DETAILED ACTION
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 .
This communication is in response to the Application No. 18/654,438 filed 05/03/2024. Claims 1-14 are pending.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers submitted under 35. U.S.C 119(a)-(d), which papers have been placed of record in the file.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement(s) (IDS) submitted on 05/03/2024 has been entered and considered. Initialed copies of the PTO-1449 by the examiner are attached.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-4, 9-10 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Matsumaru et al. (US 20250000438 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Matsumaru discloses a medical image processing apparatus comprising: processing circuitry configured (“CPU 11” Matsumaru, [0041], Fig. 4) to obtain activity position data related to positions of a plurality of activity regions that bring a site of an examined subject into an activity (“identification of a site (hereinafter referred to as a first site DP.) that is a target from which an electric signal is to be detected in the brain tissue... a site corresponding to the first site DP described above, that is, a site (hereinafter referred to as a second site CP.) that is suitable for a device to be disposed in the blood vessel, among the blood vessels, to detect an electric signal from the first site DP” Matsumaru, [0026]) and a blood vessel image rendering a three-dimensional blood vessel related to the plurality of activity regions (“brain tissue image BI and a blood vessel image VI are three-dimensional images” Matsumaru, [0061]); to perform a registration between the activity position data and the blood vessel image (“the piece of data of the brain tissue and the piece of data of the blood vessels to be overlapped with each other to generate a synthesized image FI” Matsumaru, [0061]; i.e., the piece of data of the brain tissue, here referred to as brain tissue image BI, includes brain activity area such that “the brain tissue image BI is an image acquired by utilizing a nuclear magnetic resonance phenomenon” and indicates “biological tissue that generates an electric signal and a blood vessel image” Matsumaru, [0023]-[0024]); and to calculate a positional relationship between at least one of the plurality of activity regions and the blood vessel, on a basis of a result of the registration (“when a brain tissue image BI and a blood vessel image VI are three-dimensional images, the association unit 34 may associate the brain tissue image BI and the blood vessel image VI with each other in positional relationship based on their positions of centers of gravity and cross-sectional directions, respectively” Matsumaru, [0046]), and to cause a display to display (“the server 1 performs two types of display in accordance with a setting of a position identification mode (a predetermined mode)... display the brain tissue image BI and the blood vessel image VI in an overlapped manner (in a synthesized manner), as a synthesized image FI (a third image)” Matsumaru, [0026]), on a basis of the positional relationship, information about positioning a device capable of receiving (“the brain tissue image BI and the blood vessel image VI or the synthesized image FI displayed on the terminal 2 to confirm a position (a position in the blood vessel) in which an intravascular device (not illustrated, an epilepsy diagnosis device) is to be disposed” Matsumaru, [0027]), within the blood vessel of the examined subject, electrical signals from the activity regions (“The intravascular device is inserted into a brain blood vessel via a catheter used for a medical operation in the brain blood vessel. The intravascular device is disposed in a blood vessel in an organism, and includes at least one electrode for detecting activity in a part of the biological tissue, which is positioned near and outside the blood vessel. The intravascular device is fixed at a predetermined position in a blood vessel to make it possible to stably measure brain waves.” Matsumaru, [0028]).
Regarding claim 2, Matsumaru discloses the medical image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry causes the display to display the activity position data and the information about the positioning of the device so as to be superimposed on the blood vessel image (“an angio image AI (a real-time image and a fourth image) acquired with a blood vessel contrast-imaging examination AM (angiography) to be displayed on the display unit of the terminal 2 or another display machine (for example, an external display machine 3 illustrated in FIG. 1), refers to the angio image AI, and delivers the intravascular device into the brain blood vessel in the patient PT. Specifically, the medical doctor DC disposes the intravascular device at the second site CP displayed on the terminal 2, uses the intravascular device that is placed, and performs detection of an electric signal from the first site DP... the angio image AI is an image indicating a position of an intravascular device together with blood streams. For example, a position indicated by a symbol VD in the angio image AI illustrated in FIG. 1 represents a current position (for example, a position of a tip) of the intravascular device in the blood vessel” Matsumaru, [0027]; Fig. 1 “VD”).
