Abstract: A method of finding a path from a start point to a target point, in multi-dimensional space, including: (a) determining a plurality of points in a physical space, including a start point and an target point; (b) computing, using a cost function, for said points an accumulated path cost from the start point to a point; representing a minimal cost path from the start point to the point with respect to an optimization criteria; (c) computing for at least some of said points an estimated-cost-to-target from a point to the target point; and (d) after computing said costs, determining at least one of a minimal path or a minimal path cost of a path from the start point to the target point in the physical space, wherein the determination is based on said accumulated path costs, and is minimal with respect to the optimization criteria.

Abstract: A method of centerline determination for a tubular tissue in a medical image data set defined in a data space, comprising receiving at least one start point and one end point inside a tubular tissue volume; automatically determining a path between said points that remains inside said volume; automatically segmenting said tubular tissue using said path; and automatically determining a centerline for said tubular tissue from said segmentation, wherein said receiving, said determining a path and said segmenting, said determining a centerline are all performed on a same data space of said medical image data set.

Abstract: A method of automatically identifying bone components in a medical image data set of voxels, the method comprising: a) applying a first set of one or more tests to accept voxels as belonging to seeds, b) applying a second set of one or more tests to accept seeds as bone seeds, and c) expanding the bone seeds into bone components by progressively identifying candidate bone voxels, adjacent to the bone seeds or to other previously identified bone voxels, as bone voxels, responsive to predetermined criteria which distinguish bone voxels from voxels of other body tissue.

Abstract: A method of centerline determination for a tubular tissue in a medical image data set defined in a data space, comprising receiving at least one start point and one end point inside a tubular tissue volume; automatically determining a path between said points that remains inside said volume; automatically segmenting said tubular tissue using said path; and automatically determining a centerline for said tubular tissue from said segmentation, wherein said receiving, said determining a path and said segmenting, said determining a centerline are all performed on a same data space of said medical image data set.

Abstract: A method of automatically identifying bone components in a medical image data set of voxels, the method comprising: a) applying a first set of one or more tests to accept voxels as belonging to seeds, wherein none of the tests examine an extent to which the image density has a local maximum at or near a voxel and falls steeply going away from the local maximum in both directions along an axis; b) applying a second set of one or more tests to accept seeds as bone seeds, at least one of the tests requiring at least one voxel belonging to the seed to have a local maximum in image density at or near said voxel, with the image density falling sufficiently steeply in both directions along at least one axis; and c) expanding the bone seeds into bone components by progressively identifying candidate bone voxels, adjacent to the bone seeds or to other previously identified bone voxels, as bone voxels, responsive to predetermined criteria which distinguish bone voxels from voxels of other body tissue.

Abstract: A method, performed by a computer, of facilitating selection by a user of one path from a set of directed paths in an image, partly overlapping but not constituting a directed tree structure, each path beginning at a root and ending at an end point, the method comprising: a) receiving from the user an indication of a specified location in the image; b) identifying a specified path part that best matches the indication of the specified location; and c) suggesting primarily a single path chosen from among two or more paths in the set which include the specified path part, but do not all follow a same route before the specified path part, and at least one of which separates from another path somewhere along its length.

Abstract: A method for segmenting liver parenchyma in a medical image. The method comprises receiving a medical image depicting the liver parenchyma, separating the liver parenchyma from in the medical image, and segmenting the depicted liver parenchyma to functionally independent liver segments.

Abstract: A method of analyzing structure of a network of vessels in a medical image, comprising: receiving the medical image depicting the network of vessels; obtaining a mask of the network of vessels in the image; and generating a non-forest graph mapping a plurality of paths of vessels in the network to directed paths in the graph, with each edge in the graph either directed to indicate a known direction of flow in the corresponding vessel, or undirected to indicate a lack of knowledge of direction of flow in the corresponding vessel, and with all directed edges in a path directed in a same direction as the path.

Abstract: A method of segmenting one or more soft tissue organs in a 3-D medical image, the method comprising: a) registering the image to a bone atlas which also lists landmarks of the organs; b) identifying a plurality of voxels as corresponding to listed landmarks of the organs, based on their position relative to one or more known bones in the registered image; and c) segmenting at least one organ using at least one of the voxels identified as belonging to that organ as a starting point.

