Abstract: System and method for automatically extracting at least one region of a first type of bone tissue from a target bone. A digital radiograph image with the target bone is received. Based on the digital radiograph image, at least one region of a first type of bone tissue is automatically identified or extracted. This region can then be utilized for different purposes, such as assessment, qualitative assessment, quantitative assessment, analysis, spatial domain analysis, frequency domain analysis, and calculation of one or more target bone features.

Abstract: A method, machine-readable storage medium embodying computer-readable code and automated system for assaying or monitoring the extent of joint or bone deformity reported by a summarized score that may include joint space narrowing, bone erosion and periarticular osteoporosis in a joint-degenerative or joint-damaging disease in a subject are disclosed. From a digitized image of one of the subject's straight bone terminated with a joint such as fingers, coordinates of right and left bone contours of a selected middle or proximal phalange are determined, and these coordinates are in turn used to determine the coordinates of a minimum width in the middle region of the phalange and one or more apices in a region adjacent at least one side of a joint of the selected phalange. These latter coordinates are used in selecting a reference joint contour representing normal-bone contour for that phalange, or the contour of the patient phalange from an earlier x-ray image.

Abstract: An automatic segmentation module with an open architecture that automatically generates a contour of a target bone based on a digital image. In one embodiment, the digital image can include an extremity, such as a hand with three digits and a calibration wedge. The automatic segmentation module receives the digital image as an input, and automatically segments the target bone by utilizing an object-oriented approach. This approach extracts intermediate target objects and uses these intermediate target objects to refine or limit the search space in order to extract the final target object.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring bone density in a body part. The method and apparatus receive and process a digital image that includes at least one digit, a calibration wedge, and a target bone to compute the density of the target bone. Based on the digital image, a contour for the digit and the target bone are automatically extracted and displayed for the user. A user is then provided an opportunity to input information via an easy-to-use graphical user interface. The contour of the target bone is then automatically re-computed based on the user input. Then, the bone mineral density of the target bone is computed based on the re-computed contour of the target bone.