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 .
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.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Liu (US 2014/0201669).
Regarding claim 1, Liu teaches a method comprising:
by a control circuit (100):
accessing three-dimensional image information of a target volume for a particular patient (CT images 220 as 3D as in par. [0038]);
accessing ablation zone information corresponding to a particular ablation treatment context (ablation probe database 102 as in par. [0029]);
registering the three-dimensional image information of the target volume with the ablation zone information to generate resultant information (planned target volume as in at least par. [0042]);
generating a two-dimensional representation of target volume coverage by a corresponding ablation zone as a function of the resultant information (par. [0045] 2d drawing of ablation zone given the ablation setting);
presenting the two-dimensional representation of target volume coverage by the corresponding ablation zone via a user interface (par. [0045]-[0046] displayed in various forms in a user interface).
Regarding claim 2, Liu teaches wherein the three-dimensional image information of the target volume comprises three-dimensional computed tomography imagery (par. [0038]).
Regarding claim 3, Liu teaches wherein the ablation zone information comprises information based at least in part on an ablation zone dimension chart for a particular ablation needle (database with information of ablation based on tool as in par. [0029]).
Regarding claim 4, Liu teaches wherein the ablation zone information comprises microwave ablation zone information (at least par. [0041], [0028]-[0029]).
Regarding claim 5, Liu teaches wherein the two-dimensional representation of the target volume coverage by the corresponding ablation zone comprises a graph depicting a percentage of the target volume that is covered by the corresponding ablation zone (par. [0046]).
The method of claim 5, Liu teaches wherein the graph further depicts a percentage of the target volume that is fully ablated by the corresponding ablation zone (par. [0046]).
The method of claim 6, Liu teaches wherein the graph further depicts a percentage of the target volume that is fully ablated by the corresponding ablation zone for each of a gross tumor volume, a clinical tumor volume, and a planning target volume (par. [0043], [0046] percent of ablation).
Regarding claim 8, Liu teaches wherein the particular ablation treatment context comprises a pre-treatment ablation treatment context (par. [0029] power settings).
Regarding claim 9, Liu teaches wherein the particular ablation treatment context comprises a post-treatment ablation treatment context (par. [0029] select results).
Regarding claim 10, Liu teaches wherein the two-dimensional representation of the target volume coverage by the corresponding ablation zone is agnostic with respect to patient and ablation needle specifics to thereby allow for direct comparison with ablation results from other patients and/or ablation needles (par. [0046]).
Regarding claim 11, Liu teaches an apparatus comprising:
a control circuit (100) configured to:
access three-dimensional image information of a target volume for a particular patient (CT images 220 as 3D as in par. [0038]);
access ablation zone information corresponding to a particular ablation treatment context (ablation probe database 102 as in par. [0029]);
register the three-dimensional image information of the target volume with the ablation zone information to generate resultant information (planned target volume as in at least par. [0042]);
generate a two-dimensional representation of target volume coverage by a corresponding ablation zone as a function of the resultant information (par. [0045] 2d drawing of ablation zone given the ablation setting);
present the two-dimensional representation of target volume coverage by the corresponding ablation zone via a user interface (par. [0045]-[0046] displayed in various forms in a user interface).
Regarding claim 12, Liu teaches wherein the three-dimensional image information of the target volume comprises three-dimensional computed tomography imagery (par. [0038]).
Regarding claim 13, Liu teaches wherein the ablation zone information comprises information based at least in part on an ablation zone dimension chart for a particular ablation needle (database with information of ablation based on tool as in par. [0029]).
Regarding claim 14, Liu teaches wherein the ablation zone information comprises microwave ablation zone information (at least par. [0041], [0028]-[0029]).
Regarding claim 15, Liu teaches wherein the two-dimensional representation of the target volume coverage by the corresponding ablation zone comprises a graph depicting a percentage of the target volume that is covered by the corresponding ablation zone (par. [0046]).
Regarding claim 16, Liu teaches wherein the graph further depicts a percentage of the target volume that is fully ablated by the corresponding ablation zone (par. [0046]).
Regarding claim 17, Liu teaches wherein the graph further depicts a percentage of the target volume that is fully ablated by the corresponding ablation zone for each of a gross tumor volume, a clinical tumor volume, and a planning target volume (par. [0043], [0046] percent of ablation).
Regarding claim 18, Liu teaches wherein the particular ablation treatment context comprises a pre-treatment ablation treatment context (par. [0029] power settings).
Regarding claim 19, Liu teaches wherein the particular ablation treatment context comprises a post-treatment ablation treatment context (par. [0029] select results).
Regarding claim 20, Liu teaches wherein the two-dimensional representation of the target volume coverage by the corresponding ablation zone is agnostic with respect to patient and ablation needle specifics to thereby allow for direct comparison with ablation results from other patients and/or ablation needles (par. [0046]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Callas (US 2012/0095459) teaches imaging tumors in three dimensions. State (US 2016/0117857) teaches imaging in three dimensions and two dimensions.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BO OUYANG whose telephone number is (571)272-8831. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-5 EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Joanne Rodden can be reached at 303-297-4276. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BO OUYANG/Examiner, Art Unit 3794
/MICHAEL F PEFFLEY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3794
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