Patents by Inventor Rainer Lachner

Rainer Lachner 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: 11741614
    Abstract: Disclosed is a computer-implemented method of determining one or more position and/or orientation parameters of an anatomical structure of a body portion. The anatomical structure has a longitudinal shape defining a longitudinal axis. The method includes generating and/or reading, by a data processing system, volumetric data of at least a portion of a subject. The method further includes generating and/or reading, by the data processing system, a deformable template which provides an estimate for a location of the longitudinal axis in the portion of the subject. The method further includes matching, by the data processing system, the deformable template to the volumetric data, thereby obtaining a matched template. The matching comprises using one or more internal energy functions and one or more external energy functions for optimizing an objective function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: BRAINLAB AG
    Inventors: Rainer Lachner, Katrin Unterlindner
  • Publication number: 20230021299
    Abstract: Disclosed is a computer-implemented method of determining one or more position and/or orientation parameters of an anatomical structure of a body portion. The anatomical structure has a longitudinal shape defining a longitudinal axis. The method includes generating and/or reading, by a data processing system, volumetric data of at least a portion of a subject. The method further includes generating and/or reading, by the data processing system, a deformable template which provides an estimate for a location of the longitudinal axis in the portion of the subject. The method further includes matching, by the data processing system, the deformable template to the volumetric data, thereby obtaining a matched template. The matching comprises using one or more internal energy functions and one or more external energy functions for optimizing an objective function.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2022
    Publication date: January 19, 2023
    Inventors: Rainer Lachner, Katrin Unterlindner
  • Publication number: 20220138980
    Abstract: Disclosed is a computer-implemented method of determining one or more position and/or orientation parameters of an anatomical structure of a body portion. The anatomical structure has a longitudinal shape defining a longitudinal axis. The method includes generating and/or reading, by a data processing system, volumetric data of at least a portion of a subject. The method further includes generating and/or reading, by the data processing system, a deformable template which provides an estimate for a location of the longitudinal axis in the portion of the subject. The method further includes matching, by the data processing system, the deformable template to the volumetric data, thereby obtaining a matched template. The matching comprises using one or more internal energy functions and one or more external energy functions for optimizing an objective function.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2022
    Publication date: May 5, 2022
    Inventors: Rainer Lachner, Katrin Unterlindner
  • Patent number: 11244472
    Abstract: Disclosed is a computer-implemented method of determining one or more position and/or orientation parameters of an anatomical structure of a body portion. The anatomical structure has a longitudinal shape defining a longitudinal axis. The method includes generating and/or reading, by a data processing system, volumetric data of at least a portion of a subject. The method further includes generating and/or reading, by the data processing system, a deformable template which provides an estimate for a location of the longitudinal axis in the portion of the subject. The method further includes matching, by the data processing system, the deformable template to the volumetric data, thereby obtaining a matched template. The matching comprises using one or more internal energy functions and one or more external energy functions for optimizing an objective function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: BRAINLAB AG
    Inventors: Rainer Lachner, Katrin Unterlindner
  • Publication number: 20200372669
    Abstract: Disclosed is a computer-implemented method of determining one or more position and/or orientation parameters of an anatomical structure of a body portion. The anatomical structure has a longitudinal shape defining a longitudinal axis. The method includes generating and/or reading, by a data processing system, volumetric data of at least a portion of a subject. The method further includes generating and/or reading, by the data processing system, a deformable template which provides an estimate for a location of the longitudinal axis in the portion of the subject. The method further includes matching, by the data processing system, the deformable template to the volumetric data, thereby obtaining a matched template. The matching comprises using one or more internal energy functions and one or more external energy functions for optimizing an objective function.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2020
    Publication date: November 26, 2020
    Inventors: Rainer Lachner, Katrin Stedele
  • Patent number: 10610124
    Abstract: A data processing method for determining a path of a neural fibre in a patient, comprising the steps of: a) acquiring an atlas dataset representing an atlas of a fibrous structure comprising the neural fibre b) acquiring a nerve indicating dataset comprising information suitable for identifying the neural fibre in the patient c) calculating a matched atlas dataset by registering the atlas dataset with the nerve indicating dataset d) obtaining a generic path of the neural fibre from the matched atlas dataset e) defining a constraining volume in the patient around the generic path, the constraining volume having at least two end surfaces on which the generic path ends and f) determining the path of the neural fibre between end surfaces using a probabilistic approach, wherein the determined path lies completely within the constraining volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Brainlab AG
    Inventors: Rainer Lachner, Andreas Blumhofer
  • Patent number: 10068351
