Patents by Inventor Axel Saalbach

Axel Saalbach has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10133348
    Abstract: A region of interest segmentation system includes a display device, a gaze-tracking device, a gaze point collector, a boundary identifier, and a region identifier. The display device displays an image. The gaze-tracking device, generates gaze points relative to the displayed image. The gaze point collector selects gaze points from the generated gaze points corresponding to a region of interest of the displayed image. the boundary identifier estimates a boundary based on the selected gaze points. The region identifier segments the region of interest based on the estimated boundary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: Kongkuo Lu, Eric Cohen-Solal, Yuechen Qian, Gabriel Ryan Mankovich, Axel Saalbach, Daniel Bystrov
  • Patent number: 10002420
    Abstract: A system (100) is provided for performing a model-based segmentation of an anatomical structure in a medical image. The system comprises a processor (140) configured for performing a model-based segmentation of the anatomical structure by applying a deformable model to image data (042). Moreover, definition data (220) is provided which defines a geometric relation between a first part and a second part of the deformable model of which a corresponding first part of the anatomical structure is presumed to be better visible in the image data than a corresponding second part of the anatomical structure. The definition data is then used to adjust a fit of the second part of the deformable model. As a result, a better fit of the second part of the deformable model to the second part of the anatomical structure is obtained despite said part being relatively poorly visible in the image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: Alexandra Groth, Jochen Peters, Juergen Weese, Axel Saalbach
  • Patent number: 9953429
    Abstract: A system and method is provided which obtains different medical images (210) showing an anatomical structure of a patient and having been acquired by different medical imaging modalities and/or different medical imaging protocols. The system is configured for fitting a first deformable model to the anatomical structure in the first medical image (220A), fitting a second deformable model to the anatomical structure in the second medical image (220B), mutually aligning the first fitted model and the second fitted model (230), and subsequently fusing the first fitted model and the second fitted model to obtain a fused model (240) by augmenting the first fitted model with a part of the second fitted model which is missing in the first fitted model; or adjusting or replacing a part of the first fitted model based on a corresponding part of the second fitted model having obtained a better fit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: Sabine Mollus, Axel Saalbach, Juergen Weese
  • Patent number: 9858667
    Abstract: A method includes displaying an iconic image of the human body and a list of predetermined anatomical regions. The method further includes displaying, in response to a user selected anatomical region, a scan box over a sub-portion of the iconic image. The method further includes receiving an input indicative of at least one of a scan box location of interest or a scan box geometry of interest, with respect to the anatomical region, of the first user. The method further includes at least one of re-locating or changing a geometry of the first initial scan box, in response thereto, creating a first user defined scan box for the first user. The method further includes creating a first transformation between a first template image representative of the selected anatomical region and the iconic image with the first user defined scan box for the first user, and storing the first transformation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Julien Senegas, Axel Saalbach, Martin Bergtholdt, Thomas Netsch, Peter Mazurkewitz
  • Publication number: 20170372007
    Abstract: The present application describes a system (100) and method for detecting and labeling structures of interest. The system includes a current patient study database (102) containing a current patient study (200) with clinical contextual information (706). The system also includes an image metadata processing engine (118) configured to extract metadata for preparing an input for an anatomical structure classifier (608), a natural language processing engine (120) configured to extract clinical context information (706) from the prior patient documents, an anatomical structure detection and labeling engine (718), and a display device (108) configured to display findings from the current patient study. The anatomical structure detection and labeling engine (718) is configured to identify and label one or more structures of interest (716) from the extracted metadata and clinical context information (706). The processor (112) is also configured to aggregate series level data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2015
    Publication date: December 28, 2017
    Inventors: KONGKUO LU, ALEXANDRA GROTH, YUECHEN QIAN, AXEL SAALBACH, RANJITH NAVEEN TELLIS, DANIEL BYSTROV, RAN COHEN, BELA FADIDA, LIOR WOLLOCH
  • Publication number: 20170365059
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system (1) for adaptive segmentation. The system (1) comprises a configurator (10), which is configured to determine an adapted angular range (AR) with respect to an operation mode of the system (1) and which is configured to determine a segmentation parameter (SP) based on the adapted angular range (AR). Further, the system comprises an imaging sensor (20), which is configured to acquire images (I1, . . . , IN) within the adapted angular range (AR). Still further, the system comprises a segmentator (30), which is configured to generate a segmentation model based on the acquired images (I1, . . . , IN) using the determined segmentation parameter (SP).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2016
    Publication date: December 21, 2017
    Inventors: AXEL SAALBACH, PIETER GERBEN ESHUIS, WILHELMUS HENRICA GERARDA MARIA VAN DEN BOOMEN, DIRK SCHÄFER, JUERGEN WEESE
  • Publication number: 20170242481
