Abstract: Operating a medical image recording device in the context of an image recording routine for a patient is provided. The image recording routine serves an image recording purpose. The image recording device is controlled based on operating parameters implemented by a controller of the image recording device. The operating parameters are identified completely automatically by an identification algorithm from input data describing at least the patient in the form of a patient model and/or the image recording purpose, and from a registration of the patient with a coordinates system of the image recording device. The operating parameters are used to control the image recording device. An examination region that is to be recorded for the patient and the image recording purpose are derived based on the registration.

Abstract: Operating a medical image recording device in the context of an image recording routine for a patient is provided. The image recording routine serves an image recording purpose. The image recording device is controlled based on operating parameters implemented by a controller of the image recording device. The operating parameters are identified completely automatically by an identification algorithm from input data describing at least the patient in the form of a patient model and/or the image recording purpose, and from a registration of the patient with a coordinates system of the image recording device. The operating parameters are used to control the image recording device. An examination region that is to be recorded for the patient and the image recording purpose are derived based on the registration.

Abstract: A medical image data processing system automatically identifies a catheterization device including marker objects for use in identifying the catheterization device in a medical image for Angiography or another medical procedure. The system includes an image data processor that automatically identifies non-marker objects in a medical image by comparing image data representing individual non-marker objects with image data representing a template non-marker object. The processor automatically identifies catheterization device marker objects by comparing image data representing individual candidate marker objects with image data representing a template marker object and by processing image representative data to provide processed image data excluding image data representing non-marker objects. A user interface generates data representing a display image indicating identified marker objects and an associated catheterization device using the processed image data for presentation to a user.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for high-resolution display of vessel implants in angiographic images, featuring the steps: recording at least two images of an object-catheter combination including catheter markers with a medical imaging method; detection of an region of interest created in the form of an area between the balloon markers which completely contains the object to be registered for each recorded image; coarse registration of the region of interest images by registration of the respective pairs of balloon markers of all recorded images; fine registration of the region of interest image content/of the region of interest image by registration of the region of interest content; and arithmetic averaging across the fine-registered images.

Abstract: A method and system for image quality assessment is disclosed. The image quality assessment method is a no-reference method for objectively assessing the quality of medical images. This method is guided by the human vision model in order to accurately reflect human perception. A region of interest (ROI) of medical image is divided into non-overlapping blocks of equal size. Each of the blocks is categorized as a smooth block, a texture block, or an edge block. A perceptual sharpness measure, which is weighted by local contrast, is calculated for each of the edge blocks. A perceptual noise level measure, which is weighted by background luminance, is calculated for each of the smooth blocks. A sharpness quality index is determined based on the perceptual sharpness measures of all of the edge blocks, and a noise level quality index is determined based on the perceptual noise level measures of all of the smooth blocks.

Abstract: A medical image data processing system automatically selects images showing an anatomically invasive instrument having a pair of instrument identification marker objects. An image data processor automatically, identifies one or more candidate image objects potentially representing invasive instrument marker objects in multiple images in a sequence of acquired images in response to predetermined size and shape data of marker objects. The image data processor identifies pairs of the identified candidate image objects potentially indicating an invasive instrument, in response to predetermined data associated with relative location of individual marker objects of a pair of identification marker objects of an invasive instrument. The image data processor selects in the multiple images, at least one of the identified pairs of identified candidate image objects in response to predetermined criteria and selects images of the multiple images associated with a selected pair of identified candidate image objects.

Abstract: A medical image data processing system automatically identifies a catheterization device including marker objects for use in identifying the catheterization device in a medical image for Angiography or another medical procedure. The system includes an image data processor that automatically identifies non-marker objects in a medical image by comparing image data representing individual non-marker objects with image data representing a template non-marker object. The processor automatically identifies catheterization device marker objects by comparing image data representing individual candidate marker objects with image data representing a template marker object and by processing image representative data to provide processed image data excluding image data representing non-marker objects. A user interface generates data representing a display image indicating identified marker objects and an associated catheterization device using the processed image data for presentation to a user.

Abstract: A computer dismantles a two-dimensional initial image into partial images containing components that vary locally with partial image frequencies and a residual image containing a direct component which is locally invariable. For each partial image and residual image the computer determines a weighting factor and sums the weighted images into a final image. Based on a comparison of the partial image frequencies with a target frequency, the computer determines a partial image as a pilot image and its frequency as a pilot frequency. The computer determines weighting factors of the partial images so that partial images whose frequencies are below the pilot frequency are weighted less than the pilot image, and partial images whose frequencies are above the pilot frequency makes a large contribution when the noise component in the initial image is small and a small contribution when the noise component in the initial image is large.

