Abstract: An inventive medical imaging marker includes a base (2) composed of a non-imageable material, three spherical members (10, 11, 12) provided in a predetermined positional relationship in the base (2) and each composed of an imageable material, and auxiliary marker members (20, 21, 22) provided in the base (2) and composed of the imageable material. The auxiliary marker members (20, 21, 22) respectively have linear portions (20L, 21L, 22L) which are disposed parallel to straight lines extending through center points of the three spherical members (10, 11, 12) and each have a predetermined length sufficient to serve as a mark. The center points of the three spherical members (10, 11, 12) can be correctly identified in a captured image with reference to the linear portions (20L, 21L, 22L) of the auxiliary marker members (20, 21, 22) of the inventive medical imaging marker. Thus, reference axes can be correctly defined in the image.

Abstract: The conventional display of a medical 3-dimensional image fails to display both the left and right sides of the patient simultaneously and symmetrically. The medical 3-dimensional image information cannot be therefore utilized efficiently for a comparative evaluation on the symmetrical left and right sides when making a diagnosis or a plan for surgery or treatment. According to a display control program, by displaying medical 3-dimensional images to be displayed on the display screen in a pair on the left and right sides, and by rotating a pair of the displays on the left and right sides in opposite directions with respect to the vertical axis (Z axis) to form and display an image on the opposite side corresponding to one viewpoint direction, both the left and right sides of the patent can be displayed simultaneously and symmetrically.

Abstract: In a medical three-dimensional image display orientation modifying apparatus according to the present invention, landmarks (P1, P2) are respectively specified in right and left regions of a displayed medical three-dimensional image. The right and left landmarks thus specified are registered. The apparatus includes modifying means that modifies the inclinations of two (X- and Z-axes) of three axes (X-, Y- and Z-axes) of a three-dimensional coordinate system based on the registered landmarks with the other axis (Y-axis) kept unchanged. Therefore, the display orientation of the three-dimensional image can be more flexibly set for the morphological evaluation and analysis of the three-dimensional image, so that the clinical applicability of the information of the three-dimensional image is significantly improved.

Abstract: An inventive medical imaging marker includes a base (2) composed of a non-imageable material, three spherical members (10, 11, 12) provided in a predetermined positional relationship in the base (2) and each composed of an imageable material, and auxiliary marker members (20, 21, 22) provided in the base (2) and composed of the imageable material. The auxiliary marker members (20, 21, 22) respectively have linear portions (20L, 21L, 22L) which are disposed parallel to straight lines extending through center points of the three spherical members (10, 11, 12) and each have a predetermined length sufficient to serve as a mark. The center points of the three spherical members (10, 11, 12) can be correctly identified in a captured image with reference to the linear portions (20L, 21L, 22L) of the auxiliary marker members (20, 21, 22) of the inventive medical imaging marker. Thus, reference axes can be correctly defined in the image.

Abstract: An inventive implant handpiece (12) includes a head (14) having a round outer peripheral surface (20) which is concentric with a center axis of a drill bur (17) and has a predetermined length (H1 to H3) as measured axially of the drill bur (17). A surgical guide (11) has a guide hole (13) having a round inner peripheral surface to be opposed to the round peripheral surface (20) of the head (14). Since a drilling operation is performed with the head (14) fitted in the guide hole (13), the head (14) can be reliably uniquely guided to form an implant implantation hole as desired. Thus, the present invention provides an implant handpiece capable of accurately drilling a hole for formation of an implant implantation hole, and a surgical guide capable of guiding this handpiece.

Abstract: It has been difficult to display medical three-dimensional images taken by different imaging devices (imaging methods or modalities) individually in a common display direction. In the invention, a coordinate system 1 on the basis of landmarks on the bones and a coordinate system 2 on the basis of landmarks on the skins are set in a CT image, and a transformation coefficient (correction amount) Tc between the coordinate system 1 and the coordinate system 2 is calculated and stored. In a case where image data acquired by another imaging method is displayed, a coordinate system same as the coordinate system 1 in the CT image can be set in a case where the image data includes a bone display layer, and a coordinate system same as the coordinate system 2 in the CT image can be set in a case where the image displays a skin display layer.

Abstract: A highly precise implant implantation guide has been desired for safely and precisely performing a dental implant treatment. A method of producing an implant implantation guide according to the present invention includes the steps of: (1) preparing a guide block including an attachment portion and a processing portion; (2) acquiring CT image data of a patient with the guide block being worn by the patient; (3) determining an implant implantation position and an implant implantation direction through diagnosis based on the CT image data, and transforming information of the implantation position and the implantation direction thus determined into coordinate information based on a processing reference coordinate system; and (4) cutting the guide block through CAD/CAM so as to reflect the coordinate information obtained by the transformation.

Abstract: A conventional medical image processing apparatus is capable of forming a section perpendicular to a reference plane, but has a drawback that a section intersecting the reference plane at a desired angle other than the right angle cannot be formed. A sectional line is defined in a three-dimensional image viewed perpendicularly to a reference plane. Then, the displayed image is switched to an image viewed along the sectional line, and a line indicative of the reference plane and a line indicative of a sectional plane based on the sectional line are displayed in the image. In turn, the line indicative of the displayed sectional plane is inclined with respect to the line indicative of the reference plane. Then, a sectional image taken along the sectional plane defined by the inclined line is displayed.

Abstract: The conventional display of a medical 3-dimensional image fails to display both the left and right sides of the patient simultaneously and symmetrically. The medical 3-dimensional image information cannot be therefore utilized efficiently for a comparative evaluation on the symmetrical left and right sides when making a diagnosis or a plan for surgery or treatment. According to a display control program, by displaying medical 3-dimensional images to be displayed on the display screen in a pair on the left and right sides, and by rotating a pair of the displays on the left and right sides in opposite directions with respect to the vertical axis (Z axis) to form and display an image on the opposite side corresponding to one viewpoint direction, both the left and right sides of the patent can be displayed simultaneously and symmetrically.

Abstract: A medical simulation apparatus is provided, which is capable of performing a simulation by correlating a three-dimensional image with an entity model. Coordinates of measurement marks MP1, MP2, MP3 on a surface of a lower dental arch model 62 in a coordinate system defined by three reference marks MK1, MK2, MK3 are acquired before and after displacement of the lower dental arch model 62. The coordinates thus acquired are converted into coordinates in a coordinate system defined by reference marks PK1, PK2, PK3 on the basis of a relationship between the reference marks MK1, MK2, MK3 and the reference marks PK1, PK2, PK3. Then, changes in the coordinates after displacement of the lower dental arch model 62 are determined, and a region preliminarily specified in a three-dimensional image displayed on a display 5 is displaced on the basis of the coordinate changes thus determined.

Abstract: Where an arbitrary point on an image is designated in the field of a medical image, it is generally designated on a sectional image, and an arbitrary point on a three-dimensional image cannot be designated. According to the invention the orientation of the three-dimensional image is controlled in a first direction corresponding to the operation of the user. When an arbitrary point of the three-dimensional image is designated by the user, a plane passing through that point and normal to a display screen is created and stored. Next, the three-dimensional image is oriented in a second direction, and an arbitrary point is designated in the second direction by the user. Then, there is created a straight line which passes through that point and which is normal to the display screen. Then, the coordinates of the intersection the stored screen and the straight line are determined, and the point having the coordinates of the intersection point is displayed on the three-dimensional image.