A quantitative and automatic echographic method for real-time localization of endovascular devices

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Biomedical Engineering
• Ultrasound Technology

Background:

• Current catheter monitoring lacks effective surgical support, leading to more invasive procedures.
• Non-ionizing imaging is crucial for minimizing patient risk during minimally invasive surgery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate the feasibility of quantitative ultrasound (QUS) for non-ionizing, real-time monitoring of endovascular devices.
• To develop and validate QUS-based algorithms for automatic catheter self-localization relative to anatomical structures.

Main Methods:

• Adapted a trans-esophageal ultrasound probe to simulate an endovascular device with an intravascular ultrasound probe.
• Developed and implemented real-time QUS algorithms for processing B-mode images and measuring device position.
• Validated the algorithms using in vitro and ex vivo phantoms, including a parabolic pathway simulation.

Main Results:

• Automatic position calculation accuracy reached 96% (in vitro) and 94% (ex vivo) of computed frames.
• Average errors in distance measurements were within 0.76 ± 3.75 mm and 0.52 ± 3.20 mm along a 10-cm parabolic pathway.
• Demonstrated effectiveness for an endoclamp balloon catheter, with potential for broader application.

Conclusions:

• QUS-based tracking algorithms are effective for real-time automatic calculation and display of endovascular system position.
• This non-ionizing method offers a viable alternative for enhancing surgical guidance and potentially reducing invasiveness.
• The QUS approach is adaptable to various endovascular surgical systems.