Abstract: A method and system for image quality assessment is disclosed. The image quality assessment method is a no-reference method for objectively assessing the quality of medical images. This method is guided by the human vision model in order to accurately reflect human perception. A region of interest (ROI) of medical image is divided into non-overlapping blocks of equal size. Each of the blocks is categorized as a smooth block, a texture block, or an edge block. A perceptual sharpness measure, which is weighted by local contrast, is calculated for each of the edge blocks. A perceptual noise level measure, which is weighted by background luminance, is calculated for each of the smooth blocks. A sharpness quality index is determined based on the perceptual sharpness measures of all of the edge blocks, and a noise level quality index is determined based on the perceptual noise level measures of all of the smooth blocks.

Abstract: A radioscopy device is provided. The radioscopy device includes a detector grid; and a scattered radiation matrix. The detector grid is disposed relative to the scattered radiation matrix, which is substantially perpendicular to a direction in which the integral across both location-frequency coordinates of the Fourier transforms of the detector grid and the scattered radiation matrix is at a minimum.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for high-resolution display of vessel implants in angiographic images, featuring the steps: recording at least two images of an object-catheter combination including catheter markers with a medical imaging method; detection of an region of interest created in the form of an area between the balloon markers which completely contains the object to be registered for each recorded image; coarse registration of the region of interest images by registration of the respective pairs of balloon markers of all recorded images; fine registration of the region of interest image content/of the region of interest image by registration of the region of interest content; and arithmetic averaging across the fine-registered images.

Abstract: There is described a method for determining an optimal trigger time for an ECG-triggered recording of an object. In this respect, a time sequence of dynamic images is firstly acquired with simultaneous recording of an ECG signal, then a time in the cardiac cycle is assigned to each dynamic image, and finally the dynamic images are analyzed, for example by calculation of a degree of similarity, in order to identify the time of minimal movement of the object within the time sequence.

Abstract: A radioscopy device is provided. The radioscopy device includes a detector grid; and a scattered radiation matrix. The detector grid is disposed relative to the scattered radiation matrix, which is substantially perpendicular to a direction in which the integral across both location-frequency coordinates of the Fourier transforms of the detector grid and the scattered radiation matrix is at a minimum.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for 3D visualization of vascular inserts in the human body using C-arm radiography comprising: firstly recording a contrast-agent-free vessel system having a vascular insert of two series x-ray recordings with different angulations, secondly contrast-agent-based recording the same vessel system of two series x-ray recordings, processing the first two series recordings for improving image quality of the image data sets containing the insert representation, matching the vessel anatomy from the second two series recordings to the insert representation contained in the processed first two series recordings by 2D matching, computing a 3D data set of a region around the insert enclosing the insert as completely as possible based on the processed first two series recordings, computing a 3D data set of the vessel system based on the second two series recordings, and superimposing the two computed 3D data sets based on the 2D matching.

Abstract: Method for the visualization of a vascular insert comprises: performing an x-ray with a contrast agent and digital subtraction angiography prior to implantation of the vascular insert, simultaneous performing an electrocardiogram or recording a blood pressure signal while performing the x-ray, performing a further x-ray without contrast agent after implantation of the vascular insert, simultaneous performing an electrocardiogram or recording a blood pressure signal while performing the further x-ray, selecting pairs of x-ray images, comprising in each case one taken prior to implantation and one after the implantation, overlaying the two x-ray images in order to visualize the vascular insert.

Abstract: A computer dismantles a two-dimensional initial image into partial images containing components that vary locally with partial image frequencies and a residual image containing a direct component which is locally invariable. For each partial image and residual image the computer determines a weighting factor and sums the weighted images into a final image. Based on a comparison of the partial image frequencies with a target frequency, the computer determines a partial image as a pilot image and its frequency as a pilot frequency. The computer determines weighting factors of the partial images so that partial images whose frequencies are below the pilot frequency are weighted less than the pilot image, and partial images whose frequencies are above the pilot frequency makes a large contribution when the noise component in the initial image is small and a small contribution when the noise component in the initial image is large.