U.S. patent number RE40,608 [Application Number 11/324,120] was granted by the patent office on 2008-12-16 for arrangement of ivus system components including remote and adjacent components.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Volcano Corporation. Invention is credited to Robert Julian Dickinson, Richard Peter Glover, Anthony David Stenning.
United States Patent |
RE40,608 |
Glover , et al. |
December 16, 2008 |
Arrangement of IVUS system components including remote and adjacent
components
Abstract
In an IVUS system, units are located outside or remote from the
patient except for the display monitor (12), the catheter interface
module (4) and the catheter (3) which are located adjacent the
patient together with a control arrangement (13) to enable the said
units to be remotely controlled from a position adjacent the
patient.
Inventors: |
Glover; Richard Peter (London,
GB), Stenning; Anthony David (Surrey, GB),
Dickinson; Robert Julian (London, GB) |
Assignee: |
Volcano Corporation (Rancho
Cordova, CA)
|
Family
ID: |
10845568 |
Appl.
No.: |
11/324,120 |
Filed: |
December 22, 1999 |
PCT
Filed: |
December 22, 1999 |
PCT No.: |
PCT/GB99/04343 |
371(c)(1),(2),(4) Date: |
January 15, 2002 |
PCT
Pub. No.: |
WO00/40156 |
PCT
Pub. Date: |
July 13, 2000 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
Reissue of: |
09869637 |
Jan 15, 2002 |
06673015 |
Jan 6, 2004 |
|
|
Foreign Application Priority Data
Current U.S.
Class: |
600/437 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61B
8/12 (20130101); A61B 8/4405 (20130101); G01S
7/52053 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A61B
8/00 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;600/407-473,479,481,508
;128/899,916 ;601/2,3 ;607/122 ;73/625,626 ;606/130,159 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
43 16 643 |
|
Dec 1993 |
|
DE |
|
19 53 46 63 |
|
Mar 1997 |
|
DE |
|
4316643 |
|
Dec 1993 |
|
JP |
|
Other References
Search Report in corresponding GB Appln No. 9900133.1, date Mar.
10, 2000. cited by other.
|
Primary Examiner: Winakur; Eric F.
Assistant Examiner: Laryea; Lawrence N
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Leydig, Voit & Mayer Ltd
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An IVUS system comprising: a) a catheter having an ultrasonic
transducer array mounted at least near a distal end thereof; b) a
catheter interface module connected to a proximal end of the
catheter; c) a display monitor; d) a control device for controlling
the system; e) a signal processing data entry and data storage
device for processing and storing data derived from energizing the
ultrasonic transducer array to output a signal to the display
monitor in order to display an image of an interior of a patient's
body; and f) a bed for supporting a patient, wherein the catheter
interface module, the display monitor and the control device are
located adjacent to the bed such as to be easily viewed and
operated respectively by a clinician, and wherein the signal
processing data entry and storage device is located remotely from
the bed at a sufficient distance to enable a clear space around the
bed for occupation by a medical team so that the medical team can
be adjacent to the patient, and wherein the control device includes
a wireless remote control device to enable control instructions to
be given from a position adjacent the patient to remotely located
units.
2. An IVUS system as claimed in claim 1 in which at least one of
the following is located remotely from the bed: (i) a power
distribution unit; (ii) a video recorder; and (iii) a video
printer.
3. An IVUS system as claimed in claim 1 in which the display
monitor comprises a flat screen monitor.
4. An IVUS system as claimed in claim 1 in which the control device
incorporates a device to enable control instructions to be given by
voice and incorporates a voice recognition device for accepting and
implementing those instructions.
5. An IVUS system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the IVUS system is
embedded in a conventional ultrasound system employing a transducer
placed externally of the patient, so that units common to the IVUS
system and the conventional ultrasound system can be shared.
6. An IVUS system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the IVUS system is
embedded in an X-ray system, so that units common to the IVUS
system and the X-ray system can be shared.
7. An IVUS system as claimed in claim 1 in which the wireless
control device comprises an infra-red remote control device.
8. An IVUS system as claimed in claim 1 in which the display
monitor is mounted on the catheter interface module.
9. A method of arranging components of an IVS system, the method
comprising: providing an IVUS system having: a catheter having an
ultrasonic transducer array mounted at least near a distal end
thereof, a catheter interface module connected to a proximal end of
the catheter; a display monitor, a control device for controlling
the system, a signal processing data entry and data storage device
for processing an storing data derived from energizing the
ultrasonic transducer array to output a signal to the display
monitor in order to display an image of an interior of a patient's
body, and a bed for supporting a patient; locating the catheter
interface module, the display monitor and the control device
adjacent that bed such as to be easily viewed and operated
respectively by a clinician; and locating the signal processing
data entry and data storage device remotely from the bed at a
sufficient distance to enable a clear space around the bed for
occupation by a medical team so that the team can be adjacent the
patient.
