Patents by Inventor Nobutoku Motomura

Nobutoku Motomura has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9330444
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a medical image processing apparatus, an image processing method and a medical image device. The medical image processing apparatus comprises a deformation field calculation unit, a deformation field weighting unit and an image deformation unit. The deformation field calculation unit may calculate a field of deformation of a first image of an object with respect to a second image. The deformation field weighting unit may weight the field according to motion intensities of respective components of the object. The image deformation unit may deform the first image by using the weighted field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Yanhua Wang, Nobutoku Motomura, Yanli Wang
  • Patent number: 9129370
    Abstract: The CT image processor determines the position of the liver in the body of a subject based on CT image. The PET image processor determines the position of the liver in the body of a subject based on PET image. The CT image processor calculates the displacement in the positions of the liver determined by the CT and PET images. The CT image processor extracts the contour of the liver from a CT image. The CT image processor generates a correction CT image by modifying a CT image by moving a CT image to decrease the displacement of the extracted contour in the internal area. The PET image processor performs decrease correction based on the modified CT image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Nobutoku Motomura, Yasunobu Yamada
  • Patent number: 9029786
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a nuclear medicine imaging apparatus includes a detector, a calibrator, and an image reconstruction unit. The detector includes a plurality of detector modules, each counting light originating from a gamma ray. The calibrator unit calibrates time information of all of the plurality of detector modules by calibrating time information for determining each detection time of a pair of detector modules based on each detection time of the pair of the detector modules which approximately coincidentally count annihilation gamma rays and a distance between the pair of detector modules in a state in which a point radiation source including a positron emitting nuclide is installed in each position near a plurality of predetermined detector modules. The image reconstruction unit reconstructs a nuclear medicine image using a time difference between detection times of annihilation gamma rays corrected based on time information calibrated by the calibrator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Kenta Moriyasu, Nobutoku Motomura
  • Publication number: 20140254898
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a medical image processing apparatus, an image processing method and a medical image device. The medical image processing apparatus comprises a deformation field calculation unit, a deformation field weighting unit and an image deformation unit. The deformation field calculation unit may calculate a field of deformation of a first image of an object with respect to a second image. The deformation field weighting unit may weight the field according to motion intensities of respective components of the object. The image deformation unit may deform the first image by using the weighted field.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicants: TOSHIBA MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION, KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Yanhua WANG, Nobutoku MOTOMURA, Yanli WANG
  • Patent number: 8558176
    Abstract: In a nuclear medicine imaging apparatus as a medical image diagnosis apparatus according to one embodiment, a PET detector is configured to detect a gamma ray emitted from a nuclide introduced into a body of a subject. A PET image reconstruction unit is configured to reconstruct a nuclear medicine image (PET image) as a medical image from the gamma ray projection data created based on the gamma ray detected by the PET detector using successive approximation. A controller is configured to control the PET image reconstruction unit to change the parameter used in the successive approximation depending on information regarding the scanning region in the body of the subject.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoyasu Komori, Nobutoku Motomura, Takuzo Takayama, Atsushi Fukano, Masao Yamahana, Tatsuya Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8126288
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a storing section which stores data of a digital image, a rotation processing section which generates a plurality of rotated digital images having different rotation angles from the digital image, an image processing section which generates a plurality of image-processed digital images from the rotated digital images, a reverse processing section which generates a plurality of reversed digital images from the image-processed digital images, and a combining section which combines the reversed digital images into one digital image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignees: A school juridical person Fujita Educational Institution, Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Hisato Maeda, Yoshimasa Kobayashi, Nobutoku Motomura
  • Publication number: 20110309252
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a nuclear medicine imaging apparatus includes a detector, a calibrator, and an image reconstruction unit. The detector includes a plurality of detector modules, each counting light originating from a gamma ray. The calibrator unit calibrates time information of all of the plurality of detector modules by calibrating time information for determining each detection time of a pair of detector modules based on each detection time of the pair of the detector modules which approximately coincidentally count annihilation gamma rays and a distance between the pair of detector modules in a state in which a point radiation source including a positron emitting nuclide is installed in each position near a plurality of predetermined detector modules. The image reconstruction unit reconstructs a nuclear medicine image using a time difference between detection times of annihilation gamma rays corrected based on time information calibrated by the calibrator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Applicants: TOSHIBA MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION, KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Kenta MORIYASU, Nobutoku MOTOMURA