    Abstract: A region of interest (ROI) segmentation system (10) includes a display device (20), a gaze-tracking device (28), a gaze point collector (32), a boundary identifier(36), and a region identifier (38). The display device (20) displays an image (14). The gaze-tracking device (28) generates gaze points relative to the displayed image (14). The gaze point collector (32) selects gaze points from the generated gaze points (30) corresponding to a region of interest (ROI) (25) of the displayed image (14). The boundary identifier (36) estimates a boundary (70) based on the selected gaze points (54, 60). The region identifier (38) segments the ROI (25) based on the estimated boundary (70).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2015
    Publication date: August 24, 2017
    Inventors: KONGKUO LU, ERIC COHEN-SOLAL, YUECHEN QIAN, GABRIEL RYAN MANKOVICH, AXEL SAALBACH, DANIEL BYSTROV
  • Publication number: 20170213338
    Abstract: A system (100) is provided for performing a model-based segmentation of an anatomical structure in a medical image. The system comprises a processor (140) configured for performing a model-based segmentation of the anatomical structure by applying a deformable model to image data (042). Moreover, definition data (220) is provided which defines a geometric relation between a first part and a second part of the deformable model of which a corresponding first part of the anatomical structure is presumed to be better visible in the image data than a corresponding second part of the anatomical structure. The definition data is then used to adjust a fit of the second part of the deformable model. As a result, a better fit of the second part of the deformable model to the second part of the anatomical structure is obtained despite said part being relatively poorly visible in the image data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2014
    Publication date: July 27, 2017
    Inventors: ALEXANDRA GROTH, JOCHEN PETERS, JUERGEN WEESE, AXEL SAALBACH
  • Publication number: 20170178320
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a device, system and method for quality assessment of medical images. The device comprises an image input configured to obtain a medical image acquired according to an imaging guideline, a database access unit configured to access a database storing reference images for a plurality of imaging guidelines and for obtaining a reference image based on the imaging guideline used for acquisition of the obtained medical image, an analysis unit configured to analyze the obtained medical image in view of the obtained reference image and/or the used imaging guideline to generate quality information representing the quality of the obtained medical image, and a quality output configured to output the generated quality information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2016
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Inventors: AXEL SAALBACH, DANIEL BYSTROV, THOMAS BUELOW, KONGKUO LU
  • Patent number: 9684961
    Abstract: The invention relates to a scan region determining apparatus (12) for determining a scan region of a subject to be scanned by a scanning system (10) like a computed tomography system. A spatial transformation defining a registration of an overview image and a template image with respect to each other is determined, wherein initially the overview image and the template image are registered by using an element position indicator being indicative of a position of an element of the subject with respect to the overview image. A template scan region is defined with respect to the template image, wherein a final scan region is determined by projecting the template scan region onto the overview image by using the determined spatial transformation. The registration and thus the determination of the spatial transformation are very robust, which improves the quality of determining the final scan region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Julien Senegas, Axel Saalbach, Martin Bergtholdt, Thomas Netsch, Peter Mazurkewitz
  • Publication number: 20160307331
    Abstract: A system and method is provided which obtains different medical images (210) showing an anatomical structure of a patient and having been acquired by different medical imaging modalities and/or different medical imaging protocols. The system is configured for fitting a first deformable model to the anatomical structure in the first medical image (220A), fitting a second deformable model to the anatomical structure in the second medical image (220B), mutually aligning the first fitted model and the second fitted model (230), and subsequently fusing the first fitted model and the second fitted model to obtain a fused model (240) by augmenting the first fitted model with a part of the second fitted model which is missing in the first fitted model; or adjusting or replacing a part of the first fitted model based on a corresponding part of the second fitted model having obtained a better fit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Publication date: October 20, 2016
    Inventors: SABINE MOLLUS, AXEL SAALBACH, JUERGEN WEESE
  • Publication number: 20160012586
    Abstract: The invention relates to a scan region determining apparatus (12) for determining a scan region of a subject to be scanned by a scanning system (10) like a computed tomography system. A spatial transformation defining a registration of an overview image and a template image with respect to each other is determined, wherein initially the overview image and the template image are registered by using an element position indicator being indicative of a position of an element of the subject with respect to the overview image. A template scan region is defined with respect to the template image, wherein a final scan region is determined by projecting the template scan region onto the overview image by using the determined spatial transformation. The registration and thus the determination of the spatial transformation are very robust, which improves the quality of determining the final scan region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2014
    Publication date: January 14, 2016
    Inventors: Julien SENEGAS, Axel SAALBACH, Martin BERGTHOLDT, Thomas NETSCH, Peter MAZURKEWITZ
  • Publication number: 20150139520
