Abstract: This invention provides a system and method for assessing risk of a breast cancer diagnosis based upon imagery of tissue and (optionally) other patient-related factors. A CAD (or similar) system analyzes the imagery and generates a plurality of numerical feature values. An assessment module receives inputs from patient factors and history and computes the risk based upon the feature values and the patient factors and history. A masking module receives inputs from the patient factors and history, and computes the risk of having a cancer, which cancer is otherwise characterized by a low probability of detection, based upon the feature values and the patient factors and history. A recall module receives inputs from the assessment module and the masking assessment module, and generates a computer-aided indication of a clinical follow-up by the patient. Results of assessment(s) can be displayed to the clinician and/or patient using a graphical interface display.

Abstract: This invention provides a system and method for assessing risk of a breast cancer diagnosis based upon imagery of tissue and (optionally) other patient-related factors. A CAD (or similar) system analyzes the imagery and generates a plurality of numerical feature values. An assessment module receives inputs from patient factors and history and computes the risk based upon the feature values and the patient factors and history. A masking module receives inputs from the patient factors and history, and computes the risk of having a cancer, which cancer is otherwise characterized by a low probability of detection, based upon the feature values and the patient factors and history. A recall module receives inputs from the assessment module and the masking assessment module, and generates a computer-aided indication of a clinical follow-up by the patient. Results of assessment(s) can be displayed to the clinician and/or patient using a graphical interface display.

Abstract: This invention provides a system and method for assessing risk of a breast cancer diagnosis based upon imagery of tissue and (optionally) other patient-related factors. A CAD (or similar) system analyzes the imagery and generates a plurality of numerical feature values. An assessment module receives inputs from patient factors and history and computes the risk based upon the feature values and the patient factors and history. A masking module receives inputs from the patient factors and history, and computes the risk of having a cancer, which cancer is otherwise characterized by a low probability of detection, based upon the feature values and the patient factors and history. A recall module receives inputs from the assessment module and the masking assessment module, and generates a computer-aided indication of a clinical follow-up by the patient. Results of assessment(s) can be displayed to the clinician and/or patient using a graphical interface display.

Abstract: This invention provides a system and method for fusing and synthesizing a plurality of medical images defined by a plurality of imaging parameters allowing visual enhancements of each image data set to be combined. The system provides an image fusion process/processor that fuses a plurality of magnetic resonance imaging datasets. A first image dataset of the datasets is defined by apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values. A second image dataset of the MRI datasets is defined by at least one parameter other than the ADC values. The image fusion processor generates a fused response image that visually displays a combination of image features generated by the ADC values combined with image features generated by the at least one parameter other than the ADC values. The fused response image can illustratively include at least one of color-enhanced regions of interest and intensity-enhanced regions of interest.

Abstract: This invention provides a system, method and computer-readable medium for detecting and localizing organs and other regions of interest in medical image data provided by a medical imaging procedure using gradient template information with respect to an example of the imaged organ and cross-correlation techniques to generate object detection information. In an embodiment, the detection and localization process/processor receives a plurality of gradient templates and employers a template with the closest matching cross-correlation to the gradient of the organ in the medical image.

Abstract: A system and a method are disclosed that forms a novel, synthetic, two-dimensional image of an anatomical region such as a breast. Two-dimensional regions of interest (ROIs) such as masses are extracted from three-dimensional medical image data, such as digital tomosynthesis reconstructed volumes. Using image processing technologies, the ROIs are then blended with two-dimensional image information of the anatomical region to form the synthetic, two-dimensional image. This arrangement and resulting image desirably improves the workflow of a physician reading medical image data, as the synthetic, two-dimensional image provides detail previously only seen by interrogating the three-dimensional medical image data.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods, and associated systems comprising processors, input devices and output devices, of detecting regions of interest in a tomographic breast image. The methods may comprise: acquiring tomographic breast image data; deriving a plurality of synthetic sub-volumes from the tomographic breast image data; wherein each subvolume is defined by parallel planar top and bottom surfaces; wherein planar top and bottom surfaces of successive subvolumes are parallel to each other; and wherein a top planar surface of a sub-volume is offset from a top planar surface of a prior sub-volume, such that successive sub-volumes overlap; for each sub-volume, deriving a two-dimensional image; for each two-dimensional image, identifying regions of interest therein; deriving at least one region of interest of potential clinical interest from a plurality of identified regions of interest; and outputting information associated with at least one derived region of interest of potential clinical interest.

