Patents by Inventor Melissa Vass

Melissa Vass has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7996063
    Abstract: A system and method for a medical intervention procedure within a cardiac chamber having an imaging system to obtain image data of the cardiac chamber and to create a 3D model from that image data, an interventional system to register the 3D model with a real-time image of the cardiac chamber and to display the 3D model, and an interventional tool positioned in the cardiac chamber to be displayed upon the interventional system and to be navigated in real-time over the registered 3D model. Preferably, the method and system also includes a storage medium to store the 3D model and wherein the interventional system receives the stored 3D model to register with the real-time image of the cardiac chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignees: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Melissa Vass, Jasbir S. Sra
  • Publication number: 20100268068
    Abstract: A system and method for a medical intervention procedure within a cardiac chamber having an imaging system to obtain image data of the cardiac chamber and to create a 3D model from that image data, an interventional system to register the 3D model with a real-time image of the cardiac chamber and to display the 3D model, and an interventional tool positioned in the cardiac chamber to be displayed upon the interventional system and to be navigated in real-time over the registered 3D model. Preferably, the method and system also includes a storage medium to store the 3D model and wherein the interventional system receives the stored 3D model to register with the real-time image of the cardiac chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2010
    Publication date: October 21, 2010
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Melissa Vass, Jasbir S. Sra
  • Patent number: 7813785
    Abstract: A method for planning minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass (MIDCAB) for a patient includes obtaining acquisition data from a medical imaging system, and generating a 3D model of the coronary arteries and one or more cardiac chambers of interest. One or more anatomical landmarks are identified on the 3D model, and saved views of the 3D model are registered on an interventional system. One or more of the registered saved views are visualized with the interventional system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignees: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Darin R. Okerlund, Jasbir S. Sra, Laurent Launay, Melissa Vass
  • Patent number: 7778686
    Abstract: A system and method for a medical intervention procedure within a cardiac chamber having an imaging system to obtain image data of the cardiac chamber and to create a 3D model from that image data, an interventional system to register the 3D model with a real-time image of the cardiac chamber and to display the 3D model, and an interventional tool positioned in the cardiac chamber to be displayed upon the interventional system and to be navigated in real-time over the registered 3D model. Preferably, the method and system also includes a storage medium to store the 3D model and wherein the interventional system receives the stored 3D model to register with the real-time image of the cardiac chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignees: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Melissa Vass, Jasbir S. Sra
  • Publication number: 20090141856
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and system of controlling rotation of a gantry to rotate at a rotational speed such that a desired relationship between center projection angles of neighboring partial scans is maintained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2009
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Inventors: Jiang Hsieh, Jianying Li, John H. Londt, Melissa Vass, Darin R. Okerlund, Bernice Hoppel
  • Patent number: 7499743
    Abstract: A method for registration of cardiac image data in an interventional system includes inserting a first plurality of fiducial points on an acquired 3D anatomical image and exporting the 3D anatomical image, with the first plurality of inserted fiducial points thereon, to an interventional system. A second plurality of fiducial points is inserted on the exported 3D anatomical image using the interventional system, and the first and said second plurality of fiducial points are aligned to one another so as to register the exported 3D anatomical image with the interventional system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Assignees: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Melissa Vass, Jasbir S. Sra, Darin R. Okerlund
  • Publication number: 20080063137
    Abstract: A CT imaging system includes a gantry and a table in a movable relationship with the gantry. The CT imaging system also includes a controller configured to control relative movement between a subject disposed on the table and the gantry from a first data acquisition position to a second data acquisition position. The controller is also configured to determine a total scan time based on a first time for acquiring imaging data at the first data acquisition position and a second time for transitioning from the first data acquisition position to the second data acquisition position. The controller is also configured to disable data acquisition in an immediately subsequent cardiac cycle and re-enable data acquisition in the cardiac cycle following the immediately subsequent cardiac cycle if the total scan time exceeds one cardiac cycle of the subject. A method of CT imaging is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2007
