region of said patient's anatomy to generate a b-mode image of said region of said patient's anatomy;   identify image texture and echogenicity information from a digital representation of anatomical structures in said b-mode image;   identify at least one voltage trace associated with an anatomical tissue from at least one scan line from said digital representation of anatomical structures in said b-mode image;   compare said at least one identified voltage trace to a predetermined voltage trace representing said first tissue;   determine a presence or an absence of a spectral signature of said first tissue in said at least one identified voltage trace based on the comparison;   determine said anatomical tissue associated with said at least one identified voltage trace to be said first tissue if said spectral signature of said first tissue is present;   upon a determination that said anatomical tissue associated with said at least one identified voltage trace is said first tissue, generating a 2-dimensional image of said first tissue on an output display displaying said b-mode image; and   generate at least one notification to a user to indicate a proximity of said scanning device to said first tissue, wherein said at least one notification includes at least one of a color and an audible alarm indicating that said scanning device is within a predetermined distance of said first tissue,   wherein said first tissue comprises nerve tissue or bone tissue.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein said at least one notification enables avoidance of said first tissue as said scanning device is advanced through said patient's anatomy. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the comparison comprises
 a determination that a difference between said at least one identified voltage trace and said predetermined voltage trace representing said first tissue is less than a determined threshold.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein said spectral signature is resultant from said scan.