Regarding claim 3, Matsumaru discloses the medical image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, on the basis of the result of the registration, the processing circuitry is configured to calculate a shortest distance between one of the plurality of activity regions and the blood vessel, as the positional relationship (“The position identification unit 33 (an identification unit) identifies a second site CP corresponding to the first site DP described above on the blood vessel image VI. Note herein that a first site DP is a site in the brain tissue, and a second site CP is a site corresponding to the first site DP in a blood vessel (a stream). It is desirable that a second site CP be a site in a blood stream, which lies at a shortest distance (for example, an Euclidean distance) to the first site DP in the brain tissue... when a brain tissue image BI and a blood vessel image VI are three-dimensional images, for example, the position identification unit 33 may perform matching in positional relationship between the brain tissue image BI and the blood vessel image VI based on their positions of centers of gravity and cross-sectional directions, respectively, to identify a second site CP corresponding to a first site DP” Matsumaru, [0044]).
Regarding claim 4, Matsumaru discloses the medical image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to calculate a center-of-gravity position of activity amounts in the plurality of activity regions, on a basis of an activity amount of each of a plurality of voxels in each of the plurality of activity regions, and the processing circuitry is configured to calculate a shortest distance between the center-of-gravity position and the blood vessel as the positional relationship, on the basis of the result of the registration (“It is desirable that a second site CP be a site in a blood stream, which lies at a shortest distance (for example, an Euclidean distance) to the first site DP in the brain tissue... when a brain tissue image BI and a blood vessel image VI are three-dimensional images, for example, the position identification unit 33 may perform matching in positional relationship between the brain tissue image BI and the blood vessel image VI based on their positions of centers of gravity and cross-sectional directions, respectively, to identify a second site CP corresponding to a first site DP” Matsumaru, [0044]).
Regarding claim 9, Matsumaru discloses the medical image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein information about the device includes a target position indicating a target for positioning the device in relation to the receiving of the electrical signal (“identification of a site (hereinafter referred to as a first site DP.) that is a target from which an electric signal is to be detected in the brain tissue. Then, the server 1 identifies a site corresponding to the first site DP described above, that is, a site (hereinafter referred to as a second site CP.) that is suitable for a device to be disposed in the blood vessel, among the blood vessels, to detect an electric signal from the first site DP” Matsumaru, [0026]), and as being triggered by the device reaching the target position, the processing circuitry is configured to cause the display to notify that the device has reached the target position (“when one or more events such as when an intravascular device has approached, reached, and passed a second site are detected based on information indicating a second site and information of an angio image, the detection may be notified (displayed) in a real-time manner” Matsumaru, [0070]).
Regarding claim 10, Matsumaru discloses the medical image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the device is a stent having an electrode configured to receive the electrical signal occurring in the activity regions (“the intravascular electrode senses an electric signal generated in biological tissue (measures brain waves)” Matsumaru, [0073]; [0004]).
