Abstract: The present invention relates to radiation therapy.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system and method for tracking at least one anatomic structure by means of an image-registration based tracking procedure using at least one parameter, where the anatomic structure includes a plurality of implanted markers. A parameter setting (6, 7) unit is configured to determine measured positions of the implanted markers in each image of a series of images acquired using an imaging unit (1), and to perform an optimization procedure to determine an optimized value of the at least one parameter on the basis of deviations between the measured and calculated positions. Then, the position of the anatomic structure is tracked in further images by means of the tracking procedure using the optimized value of the at least one parameter.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system for assisting in evaluating a contour of an anatomic structure (22) with respect to a dose distribution corresponding to a treatment plan for a radiation therapy treatment of a patient. The system comprises an evaluation unit particularly configured to evaluate the dose distribution in varying distances from the contour of the anatomic structure (22) to determine at least one point where the evaluated dose distribution fulfills a predetermined condition, and to determine the distance between the at least one point and the contour and/or to visualize the at least one point to a user of the system.

Abstract: Disclosed is a computer-implemented method for determining an ovarian follicle count and size (diameter) from a pair of 2-D transvaginal ultrasound scans.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for assessing cardiac valve regurgitation. The method includes obtaining 4D ultrasound data of a region of interest, wherein the region of interest comprises a cardiac valve. The 4D ultrasound data comprises a time sequence of 3D ultrasound images comprising B-mode ultrasound data and color Doppler ultrasound data. Image stabilization is performed on the images of the time sequence of 3D ultrasound images and a dynamic jet is then segmented from the time sequence of stabilized 3D ultrasound images. A dynamic surface model is fit to the valve in the time sequence of stabilized 3D ultrasound images based on the segmented jet. The method further includes identifying a dynamic regurgitant orifice based on the applied surface model and the time sequence of stabilized 3D ultrasound images and fitting a flow convergence model to the time sequence of stabilized 3D ultrasound images based on the identified dynamic regurgitant orifice.

Abstract: A medical imaging apparatus (10) for inspecting a volume of a subject (12) is disclosed. The medical imaging apparatus comprises an ultrasound acquisition unit (14) including an ultrasound probe for acquiring ultrasound image data of the subject, an image interface (20) for receiving medical image data of the subject, a position determining unit (30) for determining a position of the ultrasound probe. An alignment unit is provided for aligning the ultrasound image data and the medical image data based on anatomical features (32) of the subject and the detected position of the ultrasound probe and for adapting the alignment of the ultrasound image data and the medical image data based on a motion model. An image processing unit (18) is provided for processing the ultrasound image data and the medical image data to fuse the ultrasound image data and the medical image data based on the alignment to combined image data.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for displaying image information, the device comprising: a detection unit (10), which is configured to identify a plurality of admissible display orientations of multiple data sets; a restriction unit (20), which is configured to restrict the plurality of admissible display orientations of at least one of the multiple data sets to a set of admissible display orientations in common for all the multiple data sets; and/or to restrict a plurality of admissible scrolling directions of at least one of the multiple data sets to a set of admissible scrolling directions that are normal to the restricted admissible display orientations; and a display unit (30), which is configured to display the multiple data sets using the set of the restricted display orientations and/or the set of restricted scrolling directions.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system for assisting in evaluating a contour of an anatomic structure (22) with respect to a dose distribution corresponding to a treatment plan for a radiation therapy treatment of a patient. The system comprises an evaluation unit particularly configured to evaluate the dose distribution in varying distances from the contour of the anatomic structure (22) to determine at least one point where the evaluated dose distribution fulfills a predetermined condition, and to determine the distance between the at least one point and the contour and/or to visualize the at least one point to a user of the system.

Abstract: An ultrasound imaging apparatus (16) is disclosed for providing two-dimensional ultrasound images of a patient. The ultrasound imaging apparatus comprises an input interface (18) for receiving three-dimensional ultrasound data of a volume of the patient from an ultrasound acquisition unit as a continuous data stream and a motion detection unit (22) for determining a motion of an object in the three-dimensional ultrasound data and a direction of the motion in the three-dimensional ultrasound data. An image processing unit (20) determines a spatial rotation angle (46) of an image plane (32, 34) within the volume on the basis of the determined direction of the motion and determines two-dimensional ultrasound image data on the basis of the three-dimensional ultrasound data in the image plane within the volume. The two-dimensional image data is provided via an output interface to a display unit (26).

Abstract: The invention relates to a system and method for tracking at least one anatomic structure by means of an image-registration based tracking procedure using at least one parameter, where the anatomic structure includes a plurality of implanted markers. A parameter setting (6, 7) unit is configured to determine measured positions of the implanted markers in each image of a series of images acquired using an imaging unit (1), and to perform an optimization procedure to determine an optimized value of the at least one parameter on the basis of deviations between the measured and calculated positions. Then, the position of the anatomic structure is tracked in further images by means of the tracking procedure using the optimized value of the at least one parameter.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system and a method for evaluating a treatment plan for an external radiation therapy treatment, the treatment plan comprising parameters for controlling an external radiation therapy apparatus during the treatment. The system comprises a database storing historic treatment plans and storing for each historic treatment plan a quality parameter indicative of whether a deviation between a planned dose distribution and a measured dose distribution resulting from an execution of the treatment plan is within an acceptable limit. An evaluation unit determines a threshold value for each of a plurality of treatment plan metrics based on the historic treatment plans and the associated quality parameters. Further, the evaluation unit calculates a value of each of the metrics for the treatment plan and compares the value of each of the metrics with the threshold value determined for the respective metric.

