Abstract: A technique for selecting portions of a medical image data set to be stored and portions of the medical image data set to be discarded in order to reduce the overall amount of image data that is stored for each image data set. The selection is based on the clinical purpose for obtaining the medical image data. The clinical purpose for obtaining the medical image is used to select an atlas. The atlas is labeled with information that establishes the relative relevance of various regions of the atlas. The atlas is aligned to the image and the labeling information is transferred from the atlas to the medical image. Each region of the medical image is then processed based on the labeling information received from the atlas. The regions of greatest relevance are stored at their full resolution. Regions of lesser relevance are stored at less than the full resolution. Finally, regions of no relevance are discarded and not stored at all.

Abstract: A technique for prioritizing portions of compressed multi-resolution medical image data to be processed. More relevant portions of medical image data are compressed at a higher resolution than less relevant portions of medical image data. A mask is created from the image data and used to assign data compression quality factors to corresponding image blocks in the image data. The image data in each region is compressed based on their assigned quality factor. During processing of the compressed image data, the compressed image data and the mask are accessed. The mask is used to direct the processing of the compressed image data. Depending upon the application, the mask can be used to direct that the image data for the regions of most relevance be processed before the image data for the regions of lesser relevance. However, the mask can be used to direct that the image data for the regions of lesser relevance be processed before the image data for the regions of most relevance.

Abstract: A technique for selecting portions of a multi-resolution medical image data set to be stored and the portions of the multi-resolution medical image data set to be discarded in order to reduce the overall amount of image data that is stored for each image data set. The selection is based on the clinical purpose for obtaining the medical image data. The clinical purpose for obtaining the medical image is used to select a segmentation algorithm to segment the image data into several regions based on their relevance to the purpose for obtaining the image data. A mask is created from the segmented data. The mask is used to assign data compression quality factors to corresponding regions in the image data. The image data in each region is compressed based on their assigned quality factor. The image data that is highly relevant is compressed with lossless data compression. The image data in regions of lesser relevance are compressed with lossy data compression.

Abstract: A method for displaying a medical image using a computer controlling a display includes animating a stored medical image by smoothly altering properties of the stored medical image between at least a first image and a second image, not necessarily in that order, wherein the second image exaggerates an abnormal physiological characteristic represented in the stored medical image, and displaying the animated image.

Abstract: A method for visualizing data includes the step of providing a virtual flight visualization of image data representing a non-landscape object.

Abstract: The present application discloses a method of integrating image zoom and montage. The method comprises generating a montage using at least one neighboring image while zooming-out an image; and displaying the zoomed-out image with the montage. The neighboring images may be selected depending upon various features disclosed. The method further comprises panning the montage for selecting an image, placing the same at the center of the montage, and zooming-in the selected image. Also disclosed is a display system incorporating an integrated interface for image zoom and montage.