10. A method as claimed in claim 9, comprising the step of locating
at least one of the following at a position remote from the bed:
(i) a power distribution unit; (ii) a video recorder; and (iii) a
video printer.
.Iadd.11. An IVUS system comprising: a) a catheter having an
ultrasonic transducer mounted at least near a distal end thereof;
b) a catheter interface module connected to a proximal end of the
catheter; c) a display monitor; d) a control device for controlling
the system; e) a signal processing data entry and data storage
device for processing and storing data derived from energizing the
ultrasonic transducer to output a signal to the display monitor in
order to display an image of an interior of a patient's body; and
f) a bed for supporting a patient, wherein the catheter interface
module, the display monitor and the control device are located
adjacent to the bed such as to be easily viewed and operated
respectively by a clinician, and wherein the signal processing data
entry and storage device is located remotely from the bed at a
sufficient distance to enable a clear space around the bed for
occupation by a medical team so that the medical team can be
adjacent to the patent, and wherein the control device includes a
wireless remote control device to enable control instructions to be
given from a position adjacent the patient to remotely located
units..Iaddend.
.Iadd.12. An IVUS system as claimed in claim 11 in which at least
one of the following is located remotely from the bed: (i) a power
distribution unit; (ii) a video recorder; and (iii) a video
printer..Iaddend.
.Iadd.13. An IVUS system as claimed in claim 11 in which the
display monitor comprises a flat screen monitor..Iaddend.
.Iadd.14. An IVUS system as claimed in claim 11 in which the
control device incorporates a device to enable control instructions
to be given by voice and incorporates a voice recognition device
for accepting and implementing those instructions..Iaddend.
.Iadd.15. An IVUS system as claimed in claim 11 wherein the IVUS
system is embedded in a conventional ultrasound system employing a
transducer placed externally of the patient, so that units common
to the IVUS system and the conventional ultrasound system can be
shared..Iaddend.
.Iadd.16. An IVUS system as claimed in claim 11 wherein the IVUS
system is embedded in an X-ray system, so that units common to the
IVUS system and the X-ray system can be shared..Iaddend.
.Iadd.17. An IVUS system as claimed in claim 11 in which the
wireless control device comprises an infra-red remote control
device..Iaddend.
.Iadd.18. An IVUS system as claimed in claim 11 in which the
display monitor is mounted on the catheter interface
module..Iaddend.
.Iadd.19. A method of arranging components of an IVS system, the
method comprising: providing an IVUS system having: a catheter
having an ultrasonic transducer mounted at least near a distal end
thereof, a catheter interface module connected to a proximal end of
the catheter; a display monitor, a control device for controlling
the system, a signal processing data entry and data storage device
for processing an storing data derived from energizing the
ultrasonic transducer to output a signal to the display monitor in
order to display an image of an interior of a patient's body, and a
bed for supporting a patient; locating the catheter interface
module, the display monitor and the control device adjacent the bed
such as to be easily viewed and operated respectively by a
clinician; and locating the signal processing data entry and data
storage device remotely from the bed at a sufficient distance to
enable a clear space around the bed for occupation by a medical
team so that the team can be adjacent the patient..Iaddend.
.Iadd.20. A method as claimed in claim 19, comprising the step of
locating at least one of the following at a position remote from
the bed: (i) a power distribution unit; (ii) a video recorder; and
(iii) a video printer..Iaddend.
Description
INTRODUCTION TO THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to ultrasonic visualisation systems
and more particularly to systems of the kind to which our United
Kingdom patent 2,233,094 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,257,629 relate. Such
systems will hereinafter be referred to as intravascular ultrasound
systems or IVUS.
Such systems include various units such as a cathode ray tube
monitor, an ultrasound processing unit, a power distribution unit,
and possibly a video recorder (VCR), together with a video printer
as well as the catheter to be inserted into the patent and a
catheter interface module linking the catheter to the other units
referred to.
It has been proposed to mount the above types of unit in a cart or
trolley that can be maneuvered into an appropriate position within
the catheter laboratory or other relevant environment.
In such an arrangement the catheter and its associated
catheter-interface-module (CIM), are not mounted on the cart or
trolley because the catheter is to be inserted into the patient and
the CIM would typically rest on or near the patient.
