Patents Represented by Attorney Flarquist Sparkman, LLP
  • Patent number: 7003144
    Abstract: Delineating vessels in an angiogram involves two methods: graph generation and skeletonization. Generating a graph includes obtaining a digital image of an angiogram, recognizing a first growth point within the image, and identifying region boundary points around the growth point. The region boundary points are connected to the first growth point, thereby creating edges of a graph. The boundary point that has the greatest intensity is then selected as a second growth point, and additional region boundary points around the second growth point are identified. The additional region growth points are connected to the second growth point. The region boundary point with the greatest intensity in the image is then selected as a third growth point, and the method repeats until each point in the image is connected to another point in the graph. The skeletonization of the graph begins with recognizing a point in the graph as an endpoint of a vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Department of Health and Human Services
    Inventor: Peter J. Yim