Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
DETAILED ACTION
INFORMATION DISCLOSURE STATEMENT
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 01/12/2024 & 08/08/2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
ALLOWABLE SUBJECT MATTER
Claims 2, 14-15 & 17-19 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
CLAIM REJECTIONS - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102 of this title, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1, 3-6, 8-13 & 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
NATANZON (Japanese Publication 09133771) in view of Kadrams et al. (U.S. Publication 2008/0230703)
As to claims 1, 9 & 16, NATANZON discloses performing a first image registration of a first positron emission tomography (PET) image volume to a second PET image volume ([0011] discloses a method for matching two STET images captured at different times. The two respective SPTCT images are registered. The two STET images are automatically aligned.)
performing a second image registration of the second PET image volume to a computed tomography (CT) angiography image volume ([0011] discloses STET image 6 which is aligned with a structural image such as an X-ray CT image 70. The diagnostic image are aligned. Examiner submits “CT angiography image volume” is a type of CT volume; Examiner submits “X-ray CT image” corresponds to CT/CTA structural imaging for registration purposes.), wherein the CT angiography image volume is acquired of the patient independently of the first and second PET image volumes ([0022] discloses transmitted image can be registered with the emission image, even if they were not captured simultaneously); defining a first deformation field based on the first image registration and a second deformation field based on the second image registration ([0011] discloses the complete X-ray CT image can be displayed in conjunction with the transformed STET image; Advanced methods of correlation including warping can be applied.); combining the first and second deformation fields into a combined deformation field ([0011] discloses mapping between the first SPECT image and the structural diagnostic image results in the essential alignment between the two SPECT images and the matching between the second SPECT image and the structural diagnostic image.); generating a new image volume based on the combined deformation field ([0011] discloses mapping can be used to transform one image and overlay it on another.); and outputting the new image volume for display on a display device ([0022] discloses the processed image is displayed on the display 29).
NATANZON is silent to wherein the first PET image volume is acquired of a patient injected with a first radiotracer and the second PET image volume is acquired of the patient during transit of a second radiotracer while a time delay between acquisition of the first and second PET image volumes is shorter than a clearance time of the first radiotracer from the patient.
However, Kadrams discloses wherein the first PET image volume is acquired of a patient injected with a first radiotracer ([0104] discloses data as the sum of activity from two injections. [0090] discloses dynamic PET is performed continuously while injections are administered at the scan start.) and the second PET image volume is acquired of the patient during transit of a second radiotracer ([0090] discloses a second injection “a short time later (e.g. 10 min.) [0116] discloses in the first 1-2 min following each injection, a sharp peak arising from the blood component.) while a time delay between acquisition of the first and second PET image volumes is shorter than a clearance time of the first radiotracer from the patient ([0090] discloses contrasting a waiting period of about of an hour between scans to allow for radioactive decay. [0109] discloses residual activity from the rest injection overlaps with the activity from the stress injection during from 10 to 20 mins).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing to modify NATANZON’s disclosure to include the above limitations in order to
Enable NATANZON’s registration/overlay output to be generated for rapid sequential (overlapping) tracer PET datasets thereby providing co-registered multi-timepoint (or rest/stress) PET information with CT/CTA structural context for improved integrated display and interpretation.
As to claim 3, NATANZON in view of Kadrams discloses everything as disclosed in claim 1 but is silent to wherein the second radiotracer is administered while the patient remains within the PET imaging system following acquisition of the first PET image volume.
However, Kadrams discloses wherein the second radiotracer is administered while the patient remains within the PET imaging system following acquisition of the first PET image volume. ([0090 discloses after the patient is positioned in the scanner; Dynamic PET is performed continuously while injections are administered. Injections are administered at the scan start and a short time later.])
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing to modify NATANZON in view of Kadrams’s disclosure to include the above limitations in order to reduce motion artifacts and improve co-registration.
As to claim 4, NATANZON in view of Kadrams discloses everything as disclosed in claim 1. In addition, NATANZON discloses wherein registering the first PET image volume to the second PET image volume comprises registering uptake patterns from the first PET image volume to corresponding patterns in the second PET image volume. ([0011] discloses aligning/matching two functional nuclear medicine images captured at different times.)
