Systems and methods for patient image processing to evaluate tissue function

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for assessing tissue function based on vascular disease. One method includes receiving a patient-specific anatomic model generated from patient-specific imaging of at least a portion of a patient's tissue; receiving a patient-specific vascular model generated from patient-specific imaging of at least a portion of a patient's vasculature; receiving an estimate of blood supplied to a portion of the patient-specific anatomic model; and determining a characteristic of the function of the patient's tissue using the estimate of blood supplied to the portion of the patient-specific anatomic model.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A computer-implemented method of processing medical images, the method comprising:
 receiving a patient-specific vascular model generated from patient-specific imaging of at least a portion of a vasculature of a patient;   computing a blood flow through the patient-specific vascular model;   based on the computed blood flow, identify a vessel of the patient-specific vascular model having a functionally significant compromise of bloodflow;   receiving a patient-specific tissue model generated from patient-specific imaging;   computing, for at least one subsection of the patient-specific tissue model associated with the vessel of the patient-specific vascular model having the functionally significant compromise of bloodflow, a corresponding perfusion value based on the computed blood flow; and   generating a treatment recommendation for at least one subsection of the patient-specific tissue model, based on the computed perfusion value for the at least one subsection of the patient-specific tissue model.   
     
     
         22 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 identifying, based on the computed perfusion value, a perfusion deficit in the at least one subsection of the patient-specific tissue model, wherein the generating the treatment recommendation is based on the identified perfusion deficit.   
     
     
         23 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 conducting an assessment of tissue function based on the computed blood flow or the computed perfusion value.   
     
     
         24 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 23 , wherein the assessment of the tissue function includes an assessment of a risk to the patient relating to electrical activation, arrhythmia, tachycardia, fibrillation, ejection fraction, stroke volume, aortic pressure, fractional shortening, cardiac index, cardiac output, capacity to perform physical activity, cardiac arrest, pain, claudication, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         25 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 23 , wherein the assessment of the tissue function includes an assessment of one or more patient-specific tissue characteristic values including a measure of electrical conductance, muscle contractility, wall motion, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         26 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 generating a patient-specific electrophysiological and/or biomechanical model of the patient's tissue as a function of the computed blood flow; and   calculating a patient-specific tissue characteristic value using the patient-specific electrophysiological and/or biomechanical model of the patient's tissue.   
     
     
         27 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 determining a vessel outlet of the patient-specific vascular model, wherein the computing the corresponding perfusion value is based on the determined vessel outlet.   
     
     
         28 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 21 , wherein the treatment recommendation includes an evaluation of stent insertion, angioplasty, bypass graft, drugs, increased physical fitness, diet, smoking cessation, recannulation, embolization, valve replacement, and/or ablation therapy. 
     
     
         29 . A system for assessing tissue function, the system comprising:
 a data storage device storing instructions for assessing tissue function based on vascular disease; and   a processor configured to execute the instructions to perform operations comprising:
 receiving a patient-specific vascular model generated from patient-specific imaging of at least a portion of a patient's vasculature; 
 receiving a patient-specific vascular model generated from patient-specific imaging of at least a portion of a vasculature of a patient; 
 computing a blood flow through the patient-specific vascular model; 
 based on the computed blood flow, identify a vessel of the patient-specific vascular model having a functionally significant compromise of bloodflow; 
 receiving a patient-specific tissue model generated from patient-specific imaging; 
 computing, for at least one subsection of the patient-specific tissue model associated with the vessel of the patient-specific vascular model having the functionally significant compromise of bloodflow, a corresponding perfusion value based on the computed blood flow; and 
 generating a treatment recommendation for at least one subsection of the patient-specific tissue model, based on the computed perfusion value for the at least one subsection of the patient-specific tissue model. 
   
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 29 , the operations further comprising:
 identifying, based on the computed perfusion value, a perfusion deficit in the at least one subsection of the patient-specific tissue model, wherein the generating the treatment recommendation is based on the identified perfusion deficit.   
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 29 , the operations further comprising:
 conducting an assessment of tissue function based on the computed blood flow or the computed perfusion value.   
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the assessment of the tissue function includes an assessment of a risk to the patient relating to electrical activation, arrhythmia, tachycardia, fibrillation, ejection fraction, stroke volume, aortic pressure, fractional shortening, cardiac index, cardiac output, capacity to perform physical activity, cardiac arrest, pain, claudication, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the assessment of the tissue function includes an assessment of one or more patient-specific tissue characteristic values including a measure of electrical conductance, muscle contractility, wall motion, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 29 , the operations further comprising:
 generating a patient-specific electrophysiological and/or biomechanical model of the patient's tissue as a function of the computed blood flow; and   calculating a patient-specific tissue characteristic value using the patient-specific electrophysiological and/or biomechanical model of the patient's tissue.   
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 29 , the operations further comprising:
 determining a vessel outlet of the patient-specific vascular model, wherein the computing the corresponding perfusion value is based on the determined vessel outlet.   
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the treatment recommendation includes an evaluation of stent insertion, angioplasty, bypass graft, drugs, increased physical fitness, diet, smoking cessation, recannulation, embolization, valve replacement, and/or ablation therapy. 
     
     
         37 . A non-transitory computer readable medium for use on a computer system containing computer-executable programming instructions for performing a operations of assessing tissue function, the operations comprising:
 receiving a patient-specific vascular model generated from patient-specific imaging of at least a portion of a vasculature of a patient;   computing a blood flow through the patient-specific vascular model;   based on the computed blood flow, identify a vessel of the patient-specific vascular model having a functionally significant compromise of bloodflow;   receiving a patient-specific tissue model generated from patient-specific imaging;   computing, for at least one subsection of the patient-specific tissue model associated with the vessel of the patient-specific vascular model having the functionally significant compromise of bloodflow, a corresponding perfusion value based on the computed blood flow; and   generating a treatment recommendation for at least one subsection of the patient-specific tissue model, based on the computed perfusion value for the at least one subsection of the patient-specific tissue model.   
     
     
         38 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 37 , further comprising:
 identifying, based on the computed perfusion value, a perfusion deficit in the at least one subsection of the patient-specific tissue model, wherein the generating the treatment recommendation is based on the identified perfusion deficit.   
     
     
         39 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 37 , further comprising:
 conducting an assessment of tissue function based on the computed blood flow or the computed perfusion value.   
     
     
         40 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 39 , wherein the assessment of the tissue function includes an assessment of a risk to the patient relating to electrical activation, arrhythmia, tachycardia, fibrillation, ejection fraction, stroke volume, aortic pressure, fractional shortening, cardiac index, cardiac output, capacity to perform physical activity, cardiac arrest, pain, claudication, or a combination thereof.