    Publication date: March 13, 2008
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Jiang Hsieh, Jianying Li, Melissa Vass, Xiangyang Tang, Darin Okerlund, Bernice Hoppel, Kelly Mohr, John Londt
  • Publication number: 20080049890
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and system of controlling rotation of a gantry to rotate at a rotational speed such that a desired relationship between center projection angles of neighboring partial scans is maintained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2007
    Publication date: February 28, 2008
    Inventors: Jiang Hsieh, Jianying Li, John Londt, Melissa Vass, Darin Okerlund, Bernice Hoppel
  • Patent number: 7313213
    Abstract: A CT imaging system has a rotatable gantry, a table movable fore and aft through an opening defined within the rotatable gantry, and a controller that incrementally moves a subject disposed on the table through a number of discrete data acquisition positions for the acquisition of physiologically gated CT data. The controller also coordinates acquisition of imaging data from the subject at a first data acquisition position within a physiological cycle of the subject and only advances the subject to a next data acquisition position if the imaging data acquired at the first data acquisition position is deemed acceptable. The controller also detects irregularities and physiological motion of the subject and responsive thereto, suspends data acquisition until the irregularity passes, such as, suspending data acquisition until a next cardiac cycle if a heart arrhythmia is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jiang Hsieh, Jianying Li, John H. Londt, Melissa Vass, Darin R. Okerlund, Bernice Hoppel
  • Patent number: 7313215
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and system of controlling rotation of a gantry to rotate at a rotational speed such that a desired relationship between center projection angles of neighboring partial scans is maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jiang Hsieh, Jianying Li, John H. Londt, Melissa Vass, Darin R. Okerlund, Bernice Hoppel
  • Publication number: 20070140535
    Abstract: A method for combining images acquired using helical half-scan imaging comprises identifying an image plane within an overlap region comprising data from first and second view streams representative of first and second cycles of acquired image data. The image plane comprises the same anatomical structure. First and second weighting functions are calculated for first and second images based on first and second tube positions of an x-ray tube. The first and second images correspond to the image plane and are from the first and second view streams, respectively. The first and second tube positions also correspond to the image plane. A weighted image is then formed based on the first and second weighting functions and the first and second images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2005
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Inventors: Jianying Li, Jiang Hsieh, Melissa Vass, Xiangyang Tang, John Londt, Darin Okerlund
  • Publication number: 20070127797
    Abstract: Methods and systems for generating computed tomographic (CT) images from image data acquired during different biological cycles are provided. A computer is programmed to receive a plurality of scan data acquired during a gated acquisition window of each of a plurality of biological cycles, blend the scan data acquired during a first of the plurality of biological cycles with the scan data acquired during a second of the plurality of biological cycles, and construct a final image from the blended data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2005
    Publication date: June 7, 2007
    Inventors: Elisabeth Angelos, Sandeep Dutta, Jianying Li, John Londt, Melissa Vass, Xiangyang Tang, Darin Okerlund, Jiang Hsieh
  • Publication number: 20060274878
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and system of controlling rotation of a gantry to rotate at a rotational speed such that a desired relationship between center projection angles of neighboring partial scans is maintained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2005
    Publication date: December 7, 2006
    Inventors: Jiang Hsieh, Jianying Li, John Londt, Melissa Vass, Darin Okerlund, Bernice Hoppel
  • Publication number: 20060264749
    Abstract: A method for operating a plurality of user interfaces coupled to a plurality of medical devices through a communication network is provided. The method includes performing medical diagnostics on a patient using at least two of the plurality of medical devices, wherein the user interface is configured to control the at least two of the plurality of medical devices, and displaying a result of the medical diagnostics on at least one of the plurality of user interfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2005
    Publication date: November 23, 2006
    Inventors: Allison Weiner, Robert Senzig, Steve Woloschek, Amanta Mazumdar, Regan Fields, John Londt, Melissa Vass, Joe Hogan, Rick Avila, Anne Conry
