Method for synchronized navigation of sets of two or more biomedical images
Inventors
Santoro, Matteo • Basso, Curzio • Mosci, Sofia • Esposito, Mario
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-9208562-B1
Publication Date
2015-12-08
Expiration Date
Abstract
A method for concurrent navigation of sets of a plurality of biomedical images includes visualizing, side-by-side or in overlay, sets of two biomedical images that include a reference image A and a comparison image B. The method for visualizing comparison image B is based only on the rigid component of the non-rigid transformation applied to comparison image B.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a way to concurrently navigate sets of biomedical images by defining a reference image (A) and a comparison image (B), executing a non-rigid registration (R) of the comparison image (B) on the reference image (A), and saving a transformation (TR) for each point (P) of the comparison image (B). It visualizes a reference view (VA) of the reference image (A), selects a reference point (PA), identifies a corresponding comparison point (PB) on the comparison image (B) registered on the reference image (A) by using the transformation (TR), and concurrently visualizes the reference view (VA) and a comparison view (VB, VB′).
The comparison view (VB, VB′) contains the comparison point (PB) and is defined based only on a rigid component of the transformation (TR) relative to the comparison point (PB), or based on a translation, a rotation, or a scaling factor that are part of the rigid component relative to the comparison point (PB). This decouples the local correspondence using the full non-rigid registration transformation from the visualization definition using only the rigid component relative to PB.
The described system includes visualization modes and variants for comparing biomedical images, including concurrently visualizing views in parallel side-by-side and generating an overlay fusion view within a reference region. It supports defining a reference region (IA) and mapping it to a corresponding comparison region (IB) using only the rigid component, generating a comparison view for that region, and visualizing the comparison view overlaid on the reference view within the reference region. The document states applicability to longitudinal and multi-modal studies and biomedical image types and devices including DICOM PET/CT/MRI/US and scanners.
Claims Coverage
The partial content includes two independent claims, a concurrently navigating method and a concurrently visualizing method. Across these independent claims, the main inventive features center on mapping a user-selected reference point to a corresponding comparison point using a saved non-rigid registration transformation, while defining the concurrently visualized comparison view using only the rigid component or rigid subcomponents relative to the comparison point.
Concurrent navigating with rigid-component-defined comparison view from non-rigid registration
Defining a reference image (A) and a comparison image (B); executing a non-rigid registration (R) of the comparison image (B) on the reference image (A) and saving, for each point (P) of the comparison image (B), a transformation (TR); visualizing a reference view (VA) of the reference image (A) and selecting a reference point (PA); identifying, on the comparison image (B) registered on the reference image (A), a comparison point (PB) corresponding to the reference point (PA) by using the transformation (TR); and concurrently visualizing the reference view (VA) and a comparison view (VB, VB′) of the comparison image (B), wherein the comparison view contains the comparison point (PB) and is defined based only on a rigid component of the transformation (TR) relative to the comparison point (PB), or is defined based on a translation, a rotation, or a scaling factor that are part of the rigid component of the transformation (TR) relative to the comparison point (PB).
Concurrent visualizing using previously completed non-rigid registration results with rigid-component-defined view
Defining one or more results of a non-rigid registration (R) that was previously completed and a corresponding transformation (TR) performed for one or more comparison images (B) relative to a reference image (A); visualizing a reference view (VA) of the reference image (A) and selecting a reference point (PA); identifying, on a comparison image (B) registered on the reference image (A), a comparison point (PB) corresponding to the reference point (PA) by using the transformation (TR); and concurrently visualizing the reference view (VA) and a comparison view (VB, VB′) of the comparison image (B), wherein the comparison view contains the comparison point (PB) and is defined based only on a rigid component of the transformation (TR) relative to the comparison point (PB), or based on a translation, a rotation, or a scaling factor that are part of the rigid component of the transformation (TR) relative to the comparison point (PB).
Both independent claims require concurrent navigation or visualization of a reference view and a comparison view, where correspondence uses a saved transformation from non-rigid registration and the comparison view is defined using only the rigid component, including specified rigid subcomponents, relative to the comparison point.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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