Abstract: A method for automatic CR image composition includes the following steps for each image in a CR image pair. A vertical gradient image is projected onto a y-axis to obtain a y-axis projection. Edge positions (candidates) are identified from white band edge positions based on an absolute maximum value of the y-axis projection. An intensity change constancy identifies candidates having orientation angles less than a threshold angle with respect to a horizontal. An intensity change value verifies intensity value differences on two candidate sides. A cross-correlation score is computed for the candidates having an error value below a threshold for the intensity change constancy and the intensity change value, by comparing a consistency of the candidates against image data of the CR image pair. A final overlap is identified for the CR image pair, based upon the cross-correlation score.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for object correspondence identification between two image sets, said method steps comprising roughly aligning the two image sets, receiving a selected point in said one image set, locating a rough matching point in said another image, defining a first volume-of-interest around said selected point, defining a search window around said matching point comprising a plurality of neighboring points, for every point in said search window, defining a second volume-of-interest, computing the similarity between each said second volume-of-interest with said first volume-of-interest, and selecting that second volume-of-interest that is most similar to said first volume-of-interest.

Abstract: A system and method for detecting pedicle positions in an image, in accordance with the present invention, includes providing a set of feature prototypes for a plurality of pedicle positions and orientations, providing an input image to be analyzed for pedicle positions and orientations, and determining intensity curvatures for a pedicle in the input image. The intensity curvatures are transformed to determine a feature vector for the pedicle in the input image. The feature vector is correlated to the feature prototypes to determine most likely positions and orientations of the pedicle.

Abstract: A mark-free computer-assisted diagnosis method and system are provided for assisting diagnosis of abnormalities in digital medical images using diagnosis based image enhancement. The method includes the steps of: receiving indicia identifying one or more regions of interest in a digital medical image; and displaying one or more enhanced views of the regions of interest, the enhanced views being based on diagnostic parameters for the regions of interest and diagnostic parameters corresponding to a particular abnormality.

Abstract: A system and method for automatically detecting anatomical landmarks in a radiographic image, preferably for total hip replacement applications, in accordance with the present invention, provides a region of interest of the image, and determines a first landmark in the region of interest by computing an intensity ridge map. A second landmark is determined in the region of interest based on a position and orientation of the first landmark, and measurements are performed on the image based on positions of the first and second landmarks.

Abstract: Systems and methods for correcting the image intensity of under-exposed regions of CR (computed radiography) images for mosaic composition. In one aspect, a method for generating a mosaic CR image comprises acquiring a set of CR images and processing each CR image to detect an under-exposed region in the CR image. If an under-exposed region is detected, the CR image is separated into an under-exposed region and normal exposure region. The image intensity of the under-exposed region is then adjusted to be substantially similar to, or as close as possible to, the image intensity of the normal exposure region of the CR image using nonlinear enhancement and/or linear transformation techniques. The intensity corrected CR images are then combined in a mosaic image.

Abstract: Disclosed is a graphical user interface, comprising a plurality of main displays, each for displaying an image set, a user interactive system for receiving from a user a first location of an object-of-interest in one of said image sets, and a correlation system for finding and displaying a second location, corresponding to said first location, of a corresponding second volume-of-interest in at least one of said other image sets.

Abstract: A system and method for automatically detecting a spinal axis and spinal boundaries from an image, in accordance with the present invention, includes scanning an input image in at least two scan directions to generate a ridge map associated with each scan direction. The ridge maps are fused to enhance a projected spinal axis. A piece-wise linear approximation of the projected spine axis is provided, and a gradient map of the input image is enhanced project spine boundaries. Spine boundaries are determined by constraining the projected spine boundaries relative to each other and the spine axis.

Abstract: A fully automatic system and method for detecting endplates of vertebra in radiographic images, in accordance with the present invention, provides an intensity curvature map of an image of a spine and filters the intensity curvature map in a direction relative to a spine axis. At a plurality of points of the spine axis, maximum and minimum scores are computed by summing curvatures of the intensity curvature map and by summing directional intensity gradients along line segments to determine if an endplate passes through the points. Endplate positions are found by comparing relative positions of plotted values corresponding to the maximum and minimum scores.

Abstract: A method for automatic detection of lung nodules in high-resolution multi-slice CT images by using cartwheel projection analysis is disclosed. The projection analysis employs weighted area curves obtained from a series of 2-dimensional cutting planes rotated around a defined axis in the volume of interest. Nodules are detected if the shape analysis of the weighted area curves meets a set of test-criteria.

Abstract: A system and method for appearance-based object detection includes a first portion capable of brightness and contrast normalization for extracting a plurality of training images, finding eigenimages corresponding to the training images, receiving an input image, forming a projection equation responsive to the eigenimages, solving for intensity normalization parameters, computing the projected and normalized images, computing the error-of-fit of the projected and normalized images, thresholding the error-of-fit, and determining object positions in accordance with the thresholded error-of-fit; and optionally includes a second portion capable of forming eigenimages for multiresolution for sub-sampling the training images, forming training images of coarse resolution in accordance with the sub-sampled images, computing eigenimages corresponding to the training images of coarse resolution, interpolating the eigenimages for coarse resolution, performing orthonormalization on the interpolated images by singular valu