  • Publication number: 20060079746
    Abstract: A method for analyzing tissue classes along a tubular structure defined by voxels is disclosed. A tubular shaped region of interest (ROI) is constructed along a predetermined centerline of the tubular structure according to the following: at least one point is defined along the centerline to define the extremities of the ROI; a diameter corresponding to the ROI is defined and/or computed; contiguous unit volumes are applied along the centerline between the extremities of the ROI; a first volume is computed by the union of the unit volumes; and, a final volume of the ROI is defined as the connex part of the first volume that contains the middle of the tubular structure. The final volume is then analyzed with respect to tissue classes present therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2005
    Publication date: April 13, 2006
    Inventors: Florence Perret, Laurent Launay, Melissa Vass, Kelly Mohr, Amy Broadie
  • Publication number: 20060062485
    Abstract: A method and system for filtering medical images is described. The described method of filtering medical images includes receiving image data including a plurality of images from an image scan, determining a number of interpolation elements based on a slice thickness of the plurality of images, and filtering the image data using the determined interpolation elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2004
    Publication date: March 23, 2006
    Inventors: Jianying Li, Jiang Hsieh, Xiangyang Tang, Darin Okerlund, Melissa Vass, Kelly Mohr
  • Publication number: 20050197568
    Abstract: A method for registration of cardiac image data in an interventional system includes inserting a first plurality of fiducial points on an acquired 3D anatomical image and exporting the 3D anatomical image, with the first plurality of inserted fiducial points thereon, to an interventional system. A second plurality of fiducial points is inserted on the exported 3D anatomical image using the interventional system, and the first and said second plurality of fiducial points are aligned to one another so as to register the exported 3D anatomical image with the interventional system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2004
    Publication date: September 8, 2005
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Melissa Vass, Jasbir Sra, Darin Okerlund
  • Publication number: 20050169420
    Abstract: A method for computing volumetric perfusion using a computed tomography imaging (CT) system is presented. The method includes irradiating a spatially dynamic object within a field of view of the computed tomography imaging system for requisite view angle positions of the gantry. Furthermore, the method includes operating the computed tomography imaging system in a continuous data acquisition mode to acquire projection data representative of the spatially dynamic object. In addition, the method includes processing the projection data to generate time-resolved projection data. Reconstructions are generated using the time-resolved projection data. Additionally, the method includes computing the volumetric perfusion in the spatially dynamic object using the reconstructed data. Computer-readable medium that afford functionality of the type defined by this method is also contemplated in conjunction with the present technique.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2005
    Publication date: August 4, 2005
    Inventors: Peter Edic, Melissa Vass, Anne Conry
  • Publication number: 20050096523
    Abstract: A method for assisting the planning of an interventional biventricular pacing procedure includes segmenting an image dataset of a heart of a patient to extract a surface of a left ventricle (LV) and a LV myocardium of the patient's heart, utilizing the segmented image dataset to divide the LV into myocardial segments or into a plurality of short axis slices, and detecting wall motion of each short axis slice of phases of a cardiac cycle of the patient's heart with respect to a reference phase. The method also includes localizing a region most recently attaining maximum displacement and a region most recently attaining maximum velocity, and generating 2D or 3D renderings including renderings indicating at least one of time delays of contraction, a maximum displacement, or a maximum velocity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2004
    Publication date: May 5, 2005
    Inventors: Melissa Vass, Darin Okerlund, Laurent Launay, Jasbir Sra
  • Publication number: 20050080328
    Abstract: A system and method for a medical intervention procedure within a cardiac chamber having an imaging system to obtain image data of the cardiac chamber and to create a 3D model from that image data, an interventional system to register the 3D model with a real-time image of the cardiac chamber and to display the 3D model, and an interventional tool positioned in the cardiac chamber to be displayed upon the interventional system and to be navigated in real-time over the registered 3D model. Preferably, the method and system also includes a storage medium to store the 3D model and wherein the interventional system receives the stored 3D model to register with the real-time image of the cardiac chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2004
    Publication date: April 14, 2005
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Melissa Vass, Jasbir Sra