Regarding claim 13, Matsumaru discloses a medical image processing method comprising:
obtaining activity position data related to positions of a plurality of activity regions that bring a site of an examined subject into an activity (“identification of a site (hereinafter referred to as a first site DP.) that is a target from which an electric signal is to be detected in the brain tissue... a site corresponding to the first site DP described above, that is, a site (hereinafter referred to as a second site CP.) that is suitable for a device to be disposed in the blood vessel, among the blood vessels, to detect an electric signal from the first site DP” Matsumaru, [0026]) and a blood vessel image rendering a three-dimensional blood vessel related to the plurality of activity regions (“brain tissue image BI and a blood vessel image VI are three-dimensional images” Matsumaru, [0061]); performing a registration between the activity position data and the blood vessel image (“the piece of data of the brain tissue and the piece of data of the blood vessels to be overlapped with each other to generate a synthesized image FI” Matsumaru, [0061]; i.e., the piece of data of the brain tissue, here referred to as brain tissue image BI, includes brain activity area such that “the brain tissue image BI is an image acquired by utilizing a nuclear magnetic resonance phenomenon” and indicates “biological tissue that generates an electric signal and a blood vessel image” Matsumaru, [0023]-[0024]); calculating a positional relationship between at least one of the plurality of activity regions and the blood vessel, on a basis of a result of the registration (“when a brain tissue image BI and a blood vessel image VI are three-dimensional images, the association unit 34 may associate the brain tissue image BI and the blood vessel image VI with each other in positional relationship based on their positions of centers of gravity and cross-sectional directions, respectively” Matsumaru, [0046]); and displaying (“the server 1 performs two types of display in accordance with a setting of a position identification mode (a predetermined mode)... display the brain tissue image BI and the blood vessel image VI in an overlapped manner (in a synthesized manner), as a synthesized image FI (a third image)” Matsumaru, [0026]), on a basis of the positional relationship, information about positioning a device capable of receiving (“the brain tissue image BI and the blood vessel image VI or the synthesized image FI displayed on the terminal 2 to confirm a position (a position in the blood vessel) in which an intravascular device (not illustrated, an epilepsy diagnosis device) is to be disposed” Matsumaru, [0027]), within the blood vessel of the examined subject, electrical signals from the activity regions (“The intravascular device is inserted into a brain blood vessel via a catheter used for a medical operation in the brain blood vessel. The intravascular device is disposed in a blood vessel in an organism, and includes at least one electrode for detecting activity in a part of the biological tissue, which is positioned near and outside the blood vessel. The intravascular device is fixed at a predetermined position in a blood vessel to make it possible to stably measure brain waves.” Matsumaru, [0028]).
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, 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.
Claim(s) 5-7 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsumaru in view of Kono et al. (US 20240221152 A1).
Regarding claim 5, Matsumaru discloses all of the subject matter as described above except for specifically teaching wherein the processing circuitry causes the display to display, over the blood vessel rendered in the blood vessel image, the positioning of the device among the information about the positioning of the device, by using mutually-different hues in accordance with distances from a position related to the shortest distance. However, Kono in the same field of endeavor teaches the medical image processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the processing circuitry causes the display to display, over the blood vessel rendered in the blood vessel image, the positioning of the device among the information about the positioning of the device (“The position, speed, and risk level of the region of interest estimated by the status estimation unit can be displayed on a display device” Kono, [0165]; Fig. 16 blood vessel image with device is shown), by using mutually-different hues in accordance with distances from a position related to the shortest distance (“in FIG. 16 , the position of the estimated region of interest is indicated by a circle, and the further away from the edge of the screen the position is estimated to be, the higher the level of risk is judged to be. In this case, for example, the risk level may be indicated by the color of the circle (for example, green is low risk level and red is high risk level)” Kono, [0165]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine Matsumaru and Kono before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. The motivation for this combination of references would have been to obtain a device that calculates the level of risk from the estimated state and issues a notification to the user according to the level of risk (Kono, [0165]). This motivation for the combination of Matsumaru and Kono is supported by KSR exemplary rationale (G) Some teaching, suggestion, or motivation in the prior art that would have led one of ordinary skill to modify the prior art reference or to combine prior art reference teachings to arrive at the claimed invention. MPEP 2141 (III).
Regarding claim 6, Matsumaru and Kono disclose the medical image processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to calculate a dangerous position having a danger in relation to the positioning of the device, on a basis of structure information of the blood vessel, and to cause the display to display, over the blood vessel (“The position, speed, and risk level of the region of interest estimated by the status estimation unit can be displayed on a display device” Kono, [0165]; Fig. 16 blood vessel image with device is shown), the dangerous position by using a hue different from the hues (“the risk level may be indicated by the color of the circle (for example, green is low risk level and red is high risk level)” Kono, [0165]).