    Abstract: A method includes displaying an iconic image of the human body and a list of predetermined anatomical regions. The method further includes displaying, in response to a user selected anatomical region, a scan box over a sub-portion of the iconic image. The method further includes receiving an input indicative of at least one of a scan box location of interest or a scan box geometry of interest, with respect to the anatomical region, of the first user. The method further includes at least one of re-locating or changing a geometry of the first initial scan box, in response thereto, creating a first user defined scan box for the first user. The method further includes creating a first transformation between a first template image representative of the selected anatomical region and the iconic image with the first user defined scan box for the first user, and storing the first transformation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2015
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventors: Julien SENEGAS, Axel SAALBACH, Martin BERGTHOLDT, Thomas NETSCH, Peter MAZURKEWITZ
  • Publication number: 20150110369
    Abstract: Image processing apparatus 100 comprising an input 110 for obtaining an image 102 and segmentation data 112 configured for use in segmenting a region of interest in a predetermined type of image, the input being arranged for further obtaining a segmentation data descriptor 116 of the segmentation data, the segmentation data descriptor being indicative of the predetermined type of image, and a processor 120 for (i) obtaining, based on the image, an image descriptor indicative of an actual type of the image, (ii) comparing the image descriptor to the segmentation data descriptor, and (iii) establishing, based on said comparing, a suitability indication 122 for using the segmentation data in segmenting the region of interest in the image to avoid the use of the segmentation data when the predetermined type of image insufficiently matches the actual type of the image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2012
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Applicant: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: Axel Saalbach, Alexandra Groth, Juergen Weese
  • Patent number: 9014448
    Abstract: A system for associating acquired images with objects is disclosed. It comprises an image selector (1) for selecting a stored image from a database (5) comprising a plurality of stored images, the database (5) comprising an association (21) between the stored image (6) and an object of interest; an image scanner (2) for acquiring a new image (9) comprising a representation (10) of at least part of the object of interest, during an imaging session; a user interface (3) for enabling a user, during the imaging session, to indicate that the new image (9) is to be associated with the object of interest; and an associating subsystem (4) for creating an association (23) between the new image (9) and the object of interest in the database. The user interface (3) is arranged for enabling a user to select the object of interest from a plurality of objects of interest associated with the stored image (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: Thomas Buelow, Kirsten Meetz, Martin Bergtholdt, Johannes Buurman, Axel Saalbach
  • Publication number: 20150026643
    Abstract: System (100) for enabling an interactive inspection of a region of interest (122) in a medical image (102), the system comprising display means (160) for displaying user interface elements (310, 320, 330) of actions associated with the interactive inspection of the region of interest and a processor (180) for executing one of the actions when a user selects an associated one of the user interface elements, the system further comprising establishing means (120) for establishing the region of interest in the medical image, determining means (140) for determining an anatomical property (142) of the region of interest in dependence on an image property of the region of interest, and the display means (160) being arranged for (i), in dependence on the anatomical property, establishing a display configuration (162) of the user interface elements, and (ii) displaying the user interface elements in accordance with the display configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2012
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Inventors: Juergen Weese, Irina Wächter-Stehle, Axel Saalbach
  • Publication number: 20150006574
    Abstract: Medical selection system 100 for generating selection data, the medical selection system comprising user input 110 for enabling a user to establish a selection of one or more medical images amongst a plurality of medical images 182 for establishing the one or more medical images as baseline images for use in a follow-up examination of a patient; a processor 120 for (i) generating selection data 132 being indicative of said selection, and (ii) including selection metadata in the selection data for enabling associating the selection data with the plurality of medical images; and an output 130 for providing the selection data to a medical processing system 150 for enabling the medical processing system to select, based on the selection data, the one or more medical images amongst the plurality of medical images for use as the baseline images in the follow-up examination of the patient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2013
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Axel Saalbach, Julien Senegas, Michael Chun-chieh Lee
  • Publication number: 20120243765
    Abstract: A system for associating acquired images with objects is disclosed. It comprises an image selector (1) for selecting a stored image from a database (5) comprising a plurality of stored images, the database (5) comprising an association (21) between the stored image (6) and an object of interest; an image scanner (2) for acquiring a new image (9) comprising a representation (10) of at least part of the object of interest, during an imaging session; a user interface (3) for enabling a user, during the imaging session, to indicate that the new image (9) is to be associated with the object of interest; and an associating subsystem (4) for creating an association (23) between the new image (9) and the object of interest in the database. The user interface (3) is arranged for enabling a user to select the object of interest from a plurality of objects of interest associated with the stored image (6).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2010
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: Thomas Buelow, Kirsten Meetz, Martin Bergtholdt, Johannes Buurman, Axel Saalbach