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for determining a position of a brain sulcus in the brain of a patient, the method comprising executing, on at least one processor of at least one computer, steps of: acquiring, at the at least one processor, patient image data describing a digital medical image of at least part of the brain; acquiring, at the at least one processor, atlas data describing an image-based model of the at least part of the brain; determining, by the at least one processor and based on the patient image data and the atlas data, mapping data describing a transformation between the patient image data and the atlas data; and determining, by the at least one processor and based on the patient image data and the atlas data and the mapping data, sulcus position data describing the position of the brain sulcus in the digital medical image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Brainlab AG
    Inventors: Rainer Lachner, Mona Frommert
  • Patent number: 10062179
    Abstract: 1. A medical data processing method of determining information describing the probable position of a neural fiber in a patient's brain, the method comprising the following steps which are constituted to be executed by a computer: a) acquiring patient-specific medical image data describing the brain of the patient; b) acquiring atlas data defining an image-based model of a human brain; c) determining, based on the patient-specific medical image data and the atlas data, seed region data describing seed regions (A, B) in the patient-specific medical image data in which the ends of neural fibers of the patient's brain may be located; d) determining, based on the patient-specific medical image data and the seed region data, neural fiber tract data describing a plurality of potential tracts (T1, T2, T3) which a specific neural fiber may take through the patient's brain; e) determining, based on the atlas data and the neural fiber tract data, a figure of merit for each one of the potential tracts (T1, T2, T3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: Brainlab AG
    Inventors: Rainer Lachner, Balint Varkuti
  • Patent number: 10056158
    Abstract: A data processing method for determining an enhancing structure of interest within an anatomical body part, wherein the structure of interest exhibits an enhanced signal in an image of the anatomical body part generated by a medical imaging method using a contrast agent, said method being designed to be performed by a computer and comprising a region growing algorithm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: Brainlab AG
    Inventors: Rainer Lachner, Rowena Thomson, Christina von Freyberg
  • Publication number: 20180158547
    Abstract: A data processing method for determining an enhancing structure of interest within an anatomical body part, wherein the structure of interest exhibits an enhanced signal in an image of the anatomical body part generated by a medical imaging method using a contrast agent, said method being designed to be performed by a computer and comprising a region growing algorithm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2017
    Publication date: June 7, 2018
    Inventors: Rainer Lachner, Rowena Thomson, Christina von Freyberg
  • Publication number: 20180108148
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for determining a position of a brain sulcus in the brain of a patient, the method comprising executing, on at least one processor of at least one computer, steps of: acquiring, at the at least one processor, patient image data describing a digital medical image of at least part of the brain; acquiring, at the at least one processor, atlas data describing an image-based model of the at least part of the brain; determining, by the at least one processor and based on the patient image data and the atlas data, mapping data describing a transformation between the patient image data and the atlas data; and determining, by the at least one processor and based on the patient image data and the atlas data and the mapping data, sulcus position data describing the position of the brain sulcus in the digital medical image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2016
    Publication date: April 19, 2018
    Inventors: Rainer LACHNER, Mona FROMMERT
  • Publication number: 20180018790
    Abstract: 1. A medical data processing method of determining information describing the probable position of a neural fibre in a patient's brain, the method comprising the following steps which are constituted to be executed by a computer: a) acquiring patient-specific medical image data describing the brain of the patient; b) acquiring atlas data defining an image-based model of a human brain; c) determining, based on the patient-specific medical image data and the atlas data, seed region data describing seed regions (A, B) in the patient-specific medical image data in which the ends of neural fibres of the patient's brain may be located; d) determining, based on the patient-specific medical image data and the seed region data, neural fibre tract data describing a plurality of potential tracts (T1, T2, T3) which a specific neural fibre may take through the patient's brain; e) determining, based on the atlas data and the neural fibre tract data, a figure of merit for each one of the potential tracts (T1, T2, T3).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2014
    Publication date: January 18, 2018
    Inventors: Rainer LACHNER, Balint VARKUTI
  • Patent number: 9865057
    Abstract: A medical data processing method of determining a virtual image (2) of a part of a patient's body (4), the method being constituted to be executed by a computer and comprising the following steps: a) acquiring (S1) patient image data describing at least two two-dimensional patient images (1) of anatomical body parts (3) of the patient's body (4); b) acquiring (S2) atlas data describing a general structure (5) of at least part of the patient's body comprising correspondence parts corresponding to the anatomical body parts (3); c) acquiring correspondence part position data describing the positions of the correspondence parts in the general structure (5); determining (S4.1, S4.2, S4.3), based on the patient image data and the atlas data and the correspondence part position data, virtual image data describing a two-dimensional virtual image (2) of a part (21, 22) of the general structure (5) having a position in the general structure (5) which lies between the positions of the correspondence parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Brainlab AG
    Inventors: Rainer Lachner, Bálint Varkuti, Andreas Blumhofer
