Abstract: In a method for retrieval of similar findings from a hybrid image dataset, a database of hotspots is prepared, wherein the hotspots are identified by binary strings encoding descriptors, and identify binary strings stored in the database are identified that resemble a new binary string.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for reducing variability of representations of regions of interest in reconstructions of original imaging data, a processor performs a reconstruction on the original imaging data to provide original image data, applies a filter to the original image data to provide filtered image data, displays the original image data to a user as an original image, at said display monitor, receives input parameters from the user to define a volume of interest, applies the input parameters to the filtered image data to generate a contour defining the volume of interest in the filtered image data, and displays the contour defining the volume of interest in the filtered image data to the user on the original image at said display monitor.

Abstract: A voice controlled system uses context-sensitive interpretation of voice comments received by a voice recognition system to identify a region of patient image data identified by a verbal comment.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for providing a visualization image and a reference image for a patient, with only one reconstruction being implemented, raw scan data from the patient are reconstructed into a visualization image, and the reference image is generated, without another reconstruction, by applying a filter to the visualization image to obtain a simulated reference image, using a value of a filter parameter that is specific for the patient. The patient-specific filter parameter is determined by comparing image-derived properties of an accessed, previously-reconstructed reference image and the reference image, and the filter parameter is adapted to reduce differences in the image-derived properties of the respective images.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for automatic background region selection for lesion segmentation in medical images, a patient medical image dataset is loaded into a computer and an image region is delineated to obtain a segmentation containing a lesion. A background region is created from the segmentation representing the patient organ.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for generating an enhanced image for display from medical imaging data of a subject, a feature of interest in the imaging data elongated in at least one dimension is determined. A location of a line through the imaging data along the feature of interest is obtained, and a projection image along the line is generated from the imaging data.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for reducing variability of representations of regions of interest in reconstructions of original imaging data, a processor performs a reconstruction on the original imaging data to provide original image data, applies a filter to the original image data to provide filtered image data, displays the original image data to a user as an original image, at said display monitor, receives input parameters from the user to define a volume of interest, applies the input parameters to the filtered image data to generate a contour defining the volume of interest in the filtered image data, and displays the contour defining the volume of interest in the filtered image data to the user on the original image at said display monitor.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for correcting image data from a medical imaging scan of a subject, into which subject a specified amount of an imaging substance has been introduced, a region of the image data, containing an anomalous proportion of the imaging substance introduced, is identified. For the identified region a regional value of a variable in the image data associated with the imaging substance is determined. The regional value is used to determine the proportion of the substance in the region, and the proportion is subtracted from the specified amount of the imaging substance.

Abstract: A voice controlled system uses context-sensitive interpretation of voice comments received by a voice recognition system to identify a region of patient image data identified by a verbal comment.

Abstract: A method for facilitating comparison of image data from a given medical imaging protocol with archive image data, includes obtaining subject image data from a scan of a subject using the medical imaging protocol, obtaining archive image data differing from the subject image data in a given variable, determining a modifier usable to reduce the difference between the archive and subject image data, using the modifier to modify one of the subject image data and the archive image data to reduce the difference, and comparing the modified archive or subject image data with the subject or archive image data.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for automatic background region selection for lesion segmentation in medical images, a patient medical image dataset is loaded into a computer and an image region is delineated to obtain a segmentation containing a lesion. A background region is created from the segmentation representing the patient organ.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a system for calculating a suggested patient stage, the system including a processor and an associated display monitor, at which patient medical image data are displayed together with a form. The form has entry locations therein at which data can be entered by a user of the processor, and automatically from a data source that is accessible by the processor. The processor applies the data entered into the form in order to stage guidelines embodied in a logic algorithm that is used by the processor to calculate a suggested stage for the patient. The calculated suggested stage is displayed at the display monitor.

Abstract: In a method for retrieval of similar findings from a hybrid image dataset, a database of hotspots is prepared, wherein the hotspots are identified by binary strings encoding descriptors, and identify binary strings stored in the database are identified that resemble a new binary string.

Abstract: In a method and an apparatus to visualize nuclear medicine data from different modalities in a single image, image data sets acquired with different modalities are aligned with a data set representing corresponding anatomical data. The image data in each data set are segmented into separate regions, representing respective structures of interest, with reference to a segmentation derived from anatomical data. For each region, a corresponding segment of image data is selected from a selected image data set. The selected segments of the image data set are combined to generate a multi-fused image of the regions, by applying spatially dependent look-up tables to the multiple image data sets, thereby to determine whether each data set is hidden or displayed in each region.

Abstract: A method of calibrating image data from a given medical imaging protocol, comprising: obtaining a visualization image by reconstruction of raw scan data 22 using a reconstruction 24 and applying a filter 30 to the visualization image, to generate a simulated reference image 32. The parameters of the filter 30 are determined from earlier comparisons of simulated reference image 32 with reference images 28 reconstructed from the corresponding raw scan data set by a standard reference standard reference reconstruction 24?.

Abstract: In a method to generate a nuclear medicine image reconstructed from an average of multiple subsets of acquired counts of a dataset, having an image quality characteristic aligned with that of a corresponding image obtained from a reconstruction of all counts of the dataset, a phantom data acquisition is used to determine an appropriate post-processing step necessary to align each image quality characteristic which provides a desired alignment of a given image quality characteristic. The determined post-processing step is applied to the combination of the multiple reconstructions.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for identifying a region of interest in medical imaging data of a subject is described, an intensity projection image is generated from the medical imaging data. The medical imaging data is then processed to find one or more maxima in the medical imaging data. The found maxima are compared with the intensity projection image, and one of the maxima which is not represented in the intensity projection image is identified.

Abstract: In a method or apparatus for generating, from medical image data of a subject from a functional imaging modality, a modified intensity projection image for display. An intensity projection image data set is obtained from the image data. A segmentation for the image data is obtained. Based on information from the segmentation, a modified display property is calculated for at least one voxel of the intensity projection image data set.

Abstract: In a method or apparatus for identifying a region of interest in a medical image of a subject, at least one local maximum region of the image is determined for which a value of a given variable is a local maximum value. A user-selection of an initial voxel in the image is registered. As the region of interest, a connected set of voxels for which values of the given variable are greater than a threshold is selected, the selected set of voxels comprising a first local maximum region at a distance from the user-selected voxel, and the threshold being a given fraction of the local maximum value of the first local maximum region in the set.

Abstract: In a method for calculating and displaying a summary of changes in image-derived measurements of one or more properties of one or more regions of interest whereby a representation is presented to a user indicating a change in the property of at least one of the regions-of-interest, with an indication of the region-of-interest associated with the representation.