Systems for generating image-based measurements during diagnosis

Abstract

Devices, systems, tools and methods are disclosed during diagnosis and treatment of spinal conditions. A cervical plumb line device is disclosed which can be used to produce a measurement of the sagittal vertical axis associated with a target part of a patient's cervical spinal anatomy from two or more radiographic images. Also disclosed is an apparatus for measuring the angulation of a patient's spinal anatomy relative to a cervical plumb line which uses a plurality of bolsters. A device that can be used to assist in implantation of an interbody device during spinal fusion device is also disclosed. Systems which produce geometric data describing optimized spinal fusion geometric at a spine level selected to receive spinal fusion.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for producing patient specific recommendations for intervention, comprising a processor wherein the processor is configured to:
 receive two or more non-overlapping images of a spine;   derive measurement data from the two or more non-overlapping images of the spine wherein the measurement data is at least one of spinal alignment, range of motion at target spine levels adjacent to a spinal fusion spine level measured across one or more spinal radiographic images;   process the measurement data;   calculate a risk of an adjacent spinal level disease from the processed measurement data, and   select an intervention from a list of interventions based on the calculated measurement of risk.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the list of interventions includes one or more patient self-directed interventions. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the list of interventions includes interventions generated via a set of user configured variables that do not vary from patient to patient. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the list of interventions includes interventions selected to at least one of avoid and delay a progressions of adjacent spinal level disease. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the list of interventions includes one or more of: activity reduction, modification or substitution; weight loss; physical therapy focused on core/neck strength; physical therapy focused on addressing pelvic anteversion or retroversion; and interventions to address functional anomalies at adjacent levels. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the received two or more non-overlapping images of the spine is received at a single time point. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the image-derived measurements include an analysis of a difference in measurements taken between two or more time points. 
     
     
         8 . Method of producing patient specific recommendations for intervention comprising:
 receiving two or more non-overlapping images of a spine;   deriving measurement data from the two or more non-overlapping images of the spine wherein the measurement data is at least one of spinal alignment, range of motion at target spine levels adjacent to a spinal fusion spine level measured across one or more spinal radiographic images;   processing the measurement data;   calculating a measurement of a risk of an adjacent spinal level disease from the processed measurement data, and   selecting an intervention from a list of interventions based on the calculated measurement of risk.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the list of interventions includes one or more patient self-directed interventions. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the list of interventions includes interventions generated via a set of user configured variables that do not vary from patient to patient. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the list of interventions includes interventions selected to at least one of avoid and delay a progressions of adjacent spinal level disease. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the list of interventions includes one or more of: activity reduction, modification or substitution; weight loss; physical therapy focused on core/neck strength; physical therapy focused on addressing pelvic anteversion or retroversion; and interventions to address functional anomalies at adjacent levels. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the received two or more non-overlapping images of the spine may is received at a single time point. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the measurements include an analysis of a difference in measurements taken between two or more time points.