  • Publication number: 20110297834
    Abstract: In a nuclear medicine imaging apparatus as a medical image diagnosis apparatus according to one embodiment, a PET detector is configured to detect a gamma ray emitted from a nuclide introduced into a body of a subject. A PET image reconstruction unit is configured to reconstruct a nuclear medicine image (PET image) as a medical image from the gamma ray projection data created based on the gamma ray detected by the PET detector using successive approximation. A controller is configured to control the PET image reconstruction unit to change the parameter used in the successive approximation depending on information regarding the scanning region in the body of the subject.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2011
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Applicants: TOSHIBA MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION, KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: TOMOYASU KOMORI, NOBUTOKU MOTOMURA, TAKUZO TAKAYAMA, ATSUSHI FUKANO, MASAO YAMAHANA, TATSUYA WATANABE
  • Publication number: 20100202676
    Abstract: The CT image processor determines the position of the liver in the body of a subject based on CT image. The PET image processor determines the position of the liver in the body of a subject based on PET image. The CT image processor calculates the displacement in the positions of the liver determined by the CT and PET images. The CT image processor extracts the contour of the liver from a CT image. The CT image processor generates a correction CT image by modifying a CT image by moving a CT image to decrease the displacement of the extracted contour in the internal area. The PET image processor performs decrease correction based on the modified CT image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2010
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Inventors: Nobutoku Motomura, Yasunobu Yamada
  • Publication number: 20100158336
    Abstract: A detector detects gamma-rays emitted from inside an imaging region. An acquisition unit acquires a plurality of first projection data sets associated with a plurality of projection angles via the detector. An attenuation-correction unit attenuation-correct the plurality of first projection data sets based on a first CT image associated with the imaging region to generate a plurality of second projection data sets associated with the plurality of projection angles. An index calculation unit calculates an index based on the plurality of second projection data sets. The index is corresponding to a degree of positional offset between the imaging region at the time of acquisition of a plurality of third projection data sets associated with the first CT image and the imaging region at the time of acquisition of the plurality of first projection data sets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2009
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Inventors: Nobutoku MOTOMURA, Akiyoshi Kinda
  • Patent number: 7720518
    Abstract: A nuclear medical diagnostic equipment wherein radiation which is emitted by a nuclide administered into the body of a patient is detected as projection data by a gamma camera, and an image which indicates the distribution of the nuclide within the body of the patient is obtained on the basis of the projection data. The equipment comprises a rotation unit which rotates the radiation detector round the patient, a respiration identification unit which identifies breathing of the patient and non-breathing thereof based on breath holding, a data storage unit in which the radiation detection data acquired by the radiation detector are stored in an identifiable manner on the basis of a result of the identification by the respiration identification unit, and an image generation unit which generates the image from the radiation detection data stored in the data storage unit on the basis of the result of the identification by the respiration identification unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Nobutoku Motomura, Masuo Hayashi, Syouji Horiuchi, Yoshifumi Nisawa
  • Patent number: 7502440
    Abstract: A radiodiagnostic apparatus includes a data collection unit, a primary correction unit, a body contour detection unit, a secondary correction unit, and a reconstruction unit. The primary correction unit calculates a plurality of primary extrapolation expression candidates for correcting second projection data so as to obtain third projection data candidates formed from the second projection data and a plurality of primary extrapolation expression candidates and for obtaining third projection data from the plurality of third projection data candidates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignees: Kabushiki Toshiba, Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Nobutoku Motomura, Akiyosi Kinda
  • Patent number: 7420176
    Abstract: A SPECT apparatus has a two-dimensional detector that detects radiations from RIs in a patient via a collimator. A correction processing unit corrects plural two-dimensional projection distributions with different projection angles, which are detected by the detector, on a three-dimensional frequency space according to plural correction functions corresponding to plural distances, respectively. Consequently, a fall in spatial resolution having dependency on distances between the respective RIs and the detector is reduced. A reconfiguring unit reconfigures a three-dimensional RI distribution from the plural two-dimensional projection distributions corrected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Fujita Educational Institution
    Inventors: Nobutoku Motomura, Hisato Maeda
  • Publication number: 20080181478
