Abstract: A system for generating a view of a medical image comprises an input (1) for receiving information indicative of a suspected diagnosis of a patient. An input (2) for receiving a medical image of the patient. A mapper (3) for mapping the suspected diagnosis of the patient to a set of viewing parameters for viewing the medical image. A view generator (8) for providing a view of the medical image in accordance with the set of viewing parameters. A database (4) for mapping a suspected diagnosis into a set of generic viewing parameters. A transformer (5) for transforming the set of generic viewing parameters into a set of image-specific viewing parameters based on content of the medical image.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system (100) for retrieving a volumetric image data subset comprised in a data storage (105) of volumetric image data sets, the system comprising: a first query unit (111; 113) for composing a first query for searching the data storage (105) for a volumetric image data set comprising the volumetric image data subset; a second query unit (112; 113) for composing a second query for searching the volumetric image data set for the volumetric image data subset, the second query comprising anatomical structure information for identifying an anatomical structure within the volumetric image data set; a first determination unit (121; 123) for determining the volumetric image data set, based on the first query; a second determination unit (122; 123) for determining the volumetric image data subset of the volumetric image data set, based on the anatomical structure identified within the volumetric image data set, using the anatomical structure information comprised in the second query; and a r

Abstract: The invention relates to an image registration apparatus for registering a first image and a second image with respect to each other. A model, which has a fixed topology, is adapted to the first image for generating a first adapted model and to the second image for generating a second adapted model,and corresponding image elements (40, 48, 49; 50, 58, 9) are determined in the first image and in the second image based on spatial positions of first image elements in the first image with respect to the first adapted model and spatial positions of second image elements in the second image with respect to the second adapted model. Since the model has a fixed topology, corresponding image elements can relatively reliably be found based on the adapted models, even if the first and second images show objects having complex properties like a heart, thereby improving the registration quality.

Abstract: An ultrasound system for planning a surgical implantation of a prosthetic aortic valve produces three dimensional images of the aortic root region of a patient. An electronic model of an aortic root is accessed and fitted to the aortic root in a three dimensional ultrasound image. Preferably the aortic root model exhibits closed contour cross-sections which are fitted to the endothelial lining of the aortic root in the ultrasound image. A medial axis of the fitted model is identified and radii measured from the medical axis to the border of the fitted model. The radii are joined to identify a surface forming a mesh model fitted to the aortic root anatomy of the patient. The shape and dimensions of the fitted model may be used to fabricate a custom prosthetic valve for aortic valve replacement.

Abstract: A method includes identifying a plurality of different anatomical sub-regions of the cardiovascular system of a subject in image data of the subject based on a subject specific cardiovascular anatomical model, wherein the plurality of different regions corresponds to regions where calcifications occur, searching for and identifying calcifications in the sub-regions based on voxel grey value intensity values of the image data, and generating a signal indicative of one or more regions of voxels of the image data respectively corresponding to sub-regions including identified calcifications. A computing system (118) includes a processor that automatically determines a plurality of different groups of voxels of image data of a subject, wherein each group of voxels corresponds to a different sub-region of the cardiovascular system of the subject and each group of voxels corresponds to a region that includes a calcification identified in the image data.

Abstract: A method for acquiring X-ray image data of an imaging volume is disclosed, the method using a detector and a distributed X-ray source structure having a plurality of single source elements, which are uniformly distributed with a common pitch to each other, the method comprises moving the distributed X-ray source structure and/or the detector with respect to the imaging volume, importantly, the maximum moving distance dmax of the distributed X-ray source structure during the acquisition of the X-ray image data is limited to the length lp of the pitch. Emitting of X-rays from the distributed X-ray source structure and generating a plurality of signals in response to the X-rays incident upon the detector are executed during the movement.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of measuring geometric variables of a three-dimensional structure contained in an object from at least on image representing the object, having the following steps:—use of a deformable first model describing the structure, the shape of which model can be described by parameters,—adjustment of the first model to the structure in the image,—determination of the parameters at which the first model exhibits optimum conformity with the structure,—use of a deformable second model describing the structure, which second model in shape corresponds to the first model, and which in addition contains at least one geometric variable,—modification of the second model according to the parameters determined, and—derivation of the geometric variable(s) from the modified second model.

Abstract: A system and method for identifying an abnormality of an anatomical structure. The system and method segments, using a processor, the anatomical structure imaged in a volumetric image of a plurality of control patients to produce a control segmentation of the anatomical structures of each of the control patients, obtains a normative dataset by extracting a statistical representation of a morphology of the control segmentations, segments the anatomical structure of a patient being analyzed for abnormalities to produce a patient segmentation and compares the patient segmentation to the normative dataset obtained from the control segmentations.

Abstract: The invention relates to evaluating medical image information, in particular physical properties of an object (32). When preparing a surgical procedure e.g. a minimally invasive procedure, it may be beneficial to plan the procedure in detail before starting the operation. Thus, obtaining precise information about physical properties of an object (32), e.g. a diameter value (34, 36) of an anatomical structure may be beneficial. Accordingly, a method and a system for determining a physical property (34, 36) of an object (32) is provided, which employs local object context information (38) for determining a local physical property of the object (32).

Abstract: A method allowing display of time-varying merged high resolution and low resolution image data with a smooth frame rate. In one embodiment the high resolution data is structural image data and the low resolution image data is functional image data. The functional image data is gathered (20) into groups and each group is rendered and merged (24) together. The merged images produced are then stored (28) in a First In First Out (FIFO) buffer for display. While the merged images are displayed the next set of functional image data is merged and rendered and supplied to the FIFO buffer, allowing a smooth frame rate to be achieved. A computer program and a medical imaging apparatus using the method are also disclosed.

