Abstract: A system and corresponding method for flexible generation of digitally reconstructed radiograph (DRR) images on a graphics processing unit (GPU) are provided, the system including a processor, an imaging adapter in signal communication with the processor for receiving volumetric data, an integration unit in signal communication with the processor for integrating the volumetric data into incremental line integrals, and a modeling unit in signal communication with the processor for modeling composite line integrals from the incremental line integrals; and the corresponding method including receiving three-dimensional (3D) volumetric data into a graphics pipeline, integrating the 3D volumetric data into incremental line integrals along a plurality of viewing rays, modeling composite line integrals from the incremental line integrals, and adding the incremental line integrals for each composite line integral to form pixels of the DRR image.

Abstract: A patient positioning system for positioning a patient relative to radiographic equipment. The system includes: a 3D optical imaging system for optically scanning the patient, such 3D optical imaging system having a focal plane and providing, for each position on the object, data representative of the intensity of reflected energy received by the system from such position and data representative of distance from such position on the object to the focal plane; a table apparatus for supporting the patient and for moving the table relative to the radiographic equipment in response to positioning signals; and a processor responsive to data from the radiographic equipment and the data from the a 3D optical imaging system for producing the positioning signals. The system enables a method for displaying temporal changes in a patient positioned with a bore of radiographic equipment.

Abstract: A system and method for registering pre-operative images of an object with an intra-operative image of the object is disclosed. Prior to an operative procedure, Digitally Reconstructed Radiographs (DRRs) are generated for the pre-operative images of each individual patient. Signatures are extracted from the DRRs. The signatures are stored in a knowledge base. During the operative procedure, a signature is extracted from the intra-operative image. The intra-operative signature is compared to the stored pre-operative signatures. A pre-operative image having a best signature match to the intra-operative signature is retrieved. The retrieved pre-operative image is registered with the intra-operative image.

Abstract: A method for four-dimensional (4D) image verification in respiratory gated radiation therapy, includes: acquiring 4D computed tomography (CT) images, each of the 4D CT images representing a breathing phase of a patient and tagged with a corresponding time point of a first surrogate signal; acquiring fluoroscopic images of the patient under free breathing, each of the fluoroscopic images tagged with a corresponding time point of a second surrogate signal; generating digitally reconstructed radiographs (DRRs) for each breathing phase represented by the 4D CT images; generating a similarity matrix to assess a degree of resemblance in a region of interest between the DRRs and the fluoroscopic images; computing a compounded similarity matrix by averaging values of the similarity matrix across different time points of the breathing phase during a breathing period of the patient; determining an optimal time point synchronization between the DRRs and the fluoroscopic images by using the compounded similarity matrix;

Abstract: A method for unsupervised classification of histological images of prostatic tissue includes providing histological image data obtained from a slide simultaneously co-stained with NIR fluorescent and Hematoxylin-and-Eosin (H&E) stains, segmenting prostate gland units in the image data, forming feature vectors by computing discriminating attributes of the segmented gland units, and using the feature vectors to train a multi-class classifier, where the classifier classifies prostatic tissue into benign, prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN), and Gleason scale adenocarcinoma grades 1 to 5 categories.

Abstract: A method of determining a three-dimensional (3D) position of a catheter tip includes: compensating a 2D position of the tip of the catheter for respiratory motion to generate a compensated 2D catheter position, generating weighted sample points around the compensated 2D catheter position, determining correspondent points of the weighted sample points in a 3D image, computing a weighted mean and a weighted covariance of each correspondent point, and determining the 3D position of the catheter tip in the 3D image from a fusion of the weighted means and weighted covariances.

Abstract: A method for deformable registration of 2 digital images includes providing a pair of digital images, including a fixed image and a moving image, extracting a set of edge images from each image of the pair of images, each edge set being extracted at a different resolution, selecting a pair of edge images with a lowest resolution, determining a mapping from edge points of the fixed image to edge points of moving image using a geodesic thin plate spline interpolation, applying the mapping to a next higher resolution edge point image of the moving image, selecting a pair of edge images at a next higher resolution, where a moving edge image is the moving edge image to which the mapping has been applied, repeating the steps at a next higher resolution for all edge images in the set of edge images, and applying the mapping to an entire moving image.

Abstract: A method for deformable registration including determining a vector field from a two-dimensional matching of a volume of an object of interest and a two-dimensional image of the object of interest, providing a deformation profile, and finding a volume deformation that maps to a state of the two-dimensional image, wherein the deformation is parameterized by the vector field and control points of the deformation profile to find a control point configuration of the volume deformation.

Abstract: Apparatus for calibrating an ultrasound transducer providing B-scans for two-dimensional (2D) images, includes: an ultrasound probe for providing B-scans; a position sensing device, the position sensing device being attached to the ultrasound probe and operating as part of a position sensing system in cooperation with a fixed sensing control unit, for labeling the B-scans with their respective relative positions and orientations (pose); a phantom marker for being imaged by the ultrasound probe for providing measurements which together with known physical properties of the phantom marker are used to derive calibration information for relating measurement data from the position sensing device to the poses of the B-scans to construct a 3D image; and the phantom marker comprising an encoded line object with distinctive calibration characteristics indicative of position along the line object, wherein the line object is disposed in a generally circumferential manner about a common axis with the probe.