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a storing section which stores data of a digital image, a rotation processing section which generates a plurality of rotated digital images having different rotation angles from the digital image, an image processing section which generates a plurality of image-processed digital images from the rotated digital images, a reverse processing section which generates a plurality of reversed digital images from the image-processed digital images, and a combining section which combines the reversed digital images into one digital image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2008
    Publication date: July 31, 2008
    Inventors: Hisato Maeda, Yoshimasa Kobayashi, Nobutoku Motomura
  • Publication number: 20060222145
    Abstract: A radiodiagnostic apparatus includes a data collection unit, a primary correction unit, a body contour detection unit, a secondary correction unit, and a reconstruction unit. The data collection unit collects a first projection data obtained at a projection angle within a projection angle range in which the whole portion of an object is within an effective acquisition field of a detector, and a second projection data obtained at a projection angle within a projection angle range in which a part of a truncated portion is out of the effective acquisition field of the detector, when the effective acquisition field of the detector is defined as a range limited by a collimator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2006
    Publication date: October 5, 2006
    Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobutoku Motomura, Akiyosi Kinda
  • Publication number: 20060078082
    Abstract: A SPECT apparatus has a two-dimensional detector that detects radiations from RIs in a patient via a collimator. A correction processing unit corrects plural two-dimensional projection distributions with different projection angles, which are detected by the detector, on a three-dimensional frequency space according to plural correction functions corresponding to plural distances, respectively. Consequently, a fall in spatial resolution having dependency on distances between the respective RIs and the detector is reduced. A reconfiguring unit reconfigures a three-dimensional RI distribution from the plural two-dimensional projection distributions corrected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2005
    Publication date: April 13, 2006
    Inventors: Nobutoku Motomura, Hisato Maeda
  • Publication number: 20050187465
    Abstract: A nuclear medical diagnostic equipment wherein radiation which is emitted by a nuclide administered into the body of a patient is detected as projection data by a gamma camera, and an image which indicates the distribution of the nuclide within the body of the patient is obtained on the basis of the projection data. The equipment comprises a rotation unit which rotates the radiation detector round the patient, a respiration identification unit which identifies breathing of the patient and non-breathing thereof based on breath holding, a data storage unit in which the radiation detection data acquired by the radiation detector are stored in an identifiable manner on the basis of a result of the identification by the respiration identification unit, and an image generation unit which generates the image from the radiation detection data stored in the data storage unit on the basis of the result of the identification by the respiration identification unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2004
    Publication date: August 25, 2005
    Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobutoku Motomura, Masuo Hayashi, Syouji Horiuchi, Yoshifumi Nisawa
  • Publication number: 20030071219
    Abstract: A nuclear medicine diagnostic apparatus for detecting gamma rays emitted from a radioisotope (RI) administered to a subject, to generate images showing the functions of the subject, such as metabolism. In the nuclear medical diagnostic apparatus, a detector detects the gamma rays from at least three different three-dimensional detection directions and an image processor reconstructs images from the projection data by an iterative reconstruction method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2002
    Publication date: April 17, 2003
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Nobutoku Motomura, Koichi Ogawa
  • Patent number: 6339223
    Abstract: SPECT data is collected to produce a SPECT image and transmission CT projection data is collected to produce a transmission CT image. The contours of the body of a subject under examination is extracted from the SPECT image. Using data representing the contours of the body, a portion of the transmission CT projection data is approximated by a curve. The sum of the curve-approximated transmission CT projection data and the center of gravity of the transmission CT image are computed. The truncated portion is estimated from the sum of the transmission CT projection data and the center of gravity of the transmission CT image and the transmission CT projection data is then corrected. The correction of the transmission CT projection data involves producing (extrapolation) anew a curve represented by a quadratic polynomial for that region (truncated region) of the transmission CT projection data which has been approximated tentatively by an ellipse in order to determine the sum and the center of gravity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2002
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Nobutoku Motomura, Takashi Ichihara
  • Patent number: 6281504
    Abstract: A diagnostic apparatus for nuclear medicine capable of performing an operation of counting gamma rays for a TCT simultaneously with an operation of counting gamma rays for an SPECT has a SPECT counter for counting, as the number of photons, gamma rays passed through a SPECT energy window centered at a photoelectric peak of the SPECT gamma rays and a TCT counter for counting, as the number of photons, gamma rays passed through a TCT energy window centered at a photoelectric peak of the TCT gamma rays. The number of photons of the gamma rays passed through the SPECT energy window contains the number of photons of K-X rays generated due to a photoelectric effect produced by the TCT gamma rays in collimators of the detector. A K-X ray processor estimates the number of photons of mixed K-X rays on the basis of the number of photons counted at the TCT counter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2001
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Takuzo Takayama, Takashi Ichihara, Nobutoku Motomura