Abstract: A system and method for automatic segmentation, performed by selecting a deformable model of an anatomical structure of interest imaged in a volumetric image, the deformable model formed of a plurality of polygons including vertices and edges, displaying the deformable model on a display, detecting a feature point of the anatomical structure of interest corresponding to each of the plurality of polygons and adapting the deformable model by moving each of the vertices toward the corresponding feature points until the deformable model morphs to a boundary of the anatomical structure of interest, forming a segmentation of the anatomical structure of interest.

Abstract: A system, apparatus and method are provided for measuring and removing the influence of pulsatility on contrast agent flow in a region of interest of a vascular system of a patient. Once the change of blood speed over the cardiac cycle is known (pulsatility), this influence is removed from acquired image sequence for outcome control such that “quasi-stationary”, regular flow acquisition is passed on to subsequent visualization and analysis processes. A contrast agent injector is also provided that simultaneously measures and uses ECG to inject a known contrast agent at a fixed point over the cardiac cycle or such that a known amount of contrast agent will arrive at a known time at a region of interest in the vasculature of a patient, thus controlling one of the main unwanted variables in an acquisition of blood flow sequences.

Abstract: Diagnostic angiograms only provide the projected lumen of a coronary, which is only an indirect measure of blood flow and pressure decline. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a motion compensated determination of a flow dynamics and a pressure decline for stenosis grading is provided, in which the motion compensation is performed on the basis of a tracking of a first position of a first marker and a second position of a second marker in the projection data set. This may provide for a robust and precise flow dynamics and pressure decline determination.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method (100) of adapting a geometric model to an image data comprising determining a first partial transformation for mapping a first part of the geometric model into the image data and a second partial transformation for mapping a second part of the geometric model into the image data. By determining the first partial transformation of the first part of the geometric model and the second partial transformation of the second part of the geometric model, the geometric model can assume more shapes and therefore can be more accurately adapted to an object comprised in the image data.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for the reconstruction of time-dependent cross-sectional images and may be applied for example in perfusion imaging in the vessel system (2) of a patient. According to the method, projections pij are generated from a number M of different directions di and at different times tij. Moreover, the time-dependent intensity function I(x,t) of the reconstructed volume is approximated by a predetermined model function I*(a(x),t), wherein the unknown parameter vector a(x) is estimated for each voxel x. This estimation may be done using the update functions of known reconstruction algorithms like ART for at least N projections pij in each iteration step.

Abstract: A system for generating a view of a medical image comprises an input (1) for receiving information indicative of a suspected diagnosis of a patient. An input (2) for receiving a medical image of the patient. A mapper (3) for mapping the suspected diagnosis of the patient to a set of viewing parameters for viewing the medical image. A view generator (8) for providing a view of the medical image in accordance with the set of viewing parameters. A database (4) for mapping a suspected diagnosis into a set of generic viewing parameters. A transformer (5) for transforming the set of generic viewing parameters into a set of image-specific viewing parameters based on content of the medical image.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system (100) for registering a vessel model with an image data set based on a joined model comprising a reference object model and the vessel model, the system comprising: a placement unit (110) for placing the joined model in a space of the image data set, thereby creating a placed joined model comprising a placed reference object model and a placed vessel model; a computation unit (120) for computing a deformation field based on a landmark displacement field comprising displacements of landmarks of the placed reference object model relative to corresponding landmarks in the image data set; a transformation unit (130) for transforming the placed joined model using the deformation field, thereby creating a transformed joined model comprising a transformed reference object model and a transformed vessel model; and a registration unit (140) for registering the transformed vessel model with the image data set based on modifying the transformed vessel model and optimizing an objective f

Abstract: A system for establishing a contour of a structure is disclosed. An initialization subsystem (1) is used for initializing an adaptive mesh representing an approximate contour of the structure, the structure being represented at least partly by a first image, and the structure being represented at least partly by a second image. A deforming subsystem (2) is used for deforming the adaptive mesh, based on feature information of the first image and feature information of the second image. The deforming subsystem comprises a force-establishing subsystem (3) for establishing a force acting on at least part of the adaptive mesh, in dependence on the feature information of the first image and the feature information of the second image. A transform-establishing subsystem (4) is used for establishing a coordinate transform reflecting a registration mismatch between the first image, the second image, and the adaptive mesh.

Abstract: An apparatus determines an injection point for targeted drug delivery into a patient's body by injection of the drug into a vessel feeding a target area including a target. To provide the interventionalist with an objective and quantitative assessment of potential drug injection points instead of letting him rely on his subjective impression from the visual inspection of DSA sequences, a processor (4) includes an identification routine (41) for identification of a vessel tree topology of vessels feeding the target area, a flow determination routine (42) for determining the percentage of drug material delivered to said target after injection into different potential injection points in the vessel tree, a selection routine (43) for selecting as optimal injection point the potential injection point resulting in the highest percentage of drug delivery to the target.

Abstract: Method and system for facilitating post-processing of images using deformable meshes in which a deformable mesh model of an object such as an organ is extended by attaching information thereon in order to simplify and/or facilitate a desired post-processing task so that the post-processing task effected when the mesh is applied to the same object in an additional image can expeditiously use this information. The information may be attached to the mesh after its creation, for example, upon segmentation of the same object in some training image. The post-processing task can therefore be performed automatically without user interaction upon segmentation of the object in the additional image. Information is encoded on the mesh by enumerating a list of triangles or vertices of the mesh which have to be considered in the subsequent, post-processing task and by optionally providing additional parameters defining the precise post-processing algorithm(s) to be used.