  • Patent number: 9858674
    Abstract: A data processing method for determining an enhancing structure of interest within an anatomical body part, wherein the structure of interest exhibits an enhanced signal in an image of the anatomical body part generated by a medical imaging method using a contrast agent, said method being designed to be performed by a computer and comprising a region growing algorithm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Brainlab AG
    Inventors: Rainer Lachner, Rowena Thomson, Christina Sladky
  • Patent number: 9740946
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a medical data processing method for identifying an entity of the nervous system, in particular the brain, of a patient, wherein the method is designed to be executed by a computer and comprises the following steps: a) acquiring target connectivity data comprising target connectivity information about the probability of a target entity being connected to other entities of the nervous system; b) acquiring candidate connectivity data comprising candidate connectivity information about the probability of at least one candidate entity being connected to other entities of the nervous system; and c) determining similarity data for each of the at least one candidate entities on the basis of the candidate connectivity data and the target connectivity data, wherein the similarity data comprise similarity information about the similarity between the candidate entity and the target entity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: Brainlab AG
    Inventors: Bálint Varkuti, Rainer Lachner
  • Patent number: 9679373
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for correcting MRI image distortion, in which a distortion correction procedure is carried out on an acquired MRI image data set (1) of a body region by graphical data processing, characterized in that: —after the MRI image data set (1) has been acquired, its distortion is determined by carrying out an image registration process for registering the acquired MRI image data set (1) to a previously available, less distorted or undistorted image data set (2) of substantially the same body region; —a transformation is determined from the image registration process; and —by applying the transformation to the MRI image data set (1), its distortion is corrected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Brainlab AG
    Inventors: Stefan Vilsmeier, Rainer Lachner
  • Patent number: 9560291
    Abstract: A system and method of determining a measure of accuracy of a registration mapping combining data indicative of spatial positions in a three-dimensional operating space and imaging data acquired with an imaging device located in a position and orientation in operating space is provided. A phantom is brought into a first pose, wherein the phantom is at least in partial view of the imaging device located in a second pose, the phantom comprising a marker assembly that can be imaged by the imaging device. Image data of the marker assembly of the phantom is acquired with the imaging device in the second pose. Imaged markers in the acquired image data of the marker assembly are located, and mapped markers are obtained by submitting spatial positions of the markers in the marker assembly of the phantom in the first pose to the registration mapping using the second pose as the imaging pose.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Brainlab AG
    Inventors: Manfred Weiser, Rainer Lachner
  • Publication number: 20160300359
    Abstract: A data processing method for determining an enhancing structure of interest within an anatomical body part, wherein the structure of interest exhibits an enhanced signal in an image of the anatomical body part generated by a medical imaging method using a contrast agent, said method being designed to be performed by a computer and comprising a region growing algorithm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2013
    Publication date: October 13, 2016
    Applicant: Brainlab AG
    Inventors: Rainer Lachner, Rowena Thomson, Christina Sladky
  • Patent number: 9449383
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a data processing method for providing variation data which describe a physically-varying anatomical structure, in particular an indiscernible anatomical structure, in particular a non-enhancing tumor, comprising the steps of: providing second image data which describe a second image of a region of an anatomical body, wherein the region includes a second anatomical part which includes the physically-varying anatomical structure; providing first image data which represent a first image of the same region, wherein said same region includes a first anatomical part which does not include the physically-varying anatomical structure or which includes the physically-varying anatomical structure in a different physical state than in the second anatomical part; providing position change data which describe positional changes of corresponding image elements between the first image and the second image, on the basis of the first and second image data; and providing the variation data on
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Brainlab AG
    Inventors: Rowena Thomson, Stephan Mittermeyer, Rainer Lachner
  • Publication number: 20160232655
    Abstract: A medical data processing method of determining a virtual image (2) of a part of a patient's body (4), the method being constituted to be executed by a computer and comprising the following steps: a) acquiring (S1) patient image data describing at least two two-dimensional patient images (1) of anatomical body parts (3) of the patient's body (4); b) acquiring (S2) atlas data describing a general structure (5) of at least part of the patient's body comprising correspondence parts corresponding to the anatomical body parts (3); c) acquiring correspondence part position data describing the positions of the correspondence parts in the general structure (5); determining (S4.1, S4.2, S4.3), based on the patient image data and the atlas data and the correspondence part position data, virtual image data describing a two-dimensional virtual image (2) of a part (21, 22) of the general structure (5) having a position in the general structure (5) which lies between the positions of the correspondence parts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Publication date: August 11, 2016
    Inventors: Rainer Lachner, Bálint Varkuti, Andreas Blumhofer