The floor area adjacent to the patient is at a premium because of
the need to accommodate the medical team close to the patient. As a
result, it is usually necessary to locate the cart or trolley some
distance from the patient which in turn means that the display
monitor has to have a reasonably large screen in order for the
displayed image to be clearly visible to the clinician.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is concerned with the physical location of
such units of the system in order to improve the operating
environment for the medical team.
According to one aspect of the present invention in an IVUS system
the said units are located outside or remote from the patient
except for the display monitor, the CIM and the catheter which are
located adjacent the patient together with a control arrangement to
enable the said units to be remotely controlled from a position
adjacent the patient.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, the display
monitor comprises a flat screen monitor such as a liquid crystal
display.
Because the monitor can now be located much nearer to the patient
it can be made much smaller and still provide the clinician with a
clearly visible image.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, the control
arrangement incorporates means to enable control instructions to be
given by voice and incorporates voice recognition manes for
accepting and implementing those instructions.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, an IVUS
system is embedded in a conventional ultrasound system which
employs a transducer placed externally of the patient so that units
of the conventional ultrasound system can also be employed in the
IVUS system thus avoiding the duplication of those units. In other
words, certain units are common to both the conventional ultrasound
system and the IVUS system.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the IVUS
system is embedded in an existing X-ray system, again so that units
common to both systems can be shared.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the control
arrangement includes an infrared remote control device to enable
control instructions to be given from a position adjacent the
patient to the remotely located units.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the monitor
is mounted on the CIM unit.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a known mobile cart or trolley of
the kind already described;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a combined display and
catheter-interface-module according to the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic representation of an IVUS embedded in a
standard X-ray room according to the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an IVUS embedded in a personal
computer according to the present invention; and
FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a single board IVUS embedded in
an ultrasound system.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
A cart or trolley 1 is provided with casters 2 by which it can be
maneuvered within a catheter laboratory or other relevant
environment.
A catheter 3 for insertion into a patient, is connected to a
catheter interface module 4 which in turn is connected by a cable 5
to the various units carried by the trolley 1.
These units typically comprise a cathode ray tube monitor 6 mounted
on the top of the cart or trolley 1, a keyboard and trackball 7 for
controlling the display on the monitor, a power distribution unit
8, an ultrasound processing unit 9 (which could be a personal
computer), a video recorder (VCR) 10 and an associated video
printer 11.
The cart or trolley 1 typically comprises a framework 1a and a
number of shelves 1b.
As discussed earlier, the cart or trolley arrangement shown in FIG.
1 would be located within the catheter laboratory or other relevant
environment as close as possible to the patient without taking up
floor space which would be needed by the medical team adjacent the
patient. As a result the size of the screen of the monitor 6 has to
be relatively large in order to provide a clear and visible display
to the clinician.
The essence of the present invention is the elimination of the
trolley or cart 1 and the positioning at a remote location of most
of the units normally carried by the trolley as shown in FIG.
1.
The only units which would be located adjacent the patient are the
CIM 4, a display screen 12 mounted on the CIM 4, and a control
panel 13 by which the various units making up the system can be
controlled. The catheter 3 is of course close to the patient as it
has to be inserted into the patient.
Because the screen of the monitor 12 is close to the patient and
therefore to the clinician, that screen can be much smaller than
the screen of the known arrangement of FIG. 1.
In fact, instead of comprising a cathode ray tube display, the
monitor 12 could comprise a flat liquid crystal display or other
type of flat screen display.
The control panel can be through a simple local control such as a
trackball, joy stick or similar pointing device, combined with
Windows based software, and be very small. Alternatively, the
control can be mounted with other control devices such as an X-ray
gantry and bed controls.
To make control of the system easier a remote handset could be
used. This could operate through an infrared link (or similar
wireless communication), to the bedside unit, or directly with the
processing hardware as an alternative where the room configuration
demands it. This handset could provide all the control required to
run the IVUS system such as adjusting gain, image magnification
etc, and replaces the slides and buttons of a normal IVUS
system.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, the system
control could make use of voice-recognition technology. Here the
handset could be employed with links to the processing hardware.
System generated speech could be employed to allow interaction
between operator and system that would make the need for close
observation of the display less important. Recognition of key words
could allow any function to be activated etc. Text entry could be
managed in a similar way.
The advantages of the arrangements according to the present
invention, so far described, is that the processing hardware is now
free of display and interface devices such as a keyboard, and can
be made small enough to be positioned in a convenient place such as
underneath the patient's bed.
Overhead monitors in the room can be used as an alternative or
additional display.