Therefore, combining Matsumaru and Kono would meet the claim limitations for the same reasons as previously discussed in claim 5.
Regarding claim 7, Matsumaru and Kono disclose the medical image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to obtain a fluoroscopic image related to the examined subject (“Live is a normal fluoroscopic image, similar to a typical radiograph, which is viewed in real time” Kono, [0173]), and to cause the display to display the information about the positioning of the device, together with the fluoroscopic image (“only the blood vessels and devices that are shown by the contrast medium can be seen, and an image that is easy for the surgeon to understand can be obtained” Kono, [0173]; “The position, speed, and risk level of the region of interest estimated by the status estimation unit can be displayed on a display device” Kono, [0165]).
Therefore, combining Matsumaru and Kono would meet the claim limitations for the same reasons as previously discussed in claim 5.
Regarding claim 11, Matsumaru and Kono disclose an X-ray diagnosis apparatus comprising:
an X-ray tube configured to emit X-rays onto an examined subject; processing circuitry configured to generate a blood vessel image (“the X-ray imaging apparatus 3 is equipped with an X-ray irradiator 30 (a first X-ray irradiator 30a and a second X-ray irradiator 30b) for irradiating test subject P with X-rays, and an X-ray detector 31 for detecting the X-rays emitted by the X-ray irradiator 30” Kono, [0053]; “The images generated from X-rays detected by the X-ray detector 31 include the blood vessels” Kono, [0055]) rendering a three-dimensional blood vessel on a basis of the emission of the X-rays onto the examined subject (“an example where MRI is used to acquire an image of the brain tissue, the present invention is not limited to the example. An image of the brain tissue may be acquired by using computed tomography (CT) or magneto encephalography (MEG)” Matsumaru, [0071]), to obtain activity position data related to positions of a plurality of activity regions that bring a site of the examined subject into an activity (“identification of a site (hereinafter referred to as a first site DP.) that is a target from which an electric signal is to be detected in the brain tissue... a site corresponding to the first site DP described above, that is, a site (hereinafter referred to as a second site CP.) that is suitable for a device to be disposed in the blood vessel, among the blood vessels, to detect an electric signal from the first site DP” Matsumaru, [0026]) and the three-dimensional blood vessel image related to the plurality of activity regions (“brain tissue image BI and a blood vessel image VI are three-dimensional images” Matsumaru, [0061]), to perform a registration between the activity position data and the blood vessel image (“the piece of data of the brain tissue and the piece of data of the blood vessels to be overlapped with each other to generate a synthesized image FI” Matsumaru, [0061]; i.e., the piece of data of the brain tissue, here referred to as brain tissue image BI, includes brain activity area such that “the brain tissue image BI is an image acquired by utilizing a nuclear magnetic resonance phenomenon” and indicates “biological tissue that generates an electric signal and a blood vessel image” Matsumaru, [0023]-[0024]), and to calculate a positional relationship between at least one of the plurality of activity regions and the blood vessel, on a basis of a result of the registration (“when a brain tissue image BI and a blood vessel image VI are three-dimensional images, the association unit 34 may associate the brain tissue image BI and the blood vessel image VI with each other in positional relationship based on their positions of centers of gravity and cross-sectional directions, respectively” Matsumaru, [0046]); and to cause a display to display (“the server 1 performs two types of display in accordance with a setting of a position identification mode (a predetermined mode)... display the brain tissue image BI and the blood vessel image VI in an overlapped manner (in a synthesized manner), as a synthesized image FI (a third image)” Matsumaru, [0026]), on a basis of the positional relationship, information about positioning a device capable of receiving (“the brain tissue image BI and the blood vessel image VI or the synthesized image FI displayed on the terminal 2 to confirm a position (a position in the blood vessel) in which an intravascular device (not illustrated, an epilepsy diagnosis device) is to be disposed” Matsumaru, [0027]), within the blood vessel of the examined subject, electrical signals from the activity regions (“The intravascular device is inserted into a brain blood vessel via a catheter used for a medical operation in the brain blood vessel. The intravascular device is disposed in a blood vessel in an organism, and includes at least one electrode for detecting activity in a part of the biological tissue, which is positioned near and outside the blood vessel. The intravascular device is fixed at a predetermined position in a blood vessel to make it possible to stably measure brain waves.” Matsumaru, [0028]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine Matsumaru and Kono before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. The motivation for this combination of references would have been to perform various treatments while displaying the location of a catheter on an X-ray image (Kono, [0002]) in imaging apparatuses for capturing images of a test subject P's surgical site is not limited to the X-ray imaging apparatus 3. Other modalities such as MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) and ultrasonography may also be used to capture images of the surgical site. (Kono, [0198]). This motivation for the combination of Matsumaru and Kono is supported by KSR exemplary rationale (G) Some teaching, suggestion, or motivation in the prior art that would have led one of ordinary skill to modify the prior art reference or to combine prior art reference teachings to arrive at the claimed invention. MPEP 2141 (III).
