Abstract: Method of estimation and segmentation of the volume of a three-dimensional object in medical imagery, in which: one defines a given number of base points constituting a first three-dimensional shape defined by facets; each facet of the first shape being defined by three segments, the segments are divided by defining second order points adapted to the contour of the object, so as to constitute a second three-dimensional shape closer to the contour of the object than the first shape; each segment is iteratively divided into subsegments adjusted by defining third order points adapted to the contour of the object, so as to constitute a third three-dimensional shape closer to the contour of the object than the second shape; then, the volume of the third three-dimensional shape is calculated.

Abstract: A system and a method for extracting regions of interest from a medical image in order to obtain an image useable by a user. The system includes a user interface comprising virtual buttons that the user can select using an input, the buttons enabling the user to control a selected region extraction method using a region growth method to extract a region The region extraction method depend on which virtual buttons are selected by the user. The user interface also includes a window in which the result of extraction of the region of interest can be displayed, as the region is being grown.

Abstract: A method for selecting and/or labeling a vessel image includes operating an imaging system to obtain reconstructed image data including a volume having vessels therein. A bone removal routine is then applied to the reconstructed image data to produce a bone-free image. An initial point on a main vessel in the bone-free image is located, and bifurcation points and branches departing from the main vessel are identified. An adjacency graph of each branch coming from the main vessel is built. The method includes either or both of selecting and displaying a best or at least a favorable path through the vessels in accordance with predetermined criteria using the adjacency branch, or labeling and displaying branches of the main vessel.

Abstract: A method for analyzing a three-dimensional (3D) image representative of an initial volume of interest (VOI) containing a lesion is disclosed. The 3D image has an associated binary map having voxels associated with a thresholded variance map of the initial VOI. The initial VOI has boundaries that may be defined by a cube. A final VOI is determined that is less than the initial VOI, where the final VOI is a function of the number of transitions from a boundary voxel to a filtered voxel at an outer boundary of the lesion. The final VOI is then analyzed to determine a nodule consistency class, classified based upon the computed nodule consistency class by applying a voxel-clustering algorithm, and displayed with respect to three classifications of tissue.

Abstract: Method and system for processing vascular radiography images which have been reconstructed by three-dimensional modelling, in which: from this three-dimensional modelling there is determined a three-dimensional model known as the masked model which features the calcified elements and the prosthetic elements, but not the vascular elements; a three-dimensional model known as the subtracted model, which features the vascular elements alone, is determined; these two models are merged, weighting their voxels so as to increase the contrast between the images of the masked model and the images of the subtracted model; and summing the voxels thus weighted.

Abstract: A method includes generating a first response including a plurality of potential first objects of interest of a first shape from data regarding a region of interest (ROI), generating a second response including a plurality of second objects of interest for a second shape different than the first shape from the data regarding the ROI, and performing a morphological closing on the second response to produce a second cleaned response including a plurality of completed second objects. The method also includes decreasing the number of potential objects of interest in the first response by deleting any potential first objects that overlap any completed second objects to obtain a cleaned first response, and generating an image using at least one of the first cleaned response and the second cleaned response.

Abstract: An image management system (10), includes a PACS system. The PACS system (10) includes a PACS server (20) coupled to a communications network (22) and a plurality of PACS workstations (40) also coupled to a communications network (22). Each PACS workstation (40) is configured to receive two dimensional image information and produce a three dimensional image rendering on the PACS workstation (40). The three dimensional image rendering is communicated to the PACS server (20) for storage and later retrieval.

Abstract: A method of fusion of a first digital radiographic image obtained as a result of scanning with a second digital radiographic image obtained by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A CT interval of gray levels is selected first in the scanner image. Each pixel of the scanner image having a gray level lying within the CT interval is then replaced by a pixel obtained by digital processing of the pixel of the same coordinates as the MRI image. The final image corresponds to the scanner image in which the pixels of gray levels lying within the CT interval have undergone the digital processing.

Abstract: A method of performing a colon exam includes obtaining at least two initial Computed Tomography (CT) datasets, extracting colon automatically from the CT datasets, synthesizing views of the extracted colon, displaying a plurality of obtained and synthesized views of the colon simultaneously, and synchronizing the views.

Abstract: An automatic segmentation of the left or right cavities of the heart muscle is carried out. Once it is decided which cavities have to be isolated, three steps are implemented. A first step is performed to determine which is the volume comprising the cardiac cavities in a volume image resulting from an examination. This first step comprises a thresholding operation and an erosion, and then the determining of the greatest connected component. In a second step, an identification) is made of the left and right cavities. In a third step, a precise reconstruction is made of the contours of the left or right cavities for which it is sought to make the segmentation. The reconstruction is done by the watershed algorithm.

