Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for manipulating image annotations. One method includes receiving an image of an individual's anatomy; automatically determining, using a processor, one or more annotations for anatomical features identified in the image of the individual's anatomy; determining a dependency or hierarchy between at least two of the one or more annotations for anatomical features identified in the image of the individual's anatomy; and generating, based on the dependency or hierarchy, a workflow prompting a user to manipulate the one or more annotations for anatomical features identified in the image of the individual's anatomy.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for manipulating image annotations. One method includes receiving an image of an individual's anatomy; automatically determining, using a processor, one or more annotations for anatomical features identified in the image of the individual's anatomy; determining a dependency or hierarchy between at least two of the one or more annotations for anatomical features identified in the image of the individual's anatomy; and generating, based on the dependency or hierarchy, a workflow prompting a user to manipulate the one or more annotations for anatomical features identified in the image of the individual's anatomy.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for manipulating image annotations. One method includes receiving an image of an individual's anatomy; automatically determining, using a processor, one or more annotations for anatomical features identified in the image of the individual's anatomy; determining a dependency or hierarchy between at least two of the one or more annotations for anatomical features identified in the image of the individual's anatomy; and generating, based on the dependency or hierarchy, a workflow prompting a user to manipulate the one or more annotations for anatomical features identified in the image of the individual's anatomy.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for manipulating image annotations. One method includes receiving an image of an individual's anatomy; automatically determining, using a processor, one or more annotations for anatomical features identified in the image of the individual's anatomy; determining a dependency or hierarchy between at least two of the one or more annotations for anatomical features identified in the image of the individual's anatomy; and generating, based on the dependency or hierarchy, a workflow prompting a user to manipulate the one or more annotations for anatomical features identified in the image of the individual's anatomy.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for manipulating image annotations. One method includes receiving an image of an individual's anatomy; automatically determining, using a processor, one or more annotations for anatomical features identified in the image of the individual's anatomy; determining a dependency or hierarchy between at least two of the one or more annotations for anatomical features identified in the image of the individual's anatomy; and generating, based on the dependency or hierarchy, a workflow prompting a user to manipulate the one or more annotations for anatomical features identified in the image of the individual's anatomy.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for manipulating image annotations. One method includes receiving an image of an individual's anatomy; automatically determining, using a processor, one or more annotations for anatomical features identified in the image of the individual's anatomy; determining a dependency or hierarchy between at least two of the one or more annotations for anatomical features identified in the image of the individual's anatomy; and generating, based on the dependency or hierarchy, a workflow prompting a user to manipulate the one or more annotations for anatomical features identified in the image of the individual's anatomy.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for manipulating image annotations. One method includes receiving an image of an individual's anatomy; automatically determining, using a processor, one or more annotations for anatomical features identified in the image of the individual's anatomy; determining a dependency or hierarchy between at least two of the one or more annotations for anatomical features identified in the image of the individual's anatomy; and generating, based on the dependency or hierarchy, a workflow prompting a user to manipulate the one or more annotations for anatomical features identified in the image of the individual's anatomy.

Abstract: A method for imaging a myocardial surface includes receiving an image volume. A myocardial surface is segmented within the received image volume. A polygon mesh of the segmented myocardial surface is extracted. A surface texture is calculated from voxel information taken along a path normal to the surface of the myocardium. A view of the myocardial surface is rendered using the calculated surface texture.

Abstract: A method for differentiating between a blood vessel bifurcation and a bleeding blood vessel in an ultrasound volume includes performing vessel segmentation on the ultrasound volume, calculating vessel centerlines for the segmented vessels, automatically detecting a bifurcation candidate using the calculated vessel centerlines, placing a first marker at a predetermined distance before the detected bifurcation candidate, placing a second marker at a predetermined distance after the bifurcation candidate, placing a third marker at a predetermined distance alone a potential vessel branch of the bifurcation candidate, acquiring spectral Doppler waveform data at each of the three markers, and comparing the acquired spectral Doppler waveform data for each of the three markers to determine whether the bifurcation candidate is a point of internal bleeding.

Abstract: A method of secure file conversion is disclosed. The method includes storing a decrypted version of a previously encrypted file, the encryption and decryption occurring using public key infrastructure, in an allotted memory location of a memory for which read-only access to the stored decrypted file is provided. Next, the memory location is monitored for an attempt to access at least one memory location other than the allotted location. Finally, a file format of the stored decrypted file is converted, the conversion being aborted upon detecting attempt to access at least one memory location other than the allotted memory location. A converter is further disclosed.