Abstract: A method for four-dimensional (4D) image verification in respiratory gated radiation therapy, includes: acquiring 4D computed tomography (CT) images, each of the 4D CT images representing a breathing phase of a patient and tagged with a corresponding time point of a first surrogate signal; acquiring fluoroscopic images of the patient under free breathing, each of the fluoroscopic images tagged with a corresponding time point of a second surrogate signal; generating digitally reconstructed radiographs (DRRs) for each breathing phase represented by the 4D CT images; generating a similarity matrix to assess a degree of resemblance in a region of interest between the DRRs and the fluoroscopic images; computing a compounded similarity matrix by averaging values of the similarity matrix across different time points of the breathing phase during a breathing period of the patient; determining an optimal time point synchronization between the DRRs and the fluoroscopic images by using the compounded similarity matrix;

Abstract: A method of registering 3-dimensional digitized images to 2-dimensional digitized images during a medical procedure includes providing a pair of correctly-registered training images L={lr, lf} and their joint intensity distribution pl(ir, if), wherein ir and if are reference and floating images, respectively, providing a pair of observed images O={or, of} and their joint intensity distribution po(ir, if), mapping a marginal intensity distribution of the observed pair O={or, of} to a marginal intensity distribution of the training pair L={lr, lf}, and estimating a set of parameters T that registers image of to image or by maximizing a weighted sum of a Jensen-Shannon divergence (JSD) of a joint intensity distribution of the observed pair and a joint intensity distribution of the training pair and a similarity measure between the observed images.

Abstract: A system and corresponding method for fast generation of digitally reconstructed radiograph (DRR) images are provided, the system including a processor, an imaging adapter in signal communication with the processor for receiving volumetric data, a preprocessing unit in signal communication with the processor for preprocessing subvolumes into a set of local line integrals, and an online processing unit in signal communication with the processor for online processing global line integrals, each from a set of local line integrals, respectively; and the corresponding method including receiving three-dimensional volumetric data, subdividing the volumetric data into a set of overlapping subvolumes, preprocessing each subvolume into a dense set of local line integrals at several angles and positions, online processing global line integrals, each from a set of local line integrals, respectively, and adding up values of the set of local line integrals for each global line integral to form pixels of the DRR image.

Abstract: A diffuse optical spectroscopy system comprises a laser breast scanner, a handheld probe connected to the laser breast scanner for scanning a breast, and a tracking device coupled to the handheld probe, wherein the tracking device determines locations of the handheld probe relative to the breast. The tracking device comprises a magnetic tracking device, an optical tracking device or a laser tracking device.

Abstract: A method for marking three-dimensional (3D) locations from images obtained from an ultrasound imaging system including a transducer, comprising the steps of: tracking the pose of the transducer with respect to an external 3D coordinate system; obtaining a two-dimensional (2D) ultrasound image from the transducer; marking a desired target with a marker on the 2D ultrasound image; and calculating the 3D position of the marker utilizing data from the step of tracking.

Abstract: A method for registration of two image data sets. The method includes: compartmentalizing a first one of the two image data sets into a plurality of regions with each one of such regions having a presumed but unknown spatially corresponding region in the other one of the two image data sets. For each one of the regions in the first one of the two image data sets and for the presumed spatially corresponding one of the regions in the other one of the two image data set an energy function related to the degree such two regions match one another is defined. The method minimizes the sum of the energy functions defined for each one of the regions in the first one of the two image data sets and for the corresponding one of the regions in the other one of the two image data set by deforming the image data set of such region in the other one of the image data. Energy functions for each region are defined separately.

Abstract: A user interface for augmented reality (AR) systems and virtual reality (VR) systems which include a computer and virtual graphics and in which a user experiences a virtual viewing direction, includes: a virtual line pointer included in the virtual graphics and fixed with respect to the virtual viewing direction; a representation of the virtual line pointer to the user; and a user-operable device coupled to the computer for optionally marking an object intersecting the virtual line pointer.

Abstract: A Bayesian formulation for coupled surface evolutions in level set methods and application to the segmentation of the prostate and the bladder in CT images are disclosed. A Bayesian framework imposing a shape constraint on the prostate is also disclosed, while coupling its shape extraction with that of the bladder. Constraining the segmentation process improves the extraction of both organs' shapes.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for presenting three-dimensional data to a physician is provided to facilitate the flexible navigation of an endoscope and surgical instruments with respect to anatomical structures. In accordance with a first embodiment a first set of data corresponding to a three dimensional model of a patient's anatomy is received. This three-dimensional model may be rendered from images taken in CT or MRI scanning, as discussed above In accordance with this embodiment, this model is then combined with a second set of data corresponding to a view obtained from an endoscope. In another embodiment, the view from the illustrative endoscope is displayed as an inset image on the display of the three-dimensional image. In yet another embodiment, the three-dimensional image comprises a graphical representation of at least a first surgical instrument, such as said endoscope. The surgeon may select among various combinations of views and may zoom in or out from any particular view.

Abstract: A method for reconstructing an ear canal from optical coherence tomography (OCT) scan data of an ear comprises extracting frame numbers and line numbers of interference intensities corresponding to one or more markers on an OCT scan guide, receiving reference frame numbers and lines numbers for one or more markers, determining a starting position and direction for the OCT ear scan from the ear scan marker frame and line numbers and the reference marker frame and line numbers, for each scan line, finding a pixel number of a maximum interference intensity value, and determining an offset distance of said pixel from said scan guide, and reconstructing a surface of the ear canal from the distance offset data.

Abstract: A system and method for tree structure based two-dimensional to three-dimensional registration are provided for receiving three-dimensional (3D) data indicative of vessels, segmenting the 3D data with a vessel tree, simulating two-dimensional (2D) data responsive to the segmented 3D data to form a simulated 2D image, receiving 2D data indicative of vessels, segmenting the received 2D data with a vessel tree, finding a distance transform of the segmented 2D data to form a 2D distance map image, considering a set of poses as state vectors with the corresponding probability computed using the similarity measure computation, re-sampling the pose vector to find a set of most probable poses and considering them as hypothesized poses, recomputing the projection and re-evaluating the probability of the hypothesized poses and updating the state vector until the optimal pose is found.