Claim(s) 8, 12 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsumaru in view of Kono et al. and in further view of Ohishi et al. (US 20030109779 A1).
Regarding claim 8, the combination of Matsumaru and Kono as a whole does not expressly disclose to further obtain geometric information of an imaging system related to imaging the examined subject; and to calculate, on a basis of the geometric information related to the fluoroscopic image, a target position indicating a target for positioning the device among the information about the positioning of the device, pursuant to a change in the geometric information of the imaging system, and to cause the display to display the target position so as to be superimposed on the fluoroscopic image.
However, Ohishi in the same field of endeavor teaches the medical image processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to further obtain geometric information of an imaging system related to imaging the examined subject (“A ROI setting unit 10 is configured to allow the operator to set a region of interest (ROI) on the image displayed on the displaying unit 8” Ohishi, [0036]; [0054]; wherein “An ROI is determined by correcting the radius in consideration of the geometrical magnification of X-rays” Ohishi, [0082]); and to calculate, on a basis of the geometric information related to the fluoroscopic image (“the operator moves a catheter to a morbid portion under fluoroscopic observation” Ohishi, [0093]), a target position indicating a target for positioning the device among the information about the positioning of the device, pursuant to a change in the geometric information of the imaging system (“the X-ray diagnosis apparatus according to the second embodiment includes a radiography unit 1 for performing radiographic operation... a geometry processing unit 30 for converting image data into a readable image... The geometry processing unit 30 performs linear conversion for enlargement, rotation, movement, and the like” Ohishi, [0087]-[0088]; wherein “An ROI is determined by correcting the radius in consideration of the geometrical magnification of X-rays” Ohishi, [0082]), and to cause the display to display the target position so as to be superimposed on the fluoroscopic image (“a contrast agent is injected to radiograph the blood vessel, and the contrast-enhanced image (still image) is displayed to be juxtaposed to the radiographed image (moving image: currently radiographed image) or superimposed thereon” Ohishi, [0093]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine Matsumaru, Kono and Ohishi before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. The motivation for this combination of references would have been to perform corrections when obtaining X-ray diagnosis images including geometric conversions such as enlargement, rotation, movement and the like (Ohishi, [0088]). This motivation for the combination of Matsumaru, Kono and Ohishi is supported by KSR exemplary rationale (G) Some teaching, suggestion, or motivation in the prior art that would have led one of ordinary skill to modify the prior art reference or to combine prior art reference teachings to arrive at the claimed invention. MPEP 2141 (III).