Abstract: A medical imaging apparatus (10) for inspecting a volume of a subject (12) is disclosed. The medical imaging apparatus comprises an ultrasound acquisition unit (14) including an ultrasound probe for acquiring ultrasound image data of the subject, an image interface (20) for receiving medical image data of the subject, a position determining unit (30) for determining a position of the ultrasound probe. An alignment unit is provided for aligning the ultrasound image data and the medical image data based on anatomical features (32) of the subject and the detected position of the ultrasound probe and for adapting the alignment of the ultrasound image data and the medical image data based on a motion model. An image processing unit (18) is provided for processing the ultrasound image data and the medical image data to fuse the ultrasound image data and the medical image data based on the alignment to combined image data.

Abstract: Disclosed is a computer-implemented method (200) for determining an ovarian follicle count and size (diameter) from a pair of 2-D transvaginal ultrasound scans.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system and a method for evaluating a treatment plan for an external radiation therapy treatment, the treatment plan comprising parameters for controlling an external radiation therapy apparatus during the treatment. The system comprises a database storing historic treatment plans and storing for each historic treatment plan a quality parameter indicative of whether a deviation between a planned dose distribution and a measured dose distribution resulting from an execution of the treatment plan is within an acceptable limit. An evaluation unit determines a threshold value for each of a plurality of treatment plan metrics based on the historic treatment plans and the associated quality parameters. Further, the evaluation unit calculates a value of each of the metrics for the treatment plan and compares the value of each of the metrics with the threshold value determined for the respective metric.

Abstract: An ultrasound imaging apparatus (16) is disclosed for providing two-dimensional ultrasound images of a patient. The ultrasound imaging apparatus comprises an input interface (18) for receiving three-dimensional ultrasound data of a volume of the patient from an ultrasound acquisition unit as a continuous data stream and a motion detection unit (22) for determining a motion of an object in the three-dimensional ultrasound data and a direction of the motion in the three-dimensional ultrasound data. An image processing unit (20) determines a spatial rotation angle (46) of an image plane (32, 34) within the volume on the basis of the determined direction of the motion and determines two-dimensional ultrasound image data on the basis of the three-dimensional ultrasound data in the image plane within the volume. The two-dimensional image data is provided via an output interface to a display unit (26).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for displaying image information, the device comprising: a detection unit (10), which is configured to identify a plurality of admissible display orientations of multiple data sets; a restriction unit (20), which is configured to restrict the plurality of admissible display orientations of at least one of the multiple data sets to a set of admissible display orientations in common for all the multiple data sets; and/or to restrict a plurality of admissible scrolling directions of at least one of the multiple data sets to a set of admissible scrolling directions that are normal to the restricted admissible display orientations; and a display unit (30), which is configured to display the multiple data sets using the set of the restricted display orientations and/or the set of restricted scrolling directions.

Abstract: A system (28, 32) generates an image registration map. The system (28, 32) includes one or more processors (32) which receive a first image and a second image. Corresponding interest points in the first image and the second image are identified. Corresponding structures in the first and second images are identified and corresponding boundary points are identified on their boundaries. A registration map is generated from pairs of the corresponding interest points and a subset of pairs of the corresponding boundary points. The registration map is applied to one of the first and second images to register the one image to the other and propagate objects of interest over.

Abstract: A system (100) is provided for determining a transformation between different coordinate systems associated with different medical data. In determining the transformation, the system (100) makes use of a third set of anatomical landmarks (040) defined in a reference coordinate system to match a first set of anatomical landmarks (010) defined in a first coordinate system to a second set of anatomical landmarks (020) defined in a second coordinate system. Effectively, the third set of anatomical landmarks is used as an intermediary in obtaining the transformation between both input sets of coordinate systems. As the third set of anatomical landmarks includes the anatomical landmarks of both input sets, it is not needed for both input sets to be identical or even to overlap. Rather, even in case both input sets are entirely disjunct, i.e., not-overlapping, it is still possible to determine the transformation between the different coordinate systems.

Abstract: A system (100) is provided for determining a transformation between different coordinate systems associated with different medical data. In determining the transformation, the system (100) makes use of a third set of anatomical landmarks (040) defined in a reference coordinate system to match a first set of anatomical landmarks (010) defined in a first coordinate system to a second set of anatomical landmarks (020) defined in a second coordinate system. Effectively, the third set of anatomical landmarks is used as an intermediary in obtaining the transformation between both input sets of coordinate systems. As the third set of anatomical landmarks includes the anatomical landmarks of both input sets, it is not needed for both input sets to be identical or even to overlap. Rather, even in case both input sets are entirely disjunct, i.e., not-overlapping, it is still possible to determine the transformation between the different coordinate systems.

Abstract: When registering multiple multidimensional images based on landmarks, the system improves the distribution and density of the points in correspondence across images, which are of crucial importance for the accuracy and reliability of the resulting registration transform. Projection of input corresponding point landmarks is performed in order to automatically generate additional point correspondences. The input existing landmarks may have been manually or automatically located in the input multiple images. Projection is performed from each source landmark along one or more determined projection directions onto one or more determined projection targets in each image. The projection target(s) can be explicitly materialized or implicitly defined. Candidate new points are identified at the locations where the projection ray paths intersect with the projection target(s).