SBIR-STTR Award

The major objective of this proposal is to develop a novel 3D technology to reconstruct the 3D gastrointestinal images captured by video capsule endoscopes. The reconstructed 3D shape can help physicians locate the position of an intestinal lesion and measure its volume. Video capsule endoscopy is a new technology which revolutionizes the diagnosis of small intestinal diseases. Conventional endoscopy tests, such as gastroscopy and colonoscopy, are effective for the upper or lower digestive tract, but achieve very limited success in the 20 feet of small intestine where endoscopic instruments are hard to control and manipulate. Although this new technology brings endoscopic imaging into a new era, technical improvements are still needed for further clinical applications. Discussions held with our collaborators at the Division of Gastroenterology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles indicated that the current system for viewing video capsule images needs further improvement. Examples include the lengthy viewing time to analyze the video, difficulty in identifying the location of the findings, and the lack of ways to quantitatively identify the size of the lesion. To overcome these problems, we propose to develop a novel 3D technology called SuperSD which includes three parts: 1) a quick structure from motion technology (SFM) to construct the 3D shape of the intestinal canal from video sequences captured by video capsules; 2) a set of post-processing software tools, including 3D mosaic, 3D compression and visualization which will facilitate the storage and measurement of the reconstructed 3D shape; and 3) a simulation platform which can quantitatively evaluate the accuracy of our algorithm. We will leverage our over ten years experience with 3D imaging to handle these unique challenges in video capsule images.

Thesaurus Terms:
computer simulation, endoscopy, gastrointestinal imaging /visualization, miniature biomedical equipment, technology /technique development, three dimensional imaging /topography, video recording system computer program /software, computer system design /evaluation, diagnosis design /evaluation, diagnostic test, gastrointestinal disorder diagnosis, image processing, intestine disorder, small intestine bioengineering /biomedical engineering, bioimaging /biomedical imaging

The goal of this project is to develop a novel 2D/3D hybrid software system and technology for detection of abnormalities from capsule endoscopic images. Adding 3D information to 2D gastrointestinal images will help clinicians to perceive the size and shape of diseased areas aiding more accurate diagnosis. Capsule endoscopy is a recent trend and is generating growing interest among manufacturers and medical practitioners. However, no 3D or 2D/3D combined image analysis tools have been developed to further the advantages of this technique. The advantages of the proposed novel 2D/3D hybrid technology include "" Mutually augmented 2D/3D algorithms enabling faster and more reliable analysis of capsule images; "" Rapid 3D reconstruction from 2D capsule images using improved shape from shading approach and 3D fly-through modeling using 3D registration; "" Automated classification and detection algorithms to segment the video into different anatomic sections and detect ulcers, bleeding, and other abnormalities in less time; "" Interactive graphical user interface and 2D/3D visualization capability; "" Modular and open software design architecture. According to Given Imaging Ltd., more than 820,000 patients worldwide have gone through capsule endoscopy procedure using their PillCam capsules. Capsule endoscopy is a rapidly-growing million-dollar market. The 2D/3D hybrid software system developed under this SBIR project will be the first software tool that utilizes both 2D and 3D information to rapidly and accurately diagnose abnormalities from capsule endoscopic images. The commercialization potential of the proposed system and technology is significant.

Public Health Relevance:
The research of this SBIR project will result in an exciting new 2D/3D hybrid technique and software system that significantly reduces the assessment time and increases the detection accuracy in video capsule based endoscopy. The proposed approach will help doctors to perceive anatomical landmarks and the color, shape and size of lesions, polyps and other abnormalities in patient's gastrointestinal tract and to more accurately diagnose the severity of the disease. As the first company to provide both 2D and 3D solutions for capsule endoscopic imaging, we believe that the market potential of our product is significant.

Thesaurus Terms:
2-Dimensional; 3-D Analysis; 3-Dimensional Analysis; 3d Analysis; 3d Image; 3d Modeling; Abdomen; Abdominal; Affect; Algorithms; Alimentary Canal; Anatomic; Anatomical Sciences; Anatomy; Architecture; Area; Back; Bleeding; Caps; Capsules; Classification; Clinic; Clinical Trials; Clinical Trials, Unspecified; Cola; Collaborations; Color; Communities; Computer Programs; Computer Software Tools; Computer Work Stations; Computer Workstations; Computer Software; Constriction, Pathologic; Constriction, Pathological; Crohn's Disease; Crohn's Disorder; Cues; Data; Decision Making; Descriptor; Designing Computer Software; Detection; Devices; Diagnosis; Digestive Tract; Dorsum; Endoscopy; Engineering / Architecture; Enteritis, Granulomatous; Esophagus; Flies; Foundations; Gi Tract; Gastrointestinal Tract; Gastrointestinal Tract, Esophagus; Gastrointestinal Tract, Small Intestine; Gastrointestinal Tract Structure; Genus Cola; Goals; Graphical Interface; Hand; Hemorrhage; Housing; Hybrids; Image; Image Analyses; Image Analysis; Imagery; Images, 3-D; Imaging Procedures; Imaging Techniques; Intestinal; Intestines; Intestines, Small; Lead; Lesion; Manufacturer; Manufacturer Name; Marketing; Medical; Methods; Methods And Techniques; Methods, Other; Modeling; Motion; Movement; Operation; Operative Procedures; Operative Surgical Procedures; Output; Patients; Pb Element; Performance; Phase; Polyps; Preparation; Procedures; Process; Programs (Pt); Programs [publication Type]; Roc Analysis; Radioactive; Reporting; Research; Residual; Residual State; Sbir; Sbirs (R43/44); Science Of Anatomy; Severity Of Illness; Shapes; Small Business Innovation Research; Small Business Innovation Research Grant; Small Intestines; Software; Software Design; Software Tools; Solutions; Stenosis; Stomach; Structure; Surgical; Surgical Interventions; Surgical Procedure; System; System, Loinc Axis 4; Systematics; Technics, Imaging; Techniques; Technology; Testing; Three-Dimensional Image; Three-Dimensional Analysis; Time; Tools, Software; Ulcn; Ulcer; Ulceration; Visualization; Alimentary Tract; Anatomy; Base; Blood Loss; Body Movement; Bowel; Capsule (Pharmacologic); Clinical Investigation; Commercialization; Computer Program/Software; Cost; Digestive Canal; Disease Severity; Eleocolitis; Experience; Feeding; Fly; Gastric; Gastrointestinal; Gastrointestinal Imaging; Granulomatous Enterocolitis; Graphic User Interface; Graphical User Interface; Heavy Metal Pb; Heavy Metal Lead; Image Evaluation; Imaging; Improved; Interest; Meetings; Novel; Programs; Public Health Relevance; Reconstruction; Regional Enteritis; Scale Up; Small Bowel; Software Systems; Surgery; Three-Dimensional Modeling; Tool; Trend; Tumor; Two-Dimensional; User-Friendly