Abstract: In some examples, two dimensional (2D) datasets, such as images, may be transformed into three dimensional (3D) datasets (e.g., volumes). The values and material properties of voxels of the 3D dataset may be based, at least in part, on values of pixels in the 2D dataset. A 3D scene of the 3D dataset may be rendered from a plane parallel to a plane of the 2D dataset to generate a “top-down” render that may look like a 2D image. In some examples, additional coloring may be added to the rendered 2D image based on intensity or other properties of the 2D dataset.

Abstract: In some examples, one or more three dimensional (3D) objects may be rendered in relation to a two dimensional (2D) imaging slice. The 3D object may be rendered such that the 3D object casts a colored shadow on the 2D imaging slice. In some examples, the 3D object may be rendered in colors where different colors indicate a distance from the portion of the 3D object from the 2D imaging slice.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a medical imaging and/or visualization system and method that provide a user interface enabling a user to visualize (e.g., via a volume rendering) a three dimensional (3D) dataset, manipulate the rendered volume to select a slice plane, and generate a diagnostic image at the selected slice plane, which is enhanced by depth colorized background information. The depth colorization of the background image is produced by blending, preferably based on the depth of structures in the volume, two differently colorized volume renderings, and then fusing the background image with a foreground diagnostic image to produce the enhanced diagnostic image.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a medical imaging and/or visualization system and method that provide a user interface enabling a user to visualize (e.g., via a volume rendering) a three dimensional (3D) dataset, manipulate the rendered volume to select a slice plane, and generate a diagnostic image at the selected slice plane, which is enhanced by depth colorized background information. The depth colorization of the background image is produced by blending, preferably based on the depth of structures in the volume, two differently colorized volume renderings, and then fusing the background image with a foreground diagnostic image to produce the enhanced diagnostic image.

Abstract: An ultrasound system (100) and operating method (200) are disclosed in which the system is adapted to receive a sequence (15) of 2-D ultrasound image frames (150) of a prenatal entity from an ultrasound probe (14) and, for each image frame in said sequence, control the display device to display the received image frame; attempt to segment the image frame for recognition of an anatomical feature of interest (151) of said prenatal entity in said image frame; and accept the image frame for further processing upon recognition of said feature, said further processing comprising: determine a geometric property of the recognized anatomical feature of interest for each accepted image frame; and control the display device to display the determined geometric properties of the accepted image frames in said sequence with each displayed image frame. Such an operating method may be made available as a computer program product for installation on the ultrasound system.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a medical imaging and visualization system that provides a user interface enabling a user to visualize a volume rendering of a three dimensional (3D) data set and to manipulate the volume rendering to dynamically select a MPR plane of the 3D data set for generating a B-mode image at the dynamically selected MPR plane. In some examples, the 3D data set is rendered as a 2D projection of the volume and a user control enables the user to dynamically move the location of the MPR plane while the display updates the rendering of the volume to indicate the current location of the MPR plane and/or corresponding B-mode image.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes an image rendering technique that provides a simulated light source positioned within a three dimensional (3D) data set for rendering two dimensional projection images of the 3D data set. The simulated light source may be positioned anywhere inside or outside the 3D data set, including within a region of interest. The simulated light source may be a multidirectional light source. A user may select a position of the simulated light source via a user interface. A user may select an in-plane position of the simulated light source and an image processor and/or volume renderer may automatically calculate a depth position to maintain a distance between the simulated light source and a surface of a region of interest in the 3D data set.

Abstract: An ultrasound imaging apparatus (20) is disclosed, comprising a data interface (30) configured to receive a plurality of different ultrasound data sets (26, 28) resulting from an ultrasound scan of an object (18) in different viewing directions. The ultrasound imaging apparatus further comprises a segmentation unit (32) for segmenting anatomical structures of the object in the different ultrasound data sets and for providing segmentation data of the anatomical structures, and a reference determining unit (34) for determining a spatial reference (48, 50, 52, 54) for the different ultrasound data sets on the basis of the segmentation data. A confidence determining unit (40) is included for determining confidence values (56) for different regions of the received ultrasound data on the basis of the spatial reference.

Abstract: An ultrasound system (100) and operating method (200) are disclosed in which the system is adapted to receive a sequence (15) of 2-D ultrasound image frames (150) of a prenatal entity from an ultrasound probe (14) and, for each image frame in said sequence, control the display device to display the received image frame; attempt to segment the image frame for recognition of an anatomical feature of interest (151) of said prenatal entity in said image frame; and accept the image frame for further processing upon recognition of said feature, said further processing comprising: determine a geometric property of the recognized anatomical feature of interest for each accepted image frame; and control the display device to display the determined geometric properties of the accepted image frames in said sequence with each displayed image frame. Such an operating method may be made available as a computer program product for installation on the ultrasound system.