Abstract: A system and method for automatic quantitative assessment of myocardial image quality includes a liver-heart artifact quantification unit for providing a sequence of images, detecting the heart position in each image, segmenting non-heart activity relative to the detected heart positions, measuring the liver-heart effect in each image based on the segmentations, fusing the measurements obtained in each image, and determining a quality number for the plurality of images responsive to the fused measurements; and also includes a heart detection unit for receiving the image sequence, generating a region of interest comprising the heart by 1-D pseudo-motion analysis of the image sequence, localizing the heart center by a training-based algorithm, fitting a curve to the localized heart centers of each image in the sequence, refining the heart center positions of localized heart centers falling outside of a tolerance distance from the fitted curve, and determining a bounding circle comprising the heart in accordance

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for object correspondence identification between two image sets, said method steps comprising roughly aligning the two image sets, receiving a selected point in said one image set, locating a rough matching point in said another image, defining a first volume-of-interest around said selected point, defining a search window around said matching point comprising a plurality of neighboring points, for every point in said search window, defining a second volume-of-interest, computing the similarity between each said second volume-of-interest with said first volume-of-interest, and selecting that second volume-of-interest that is most similar to said first volume-of-interest.

Abstract: A system and method for automatically reducing false-positive nodule candidates associated with airways includes receiving a nodule candidate, testing for airway cavities connected to the candidate, and recognizing the candidate as a false-positive nodule candidate if it is connected to an airway cavity; where the testing may include perpendicular testing for airways that are relatively perpendicular to an examination plane and parallel testing for airways that are relatively parallel to an examination plane.

Abstract: A system and method for automatically generating potentially vessel-feeding pulmonary nodule candidates from multi-detector, thin-slice high resolution computed tomography images include a volume examination unit for providing a plurality of images defining a lung volume and examining the lung volume to generate a list of seed objects; a volume of interest generator for selecting a seed from the list and defining a volume of interest comprising the seed within the lung volume; a seed examination unit for extracting a structure of interest comprising the seed from the volume of interest, analyzing the structure of interest by automatically quantifying features therein, and updating the list of seed objects to exclude all unexamined seed objects contained in the current structure of interest under examination; and a candidate generator for generating a candidate from the structure of interest if its features meet preset criteria and providing geometric characteristics of the candidate to other algorithms for de

Abstract: A system and method for automatically detecting nodules from images include a seed point generation unit for generating a seed point from a plurality of images that define a volume, a volume of interest generation unit for defining a volume of interest comprising the seed point and optionally smoothing the volume of interest with a set of pre-selected scales, a volume projection unit for choosing principal viewing axes within the volume of interest, re-slicing the volume of interest along one of the principal viewing axes and computing volume projection curves of the re-sliced volumes along the principal viewing axes, and a volume projection analysis unit for analyzing the shapes of the volume projection curves, and detecting a nodule in accordance with the analyzed shapes.

Abstract: A system and method for evaluating a biometric detection system, in accordance with the present invention, provides an edited database including a plurality of existing biometric images with corrected extracted features that were acquired with a sensor or sensors different from the sensor of the system under evaluation. A second database, smaller than the edited database, is edited which includes biometric images (that were acquired by the sensor of the system under evaluation) are employed to evaluate the biometric detection system. The second database has errors in extracted features corrected. A statistical perturbation model is constructed to describe degradation characteristics of the extracted features from the second database as provided in the editing step. The statistical perturbation model is applied to the edited database to construct a perturbed database sensitive to degradations of the biometric system under evaluation.

Abstract: Systems and methods for correcting the image intensity of under-exposed regions of CR (computed radiography) images for mosaic composition. In one aspect, a method for generating a mosaic CR image comprises acquiring a set of CR images and processing each CR image to detect an under-exposed region in the CR image. If an under-exposed region is detected, the CR image is separated into an under-exposed region and normal exposure region. The image intensity of the under-exposed region is then adjusted to be substantially similar to, or as close as possible to, the image intensity of the normal exposure region of the CR image using nonlinear enhancement and/or linear transformation techniques. The intensity corrected CR images are then combined in a mosaic image.

Abstract: Segmentation of pulmonary nodules from digital volumetric image includes segmenting, automatically, the pulmonary nodule from attached anatomical structures by analyzing a structure of interest, and providing a template according to an analyzed structure of interest, wherein the template displays a segmentation of a volume of interest including an object of interest. The template can be adjusted according to a one or more adjustable parameters. The method stores values of the parameters according to the object of interest, and stores a segmentation of the object of interest according to the values of the parameters. The segmentation is refined by extracting and labeling surrounding anatomical structures, defining each structure touching a boundary of a volume of interest as an elongated object, determining a size and shape for each structure, and determining a distance of a current structure to the segmentation result, upon determining the distance to be small compared to a threshold.

Abstract: According to one embodiment of the invention, a variable length correlation method is provided for compensating for body motions and heart creep in a sequence of image frames obtained by single-photon emission computed tomograph (SPECT) myocardial perfusion imaging. Abrupt body motions, gradual body motions, and heart upward creep are detected and corrected in the sequence of image frames, based on varying correlation lengths. A linear transformation is used to compensate for appearance changes of the heart under different acquisition angles so as to achieve high accuracy of motion detection and correction. The detecting and correcting step is applied in the two-dimensional image domain. The method also includes the steps of detecting and excluding high intensity, non-heart regions in a particular image frame so that non-heart motions such as bowel gas, spleen, and liver motions are excluded from being involved in the motion detection and correction procedure.