As to claim 5, NATANZON in view of Kadrams discloses everything as disclosed in claim 1. In addition, NATANZON in view of Kadrams discloses wherein registering the second PET image volume to the CT angiography image volume comprises registering vascular structures from the second PET image volume to corresponding structures in the CT angiography image volume. (Natanzon discloses aligning an emission nuclear medicine image with a structural CT image [0011]. Kadrams [0116] discloses key “vascular structures” hook during bolus transit: in the first 1-2 minutes after injection there’s a sharp peak from the blood component.)
As to claim 6, NATANZON in view of Kadrams discloses everything as disclosed in claim 1. In addition, Kadrams discloses combining the first and second deformation fields to generate the final registered image volume. (See Claim 1 Rejection)
As to claim 8, NATANZON in view of Kadrams discloses everything as disclosed in claim 1. In addition, Kadrams discloses wherein the second radiotracer is one of F18-fluorodeoxyglucose, F18-sodium fluoride, F18-fluorodeoxyglucose, F18-Flurpiridaz, O15-H2O, Rubidium-82, and N13-Ammonia ([0087] discloses tracers such as ‘O-water, N-ammonia or Rubidium’. Also see glucose metabolism, F-fluorodeoxyglucose).
As to claim 10, NATANZON in view of Kadrams discloses everything as disclosed in claim 9. In addition, NATANZON discloses wherein performing the first registration comprises generating a first deformation field and performing the second registration comprises generating a second deformation field. ([0011] discloses mapping/warping/complex correlations as the registration output.)
As to claim 11, NATANZON in view of Kadrams discloses everything as disclosed in claim 9. In addition, NATANZON discloses wherein combining the first and second registrations comprises combining the first and second deformation fields into a combined deformation field and applying the combined deformation field to the first PET image volume. ([0011] discloses registration produces a mapping; mappings can be composed; and “transform one image and overlay it on another”)
As to claim 12, NATANZON in view of Kadrams discloses everything as disclosed in claim 9. In addition, Kadrams discloses wherein the first PET image volume is acquired a predetermined duration after administration of the first radiotracer. ([0090] discloses dynamic PET is performed continuously while injections are administered at the scan start.)
As to claim 13, NATANZON in view of Kadrams discloses everything as disclosed in claim 9. In addition, Kadrams discloses wherein the second PET image volume is acquired during transit of a bolus of the second radiotracer ([0090] discloses dynamic PET is performed continuously while injections are administered. [0095] discloses Tracer administered intravenously over 20-30 seconds.).
Claims 7 & 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
NATANZON (Japanese Publication 09133771) in view of Kadrams et al. (U.S. Publication 2008/0230703) as applied in claim 1, above further in view of Economides et al. (U.S. Publication 2021/0253685)
As to claim 7, NATANZON in view of Kadrams discloses everything as disclosed in claim 1 but is silent to wherein the first radiotracer is F18-sodium fluoride.
However, Economides discloses wherein the first radiotracer is F18-sodium fluoride. ([0020] discloses PET scan analysis performed by administering radiolabeled sub 18F sodium fluoride to the human subject. )
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing to modify NATANZON in view of Kadrams’s disclosure to include the above limitations in order to implement the same registration/overlay pipeline using a known clinically used tracer option.
As to claim 20, NATANZON in view of Kadrams discloses everything as disclosed in claim 16. In addition, Kadrams discloses second radiotracer is one of F18-sodium fluoride, F18-fluorodeoxyglucose ([0145] discloses one or more of the tracers used for cancer imagining comprise FDG.), F18-Flurpiridaz, O15-H2O ([0087]), Rubidium-82, and N13-Ammonia ([0087, 0090]).
NATANZON in view of Kadrams is silent to wherein the first radiotracer is one of F18-sodium fluoride, Ga68-DOTATATE, Cu64-DOTATATE, C11-choline.
However, Economides discloses wherein the first radiotracer is one of F18-sodium fluoride, Ga68-DOTATATE, Cu64-DOTATATE, C11-choline. ([0020, 0046] discloses PET analysis by administering 18F-NaF. [0046] discloses PET Scan analysis is performed by administration of radiolabeled 18F sodium Fluoride.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing to modify NATANZON in view of Kadrams’s disclosure to include the above limitations in order to PET imaging using an established tracer that is suitable for evaluating lesion activity/mineralization in the relevant imaging context.
CONCLUSION
No prior art has been found for claims 2, 14-15 & 17-19 in their current form.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Stephen P Coleman whose telephone number is (571)270-5931. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 8AM-5PM.
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Stephen P. Coleman
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2675
/STEPHEN P COLEMAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2675