Abstract: A method for fusing two digitized image datasets for 2-dimensional visualization of the heart, includes providing a first digitized image and a second digitized image, each image acquired from a different imaging modality and each comprising a plurality of intensities corresponding to a domain of points on a 3-dimensional grid, and wherein the first and second images have been registered, segmenting the heart in one of said digitized images, forming a 2-dimensional maximum intensity projection of a surface of said heart from each of said digitized images, and fusing said images by overlaying one 2-dimensional projection of said surface over the other 2-dimensional projection of said surface.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and apparatus for generating a two dimensional (2D) image of a structure (e.g., an organ) that has at least one pixel corresponding to at least one voxel of a three dimensional (3D) image of the structure. First, the surface of the structure in the 3D image is modeled by a geometrical volume such as an ellipsoid. Next, normal maximum intensity projection (MIP) rays are cast (i.e., projected) for voxels of the geometrical volume. The 2D image is then generated using the rays. The 2D image has at least one pixel that corresponds to at least one voxel of the 3D image.

Abstract: A method and related system for automatically and efficiently isolating the heart in Computer Tomography (CT) or Magnetic Resonance Imaging cardiac scans is disclosed. The method involves segmenting a heart within a set of volumetric data. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the set of volumetric data is processed to determine the minimum value of an energy function having a first term, a second term and a third term. The heart is segmented based on the processing of the set of volumetric data.

Abstract: A novel method is presented for detecting coronary arteries as well as other peripheral vessels of the heart. After finding the location of the myocardium through a segmentation method, such as a graph theoretic segmentation method, the method models the heart with a biaxial ellipsoid. For each point of the ellipsoid, a collection of intensities are computed that are normal to the surface. This collection is then filtered to detect the cardiovascular structures. Ultimately, vessel centerline points are detected using a vessel tracking method, and linked together to form a complete coronary artery tree.

Abstract: A system and method for detecting the aortic valve is provided. The method comprises: (a) casting rays on a slice of a computed tomography (CT) dataset of an aorta; (b) computing a Gaussian model for voxels on the slice, wherein the Gaussian model produces a threshold; (c) growing a circle from a point within the aorta until control points of the circle reach the threshold; (d) computing a repulsion vector for each control point reaching the threshold; (e) repositioning the circle according to an average of the repulsion vectors, wherein if the circle is within the aorta, repeating steps (c-e) until the circle is not within the aorta; (f) calculating a statistical value for the circle; (g) projecting a copy of the circle onto an adjacent slice; (h) reducing the radius of the copy of the circle; and (i) repeating steps (c-h) on remaining CT slices until the aortic valve is detected.

Abstract: A system and method for organ image unfolding for feature visualization are provided, where the system includes a processor, an imaging adapter in signal communication with the processor for receiving organ scan data, a modeling unit in signal communication with the processor for fitting a model to the scan data, and an unfolding unit in signal communication with the processor for unfolding the 3D modeled scan data; and the corresponding method includes segmenting an outer surface of the organ, parameterizing a 3D model of the organ, ray-casting from the center of the organ to the surface of the 3D model, and unfolding the 3D model of the organ in correspondence with the ray-casting.

Abstract: Using a conformal array or an ultrasound probe sequentially positioned at different locations, scans of overlapping regions are performed. A fiber optic sensor or light intensity based sensor determines the relative position of the probe or arrays for each of the scans. This relative position simplifies data correlation by limiting the search and/or is used to determine the relative position of the scans or data. The data may be aligned and combined.

Abstract: A method for differentiating between a blood vessel bifurcation and a bleeding blood vessel in an ultrasound volume includes performing vessel segmentation on the ultrasound volume, calculating vessel centerlines for the segmented vessels, automatically detecting a bifurcation candidate using the calculated vessel centerlines, placing a first marker at a predetermined distance before the detected bifurcation candidate, placing a second marker at a predetermined distance after the bifurcation candidate, placing a third marker at a predetermined distance alone a potential vessel branch of the bifurcation candidate, acquiring spectral Doppler waveform data at each of the three markers, and comparing the acquired spectral Doppler waveform data for each of the three markers to determine whether the bifurcation candidate is a point of internal bleeding.

Abstract: Paths are determined for high intensity focused ultrasound. A subset of possible paths is selected for the application of high intensity focused ultrasound. Obstructions (e.g., bone or metal), tissue characteristics (e.g., organ or tissue sensitivity to heat or attenuation characteristic), distance, or another factor are used to select the scan lines for high intensity focused ultrasound. The selection may be aided by ultrasound imaging data, such as data representing a volume. The response from different regions is used to identify the tissue characteristics or obstructions. The factors may also be used to determine a dose (power) and/or frequency of the high intensity focused ultrasound.

Abstract: A method of secure file conversion is disclosed. The method includes storing a decrypted version of a previously encrypted file, the encryption and decryption occurring using public key infrastructure, in an allotted memory location of a memory for which read-only access to the stored decrypted file is provided. Next, the memory location is monitored for an attempt to access at least one memory location other than the allotted location. Finally, a file format of the stored decrypted file is converted, the conversion being aborted upon detecting attempt to access at least one memory location other than the allotted memory location. A converter is further disclosed.