Abstract: A method for a rapid automated presentation of at least two radiological data sets of a patient, comprising, (a) automatically registering the data sets in 3D space; and (b) concurrently presenting substantially matching anatomical regions in each data set.

Abstract: A method for segmenting a medical image. The method comprises providing a registration of a medical image depicting a plurality of bones with a skeletal atlas mapping an exemplary skeletal structure having a plurality of exemplary bones, identifying at least one component having at least one anatomical characteristic indicative of a predefined organ in the medical image, each the at least one component depicting at least one of the plurality of bones, and segmenting at least one region of interest (ROI) around the at least one component within the medical image according to at least one respective the exemplary bone pertaining to the predefined organ.

Abstract: A method for registering a medical image with a model mapping a skeletal structure. The method comprises receiving a medical image depicting a plurality of bones, providing a statistical model mapping a reference skeletal structure having a plurality of reference anatomical elements, and registering medical image with the statistical model according to at least one constraint defined by the plurality of reference anatomical elements.

Abstract: A method for supporting a preparation of medical report for a patient. The method comprises acquiring one or more medical imaging studies and/or medical records which are related to the patient, automatically matching a report template to the one or more medical imaging studies and/or medical records according to at least one characteristic thereof, presenting the matched report template to allow a user to provide a diagnosis of the one or more medical imaging studies and/or medical records, and embedding the diagnosis in the matched report template.

Abstract: A system and method for increasing integration within and between medical sites with medical information systems, optionally using a single device which is suitable for multiple sites. In some embodiments, the device forms a network where devices can exchange data across networks. In some embodiments, the device provides and supports upgrading of hospital capability.

Abstract: A method for providing an imaging study at a client terminal. The method comprises receiving a request for an imaging study from a client terminal connected to a first system of a plurality of medical imaging systems and identifying a destination of a device hosting the requested imaging study. The device is disparately connected to a second system of the plurality of medical imaging systems. The method further comprises acquiring the imaging study from the hosting device using the destination and forwarding the imaging study to the client terminal.

Abstract: A method of automatically identifying bone components in a medical image data set of voxels, the method comprising: a) applying a first set of one or more tests to accept voxels as belonging to seeds, wherein none of the tests examine an extent to which the image density has a local maximum at or near a voxel and falls steeply going away from the local maximum in both directions along an axis; b) applying a second set of one or more tests to accept seeds as bone seeds, at least one of the tests requiring at least one voxel belonging to the seed to have a local maximum in image density at or near said voxel, with the image density falling sufficiently steeply in both directions along at least one axis; and c) expanding the bone seeds into bone components by progressively identifying candidate bone voxels, adjacent to the bone seeds or to other previously identified bone voxels, as bone voxels, responsive to predetermined criteria which distinguish bone voxels from voxels of other body tissue.

Abstract: An image analysis system comprising: (a) an image input module adapted to receive a medical image; and (b) an analytic module adapted to segment the image, identify a plurality of vertebrae and label each vertebra.

Abstract: An interactive system for obtaining data for diagnostic purposes from a server having access to stores of said data wherein the server supplies the data and software to a data requesting user that enables the user to receive the data progressively so as to decide during the receipt of the data what portions of the data are to be received thereby decreasing the time required to receive the data and that enables the user to load the software to process the supplied data.

Abstract: An interactive method for allowing a user to obtain image data for diagnostic purposes from a server having access to stored data, comprising: connecting a user's computer to the server over a communication network; receiving from the server image reconstruction software for the user's computer; requesting specific image data for transmission from the server to the user's computer; progressively transmitting the requested specific image data over the network from the server to user's computer; and repeatedly reconstructing diagnostic quality images, from the progressively received image data, at different quality levels, using the reconstruction software on the user's computer.

Abstract: An interactive system for obtaining data for diagnostic purposes from a server having access to stores of said data wherein the server supplies the data and software to a data requesting user that enables the user to receive the data progressively so as to decide during the receipt of the data what portions of the data are to be received thereby decreasing the time required to receive the data and that enables the user to load the software to process the supplied data.