Abstract: Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a system and method for displaying a set of data with a virtually dissected anatomical structure. In an embodiment, the anatomical structure is a colon and various attributes of the colonic lumen are assigned a color. In an embodiment, a virtual dissection of the colon is created by mapping a three-dimensional data set to a two dimensional data set. A plurality of display index values are computed which correspond to the three-dimensional data set. Various colors are assigned to specific display index values. The three-dimensional display index values are mapped to a two-dimensional set of display index values. As directed by a user, various color cues may be displayed with the virtually dissected lumen to provide color highlights to various aspects of the colon, such as highlighting shape, fluid, or fecal presence.

Abstract: Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a system and method for automatically synchronizing multiple images. Multiple image sets of a single object are converted into a one dimensional data stream used to synchronize multiple image sets. A common reference point is located in the image sets. Various landmarks of the object are also located in the image sets. Corresponding landmarks among the image sets are noted. Distances from landmarks to the reference point and distances between landmarks are determined. Locations of the landmarks in relation to each other and in relation to the reference point are used to locate landmarks in another image set that correspond to landmarks in a selected image set. A first location in an image set may be identified using a first indicator. A second indicator corresponding to the location of the first indicator may then be determined in another image set.

Abstract: Preprocessing methods of this invention remove data relating to cavities of the heart, and improve density mix of parts left therein during CT imaging, so as to allow coronary arteries to be more accurately tracked with conventional tracking algorithms than currently possible. An embodiment comprises: obtaining an original CT voxel dataset comprising a plurality of voxels; creating a heart voxel dataset from the original voxel dataset comprising only voxels belonging to the heart; creating a heart minus cavities voxel dataset by removing voxels belonging to the left and right ventricles, the left and right atriums, and the aorta from the heart voxel dataset; enhancing predetermined voxels in the heart minus cavities voxel dataset to create an enhanced heart minus cavities voxel dataset; and mixing an intensity of the original CT voxel dataset with an intensity of the enhanced heart minus cavities voxel dataset to create the pre-processed voxel dataset.

Abstract: The preprocessing methods of this invention remove the data relating to the cavities of the heart, and improve the density mix of the parts left therein during CT imaging, so as to allow coronary arteries to be more accurately tracked with conventional tracking algorithms than currently possible. An embodiment comprises: obtaining an original CT voxel dataset comprising a plurality of voxels; creating a heart voxel dataset from the original voxel dataset comprising only voxels belonging to the heart; creating a heart minus cavities voxel dataset by removing voxels belonging to the left and right ventricles, the left and right atriums, and the aorta from the heart voxel dataset; enhancing predetermined voxels in the heart minus cavities voxel dataset to create an enhanced heart minus cavities voxel dataset; and mixing an intensity of the original CT voxel dataset with an intensity of the enhanced heart minus cavities voxel dataset to create the pre-processed voxel dataset.

Abstract: A method of performing a colon exam includes obtaining at least two initial Computed Tomography (CT) datasets, extracting colon automatically from the CT datasets, synthesizing views of the extracted colon, displaying a plurality of obtained and synthesized views of the colon simultaneously, and synchronizing the views.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention is a method for analyzing tubular structures in a patient, including steps of: selecting a region of interest and a location within the region of interest from a displayed tube-shaped tree representative of a tubular structure in a patient; identifying a centerline of a structure within the tube-shaped tree within the region of interest; and displaying one or more views of the region of interest. The view or views are selected from at least a segmented 3-D view having the region of interest identified, a curved view of the selected branch, a reformatted view dependent upon the identified centerline, and a 3-D view dependent upon the identified centerline.

Abstract: For the purpose of providing an image projection method for incorporating all data values along a projection axis on a projection image produced from three-dimensional data, a pixel value G at a point of intersection of the projection axis and projection plane is determined as: 1 G = &LeftBracketingBar; ( ∑ i = 1 n ⁢   ⁢ V ⁢   ⁢ i / n ) r - ∑ i = 1 n ⁢ (   ⁢ V ⁢   ⁢ i / n ) r &RightBracketingBar; 1 / r ,

Abstract: An image management system (10), such as a PACS system is disclosed. The PACS system includes a PACS server (20) coupled to a communications network (22) and a plurality of PACS workstations (40) also coupled to a communications network (22). Each PACS workstation (40) is configured to receive two dimensional image information and provide incremental volume rendering on the PACS workstation (40) while the two dimensional image information is being received.

Abstract: A method for analyzing a tubular structure in a patient includes receiving a cursor first position within a displayed tubular structure representative of the tubular structure in the patient, determining a path inside the tubular structure based only on the received cursor first position, and moving a cursor along the path by a pre-determined distance in a pre-determined direction to a cursor second position.

Abstract: A method of creating 3D models to be used for cardiac interventional procedure planning. Acquisition data is obtained from a medical imaging system and cardiac image data is created in response to the acquisition data. A 3D model is created in response to the cardiac image data and three anatomical landmarks are identified on the 3D model. The 3D model is sent to an interventional system where the 3D model is in a format that can be imported and registered with the interventional system.