Abstract: A system and a method are disclosed that forms a novel, synthetic, two-dimensional image of an anatomical region such as a breast. Two-dimensional regions of interest (ROIs) such as masses are extracted from three-dimensional medical image data, such as digital tomosynthesis reconstructed volumes. Using image processing technologies, the ROIs are then blended with two-dimensional image information of the anatomical region to form the synthetic, two-dimensional image. This arrangement and resulting image desirably improves the workflow of a physician reading medical image data, as the synthetic, two-dimensional image provides detail previously only seen by interrogating the three-dimensional medical image data.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a computer system, an image processing method, and a computer-readable medium for interpolating volumetric medical image data. There is disclosed a hybrid interpolation procedure performed on the volumetric medical image data in accordance with spatial transforms. In the hybrid interpolation procedure, a different order of interpolation, respectively, is performed for at least two different dimensions of the volumetric medical image data. The different orders of interpolation can include bicubic interpolation and linear interpolation. Applications include registration of source volumetric medical images to target volumetric medical images and operations (e.g., rotation, re-scaling) invoking a transformation for medical image data visualization/display purposes.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods, and associated systems comprising processors, input devices and output devices, of detecting regions of interest in a tomographic breast image. The methods may comprise: acquiring tomographic breast image data; deriving a plurality of synthetic sub-volumes from the tomographic breast image data; wherein each subvolume is defined by parallel planar top and bottom surfaces; wherein planar top and bottom surfaces of successive subvolumes are parallel to each other; and wherein a top planar surface of a sub-volume is offset from a top planar surface of a prior sub-volume, such that successive sub-volumes overlap; for each sub-volume, deriving a two-dimensional image; for each two-dimensional image, identifying regions of interest therein; deriving at least one region of interest of potential clinical interest from a plurality of identified regions of interest; and outputting information associated with at least one derived region of interest of potential clinical interest.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods, and associated systems comprising processors, input devices and output devices, of detecting regions of interest in a tomographic breast image. The methods may comprise: acquiring tomographic breast image data; deriving a plurality of synthetic sub-volumes from the tomographic breast image data; wherein each subvolume is defined by parallel planar top and bottom surfaces; wherein planar top and bottom surfaces of successive subvolumes are parallel to each other; and wherein a top planar surface of a sub-volume is offset from a top planar surface of a prior sub-volume, such that successive sub-volumes overlap; for each sub-volume, deriving a two-dimensional image; for each two-dimensional image, identifying regions of interest therein; deriving at least one region of interest of potential clinical interest from a plurality of identified regions of interest; and outputting information associated with at least one derived region of interest of potential clinical interest.

Abstract: A method for detecting lymph nodes in a medical image includes receiving image data. One or more regions of interest are detected from within the received image data. One or more lymph node candidates are identified using a set of predefined parameters that is particular to the detected region of interest where each lymph node candidate is located. The identifying unit may identify the one or more lymph node candidates by performing DGFR processing. The method may also include receiving user-provided adjustments to the predefined parameters that are particular to the detected regions of interest and identifying the lymph node candidates based on the adjusted parameters. The lymph node candidates identified based on the adjusted parameters may be displayed along with the image data in real-time as the adjustments are provided.

Abstract: This invention provides a system and method for fusing and synthesizing a plurality of medical images defined by a plurality of imaging parameters that allow the visual enhancements of each image data set to be selectively combined with those of other image datasets. In this manner, a user-defined parameter set can be generated in the final response image dataset. This final response image dataset displays visual data represents a form particularly useful to the clinician. In an illustrative embodiment, the system for fusing and synthesizing the plurality of medical images provides an image fusion process/processor that fuses a plurality of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) datasets. A first image dataset of the MRI datasets is defined by apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values. A second image dataset of the MRI datasets is defined by at least one parameter other than the ADC values.

Abstract: Systems, computer-readable media, and methods are presented that identify suspicious anomalies in a colon with higher sensitivity and at a lower false positive rate. A plurality of images of an anatomical colon is acquired. Candidate suspicious anomalies are identified in each image. The candidate suspicious anomalies across images are then compared using registration and matching. Features of candidate suspicious anomalies across images may be jointly evaluated to perform classification.

Abstract: Methods and systems are presented that improve a radiologist's ability to identify polyps by automatically and more accurately detecting and displaying colonic residue such as tagged or untagged stool or colonic fluid in medical images of the colorectal region. A virtual colonography imaging system obtains medical imagery of the colon. Improved computer-aided detection (CAD) algorithms identify colonic residue in the imagery by calculating feature vectors of and using statistical classification methods to classify regions of colonic residue to distinguish them from false positives.

Abstract: This discloses methods and systems for the processing of medical image data of a colon acquired with an imaging device, such as a computerized tomography (“CT”) scanner and more particularly, to methods and systems for the classification of structures or objects in said medical image data. The disclosed methods and systems analyze image data for objects such as rectal tubes or stools, or for clusters of suspicious regions, and may eliminate such objects from further analysis prior to presenting potential polyps to a user.

Abstract: A method for detecting a substantially cylindrical internal structures and dark structures surrounded by bright intensity values (contrast) in a medical image includes acquiring a medical image. A gradient of the medical image is calculated. Local shape index information for the calculated gradient of the medical image is calculated. Gradient information having a local shape index not indicative of a ridge and rut shapes is removed. Diverging gradient field responses (DGFR) are calculated based on the remaining gradient information. The DGFR responses and relative amount of DGFR responses for the rut and ridge areas is used as a discriminative feature in detecting the substantially cylindrical internal structure as well as darker occluding structures within cylindrical structures such as Pulmonary Emboli.

Abstract: A method for registering images, for example medical images, includes acquiring a first image. A second image is acquired. A deformation field for registering the second image to the first image is calculated. The deformation field includes a sum of a plurality of weighted distortion vectors each of which has a substantially Gaussian distribution. The calculated deformation field is applied to the second image to register it to the first image.

Abstract: A method for determining a blob-like structure in a target image includes receiving an input target image is received, determining a mean curvature of the input target image, smoothing the mean curvature is smoothed using a scale that determines a size of the blobs to be found, finding a blob-like structure in the input target image as a portion of the input target image where a smoothed curvature is higher than a threshold value, and outputting a result including an indication of the blob-like structure.

Abstract: A system and method for determining the presence or absence of candidate objects in a digital image by computing a gradient field of the digital image and then applying predetermined filters to the gradient field to obtain a response image which can be further processed to detect the objects. The application of these filters to the digital image can be performed by convolution and the filters can be adapted based on the shape of the object to be searched.