Abstract: The invention relates to an image processing method of extracting geometrical data of the spine, for extracting the left and right pedicle landmarks of each spine vertebra, comprising steps of: acquiring image data of a 2-D frontal image of the spine; associating spine States to vertebra positions along the spine and estimating locations of left and right pedicle landmark Candidates in each State; defining a State Cost for forming Couples of left and right pedicle landmark Candidates (PL and PR); estimating sets of Best Couple Candidates, in each State, from the lowest State Costs; defining a Path Cost to go from one State to the next State; selecting a pedicle landmark Couple in each spine State (V) among the Best Couple Candidates from the minimum Path Costs, and localizing the left and right pedicle landmarks of each spine vertebra from said selected pedicle landmark Couple. The invention also relates to a system, a medical apparatus and a program product for carrying out the method.

Abstract: A viewing system and method for enhancing objects of interest represented on a moving background in a sequence of noisy images and for displaying the sequence of enhanced images, comprising extracting means (11) for extracting features related to an object of interest in images of the sequence; registering means (12) for registering the features related to the object of interest with respect to the image referential, yielding registered images (13); similarity detection means for determining the resemblance of the representations of a registered object of interest in succeeding images and weighing means for modulating the intensities of the pixels of said object of interest over the images of the sequence; temporal integrating means (14, 33b) for integrating the object of interest and the background over a number, or at least two, registered images (13) of the sequence; and display means (54) for displaying the processed images (15, 45) of the enhanced registered object of interest on faded background.

Abstract: A medical viewing system for displaying a sequence of images of a medical intervention that comprises moving and/or positioning a tool in a body organ, which tool is carried by a support to which at least one marker is attached at a predetermined location with respect to the tool, comprising means for acquiring the sequence of images, and for processing said images during the medical intervention, wherein: extracting means for automatically extracting at least one marker that is attached to the tool support and that neither belongs to the tool nor to the body organ, and yielding the marker location information; computing means for automatically deriving the tool location information from the marker location information, and enhancing means for improving the visibility of the tool and/or the body organ in order to check whether the medical intervention stages are successfully carried out.

Abstract: A method for extracting geometrical data from a 2-D digital image of the spine, comprising steps for determining spine outlines, endplates and corners wherein:

Abstract: The invention relates to an image processing method of extracting geometrical data of the spine, for extracting the left and right pedicle landmarks of each spine vertebra, comprising steps of:

Abstract: An image processing method for providing three-dimensional geometric modeling of the spine, using a biplanar image reconstruction, comprising steps of acquisition of a first view (F) of a part of the spine, and a second view (L) of the same part of the spine taken from a different angle around the longitudinal axis of the spine, matching the dimensions of the views (F,L) from two predetermined corresponding landmarks (P1, P2) on each view and deriving three-dimensional coordinates (z, x, y) of corresponding points (P) along the spine. Application: X-ray medical 3-D imaging.

Abstract: The image processing method according to the invention includes a step for the acquisition, by means of an ultrasound transducer, of a digitized echographic image of a structure which is substantially not transparent to the ultrasound waves, and a step for the extraction of contour points of said structure. In order to automate the extraction of points, the method includes sub-steps for the detection, in the columns of points of the digitized echographic image, of points which locally have a maximum intensity along each column, for the chaining of points detected from one column to another in a predetermined vicinity, and for selecting chains in the digitized echographic image by determining the chain nearest to the ultrasound transducer as being the contour of said structure.

Abstract: The device includes systems for picking up (1), acquiring (2) and digitizing (3) a distorted source image (SI), a system for processing digital images (4, 47) for constructing a distortion-corrected target image (TI) corresponding to the source image (SI), this system including a first sub-assembly (4) for predetermining, on the basis of the data of a distorted TEST source image (SG.degree.), an optical center (OC.sup.n) and a polynomial function (F.sub.n) for correcting radial distortions around this optical center, and a second sub-assembly (47) which applies the polynomial correction function to each address of the pixel of the target image (TI) for furnishing the address of a point in the distorted source image (SI) in which an intensity data is present which is applied to the initial address in the target image. The method includes the computation, in a TEST source image (SG.degree.), of an optical center (OC.sup.n) at the center of optical distortions, and of a polynomial function (F.sup.

Abstract: System for processing digital images includes a system of n fixed real cameras whose individual fields of view merge for recording a panoramic scene. An image construction system simulates a mobile, virtual camera continuously scanning the panoramic scene (Iv) to furnish an arbitrary sub-image, referred to as a digital target image (Iv) constructed from adjacent source images of the real cameras. A luminance equalizing system includes modules which apply correction laws (Gi, Gj), respectively, to the sets (R and F(R)) of the corresponding luminance levels, in portions (Ivi, Ivj) of a digital target image (Iv) constructed from two adjacent digital source images (Ii, Ij) to equalize these corresponding levels in accordance with the relation Gi(R)=Gj[F(R)].

Abstract: Method of processing a digital image in order to construct a calculated image, termed the target image (I*), which represents a so-called source image (I) reconstructed with modifications to the tilting angle, panning angle and scale factor in relation to this source image, including the determination of a common view point (P) for the source image (I) and the target image (I*), and of an orthonormal reference frame; the definition of an image (H*) termed the projection of the target image (I*), with geometrical center (.OMEGA..sub.H *) aligned with the optical axis (PZ*) of the target image, with zero tilting angle, with the same panning angle (.THETA.*) and the same framing (2V.sub.x*, 2V.sub.y *) as the target image (I*) so that every pixel (M*) with address (X*, Y*) in the target image (I*) has a counterpart under projection (M.sub.H *) with the same address (X*, Y*) in the projection image (H*); the calculation by a trigonometric function (G.sup.

Abstract: A method of processing a digital image in order to construct a calculated image, termed the target image (I*), which represents a so-called source image (I) reconstructed with modifications to the tilting angle, panning angle and scale factor in relation to this source image. This method includes determining a common view point (P), for the source image (I) and the target image (I*), as the origin of an orthonormal reference frame; and calculating, for every pixel (M*) with address (X*, Y*) in the target image (I*), spherical coordinates (.alpha., .beta.) by a linear function G.sup.-1 such that (.alpha., .beta.)=G.sup.-1 (X*Y*), the coefficients being functions of the modified tilting and panning angles and scale factor. Finally, the method includes reading a pair (X, Y) which is stored in a table and which constitutes the address of a point (M), in the source image (I), corresponding to the pixel (M*) in the target image (I*), by the matching, to the resolution of the table, the spherical coordinates (.

Abstract: A method of processing images for constructing a target image (Io) from adjacent images having a fixed frame line and referred to as source images (I1, . . . , Ii, Ij, . . . , In), the source and target images having substantially common view points. This method includes the steps of: digitizing the images, determining, for one of the pixels of the target image (Io), the address (Aq) of a corresponding point in one of all source images (Ij), determining the luminance value (F) at this corresponding point, assigning the luminance value (F) of this corresponding pixel to the initial pixel in the target image (Io), and repeating these steps for each pixel of the target image (Io). A device for performing this method includes a system of n fixed real cameras (C1, . . . , Cn) which provide n adjacent source images (I1, . . .

Abstract: A tubular case closed at its two ends respectively by a first side wall carrying two electric supply terminals and a second side wall carrying a hot gas outlet nozzle for discharging a jet of heated oxygen. A heating tube extends axially through the case constituting a heating resistance, the wall or this heating tube being provided in one of its end portions with at least one opening for the passage of the gas to the interior of the heating tube and the outlet nozzle. The case also includes a heat exchanger of thermoconductive material and gas pre-heating means.