Alternatively, it can be housed with the X-ray electronics in the
X-ray control room, an arrangement of this kind being shown in FIG.
3. The IVUS system can then make use of the standard peripherals
such as printers and digital or video recorders already provided in
the X-ray room. The processing hardware in the control room can
also be provided with a parallel set of operating controls to
enable operation from outside the catheter lab, by a suitable
operator, and a patient's details can be entered from this control
room.
Referring to FIG. 3, a patient's bed is indicated at 14 with the
arrangement shown in FIG. 2 adjacent the bed.
The CIM 4 is connected to the IVUS computer 9 through an electrical
connection 15 and a remote control joystick-type arrangement 16 is
also connected to the computer 9 through an electrical connection
17.
All the other units required to make the IVUS system operative are
already incorporated in the known standard X-ray equipment.
The data processing performed in an IVUS system consists of a
series of discrete operations arranged in what is known as a
pipeline. This means that the output of one process is the input of
the next process. These processes can be arranged as separate
modules, such as individual circuit cards, that are linked through
a standard interface. An example of this is a set of dedicated
cards that plug in to a peripheral component interconnect (PCI),
computer bus. It then becomes possible to utilise commonly
available standard cards or components to perform some of the
non-IVUS specific processing such as data storage and archive,
display drivers and power supplies. In this example the processing
could be performed in a standard personal computer.
FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of the IVUS processing
modules.
In FIG. 4 those items which are equivalent to items already
described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3 have the same reference
numerals.
In FIG. 4 the overall personal computer arrangement is illustrated
within the box 18.
Contained within the box 18 are the modules which are specific to
the IVUS system and these are contained within the smaller box
19.
The modules which are within the box 18 but not within the smaller
box 19 are those which could be standard items in many known
imaging systems such as external ultrasound imaging systems.
These common units include a personal computer bus 20, a scan
conversion module 21, a graphics card 22 and a unit such as a
CD-ROM for storing data and archiving media 23. The modules which
are specific to the IVUS system in box 19 comprise an analogue to
digital converter module 24 which takes an analogue input 25 from
the catheter-interface-module 4.
The output from the ADC 24 is raw digital data 26, which is input
to a digital signal processing card 27 which is concerned with
focusing and beam forming.
The card 27 is interconnected with a data store 28 which itself is
also interconnected with the module 23.
With this arrangement one module 24 performs all of the
data-capture operations and also undertakes the interface with the
catheter-interface-module 4.
A second module 27 undertakes the intensive numerical calculations
required to focus the received data signals. This is typically a
focusing and noise reduction operation.
The outputs from 27 would typically be digital and have a much
lower bandwidth than the input to this module. This output consists
of focused A-scans which can be temporarily stored in a local disk
28, and archived suitable removable media 23. Alternatively, the
output of module 21 can be stored and archived using a similar
arrangement.
The module 21 performs scan conversion of the digital data to allow
representation of it on raster-scanned display devices such as
conventional computer monitors or video screens.
This operation is similar to the interpolation and zoom functions
found in many imaging modalities.
The IVUS modality can therefore be incorporated into another
imaging modality by utilising the following components: (i)
catheter-interface-module arid display 4, 12 (ii) control device 13
(iii) data acquisition module 24 (iv) digital processing module 27
(v) it may be necessary to also incorporate a scan conversion card
21 into the box 19.
In a further aspect of the present invention, and in particular of
the processing hardware, the digital processing function could be
incorporated into the IVUS data acquisition module.
This would employ custom digital chip design techniques resulting
ASICs or FPGAs to embed the processing operation. An example of
which is synthetic aperture processing.
The system could then consist of a single module that can be
incorporated into another imaging modality such as conventional
external ultrasound. The same technique could also be used in
standard computer systems to provide IVUS.
FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment of such an arrangement. Where
those units or components which correspond with ones already
described and illustrated have the same reference numerals.
A conventional external ultrasound has a transducer 29 the output
signal of which inputs to a transmit/receive module 30 which in
turn inputs to an analogue to digital converter (ADC) 31, which in
turn inputs to a digital beam former 32. In parallel the IVUS
system takes the signals from the transducer at the distal end of
the catheter 3, passes them through the catheter-interface-module 4
and the combined ADC and focusing/beam forming module 24-27, the
output of which is common with the output from the digital beam
former 32, both of which input into the scan converter 21 followed
by the graphics memory 22 and the display 12.
The dotted line 33 indicates the single board comprising
essentially an IVUS system embedded in a known conventional
ultrasound system.
* * * * *