Abstract: An ultrasound imaging system (1) is disclosed comprising a data storage arrangement (220) for storing ultrasound imaging data comprising an imaging volume of a fetus (8); a processor arrangement (210) communicatively coupled to the data storage arrangement and responsive to a user interface (120); and a display device (50) under control of said processor arrangement.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes an image rendering technique that provides a simulated light source positioned within a three dimensional (3D) data set for rendering two dimensional projection images of the 3D data set. The simulated light source may be positioned anywhere inside or outside the 3D data set, including within a region of interest. The simulated light source may be a multidirectional light source. A user may select a position of the simulated light source via a user interface. A user may select an in-plane position of the simulated light source and an image processor and/or volume renderer may automatically calculate a depth position to maintain a distance between the simulated light source and a surface of a region of interest in the 3D data set.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a medical imaging and visualization system that provides a user interface enabling a user to visualize a volume rendering of a three dimensional (3D) data set and to manipulate the volume rendering to dynamically select a MPR plane of the 3D data set for generating a B-mode image at the dynamically selected MPR plane. In some examples, the 3D data set is rendered as a 2D projection of the volume and a user control enables the user to dynamically move the location of the MPR plane while the display updates the rendering of the volume to indicate the current location of the MPR plane and/or corresponding B-mode image.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes an image rendering technique that provides a simulated light source positioned within a three dimensional (3D) data set for rendering two dimensional projection images of the 3D data set. The simulated light source may be positioned anywhere inside or outside the 3D data set, including within a region of interest. The simulated light source may be a multidirectional light source. A user may select X-Y-Z coordinates of the simulated light source via a user interface.

Abstract: An ultrasound imaging apparatus (20) is disclosed, comprising a data interface (30) configured to receive a plurality of different ultrasound data sets (26, 28) resulting from an ultrasound scan of an object (18) in different viewing directions. The ultrasound imaging apparatus further comprises a segmentation unit (32) for segmenting anatomical structures of the object in the different ultrasound data sets and for providing segmentation data of the anatomical structures, and a reference determining unit (34) for determining a spatial reference (48, 50, 52, 54) for the different ultrasound data sets on the basis of the segmentation data. A confidence determining unit (40) is included for determining confidence values (56) for different regions of the received ultrasound data on the basis of the spatial reference.

Abstract: An image processing method, comprising acquiring an image of a 3-D tubular object of interest to segment; computing a 3-D path that corresponds to the centerline of the tubular object and defining segments on said 3-D path; creating an initial straight deformable cylindrical mesh model, of any kind of mesh, with a length defined along its longitudinal axis equal to the length of the 3-D path; dividing this initial mesh model into segments of length related to the different segments of the 3-D path; computing, for each segment of the mesh, a rigid-body transformation that transforms the initial direction of the mesh into the direction of the related segment of the 3-D path, and applying this transformation to the vertices of the mesh corresponding to that segment.

Abstract: An image processing system having means of automatic adaptation of 3-D surface Model to image features, for Model-based image segmentation, comprising: dynamic adaptation means for adapting the Model resolution to image features including locally setting higher resolution when reliable image features are found and setting lower resolution in the opposite case. This system comprises estimation means for estimating a feature confidence parameter for each image feature. The model resolution is locally adapted according to said parameter. The feature confidence parameter depends on the feature distance and on the estimation of quality of this feature including estimation of noise. The large distances and the noisy, although close features are penalized. The resolution of the Model is decreased in absence of confidence and is gradually increased with the rise of feature confidence.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of processing temporally acquired image data with an obtaining step for obtaining the temporally acquired image data, a computing step for computing a time-variability map on the basis of the temporally acquired image data, a classifying step for classifying locations of the temporally acquired image data on the basis of the time-variability map, and a determining step for determining an artifact region and a non-artifact region in the temporally acquired image data on the basis of the classified locations. After determining the artifact region and the non-artifact region, detecting an object in a detecting step is limited to the non-artifact region. This advantageously reduces the risk of falsely identifying the detected object as an object of interest.

Abstract: An image processing system, for processing a 3-D image of a 3-D substantially tubular structure (AAA), formed of a lumen (LUM) limited by a wall (5,6), comprising processing means (102) for segmenting the 3-D external or internal surface of the structure; estimating a local parameter such as the local wall thickness (T) or diameters; and display means (105) for displaying the 3-D surface of segmentation with zones colorized according to a color code, so that to indicate the local parameter values in said zones. The system may comprise processing means to generate (107) a 3-D virtual cylinder and projecting (108) the color-coded 3-D segmentation surface onto the 3-D virtual cylinder surface colorized according to the same color-code; and projecting the 3-D virtual cylinder surface onto a 2-D color-coded map; and display means for displaying the 2-D color-coded map with colorized zones indicating the local parameter values (T) in said zones (109).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method (100) of processing temporally acquired image data comprising an obtaining step (105) for obtaining the temporally acquired image data, a computing step (110) for computing a time-variability map on the basis of the temporally acquired image data, a classifying step (120) for classifying locations of the temporally acquired image data on the basis of the time-variability map, and a determining step (125) for determining an artifact region and a non-artifact region in the temporally acquired image data on the basis of the classified locations. After determining the artifact region and the non-artifact region, detecting an object in a detecting step (130) is limited to the non-artifact region. This advantageously reduces the risk of falsely identifying the detected object as an object of interest.

Abstract: An image processing system comprising 3D image data processing means of automatic mapping a 3-D Surface Model onto the surface of an object of interest in a 3-D image, for estimating a model-based 3-D segmentation surface, comprising visualizing means and further comprising means of interactive adaptation of the segmentation surface to the actual surface of the object of interest including means of interactive selection of a 2D data plane (DP) that intersects the 3-D segmentation surface along a 2-D Model Curve (MC), said Data Plane having a user-selected orientation with respect to said surface, which is appropriate for the user to visualize a 2-D portion called Aberrant Curve (AC) of said Model Curve to be modified; means of interactive definition of a Guiding Curve (GC) in the 2-D Data Plane; means of interactive adaptation of said Aberrant Curve (AC) to said Guiding Curve (GC); and means of further automatically adapting the 3D segmentation surface within a neighborhood of the interactively adapted Aberra