Regarding claim 12, Matsumaru, Kono and Ohishi disclose the X-ray diagnosis apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to obtain a fluoroscopic image generated on a basis of fluoroscopic imaging performed on the examined subject (“Live is a normal fluoroscopic image, similar to a typical radiograph, which is viewed in real time” Kono, [0173]) and geometric information of an imaging system related to imaging the examined subject (“A ROI setting unit 10 is configured to allow the operator to set a region of interest (ROI) on the image displayed on the displaying unit 8” Ohishi, [0036]; [0054]; wherein “An ROI is determined by correcting the radius in consideration of the geometrical magnification of X-rays” Ohishi, [0082]), the processing circuitry is configured to calculate, on a basis of the geometric information related to the fluoroscopic image (“the operator moves a catheter to a morbid portion under fluoroscopic observation” Ohishi, [0093]), a target position indicating a target for positioning the device among the information about the positioning of the device, pursuant to a change in the geometric information of the imaging system (“the X-ray diagnosis apparatus according to the second embodiment includes a radiography unit 1 for performing radiographic operation... a geometry processing unit 30 for converting image data into a readable image... The geometry processing unit 30 performs linear conversion for enlargement, rotation, movement, and the like” Ohishi, [0087]-[0088]; wherein “An ROI is determined by correcting the radius in consideration of the geometrical magnification of X-rays” Ohishi, [0082]), and
to cause the display to display the target position so as to be superimposed on the fluoroscopic image (“a contrast agent is injected to radiograph the blood vessel, and the contrast-enhanced image (still image) is displayed to be juxtaposed to the radiographed image (moving image: currently radiographed image) or superimposed thereon” Ohishi, [0093]).
Therefore, combining Matsumaru, Kono and Ohishi would meet the claim limitations for the same reasons as previously discussed in claim 8.
Regarding claim 14, Matsumaru, Kono and Ohishi disclose the medical image processing method according to claim 13, further comprising: obtaining a fluoroscopic image generated on a basis of fluoroscopic imaging performed on the examined subject (“Live is a normal fluoroscopic image, similar to a typical radiograph, which is viewed in real time” Kono, [0173]) and geometric information of an imaging system related to imaging the examined subject (“A ROI setting unit 10 is configured to allow the operator to set a region of interest (ROI) on the image displayed on the displaying unit 8” Ohishi, [0036]; [0054]; wherein “An ROI is determined by correcting the radius in consideration of the geometrical magnification of X-rays” Ohishi, [0082]); calculating, on a basis of the geometric information related to the fluoroscopic image (“the operator moves a catheter to a morbid portion under fluoroscopic observation” Ohishi, [0093]), a target position indicating a target for positioning the device among the information about the positioning of the device, pursuant to a change in the geometric information of the imaging system (“the X-ray diagnosis apparatus according to the second embodiment includes a radiography unit 1 for performing radiographic operation... a geometry processing unit 30 for converting image data into a readable image... The geometry processing unit 30 performs linear conversion for enlargement, rotation, movement, and the like” Ohishi, [0087]-[0088]; wherein “An ROI is determined by correcting the radius in consideration of the geometrical magnification of X-rays” Ohishi, [0082]); and displaying the target position so as to be superimposed on the fluoroscopic image (“a contrast agent is injected to radiograph the blood vessel, and the contrast-enhanced image (still image) is displayed to be juxtaposed to the radiographed image (moving image: currently radiographed image) or superimposed thereon” Ohishi, [0093]).
Therefore, combining Matsumaru, Kono and Ohishi would meet the claim limitations for the same reasons as previously discussed in claim 8.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Tanter et al. (US 20170128036 A1) discloses functional imaging of the brain imaged by ultrasound imaging to obtain vascular image and compare it to a cerebral vascular atlas which are functional areas activated in the brain.
Razeto et al. (US 20190159842 A1) discloses a navigation assisted device for navigating a stent through a volumetric imaging data of a tissue and determining its position.
Gribetz et al. (US 20200023189 A1) discloses electrode sets for sensing signals associated with neuronal electrical activity and controlling the stimulation of the one or more target brain regions.
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/EMMANUEL SILVA-AVINA/Examiner, Art Unit 2673
/CHINEYERE WILLS-BURNS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2673