Abstract: A medical image measuring apparatus includes a tissue information label assigning unit that assigns each point of a medical image with a tissue information label representing tissue information each point belongs, a measuring unit that performs measurement in the medical image, and a measurement subject label assigning unit that determines, based on a tissue information label assigned to a measurement point or a point within a region of interest used for the measurement, a measurement subject label representing a measurement subject and assigns the label to a result of the measurement.

Abstract: The medical image measurement device includes a medical image acquisition unit which acquires a first medical image and a second medical image obtained by photographing the same object of interest of the same patient at different time points, a measurement parameter acquisition unit which acquires a first measurement parameter set for measuring the features of the shape of the object of interest in the first medical image and a second measurement parameter set for measuring the features of the shape of the object of interest in the second medical image, an evaluation value acquisition unit which acquires an evaluation value indicating a change between the first measurement parameter and the second measurement parameter, and a determination unit which determines whether or not the change is equal to or greater than a preset amount of change based on the evaluation value.

Abstract: A surgery assistance apparatus includes an organ region extraction unit that extracts a tubular organ region from a three-dimensional image obtained by imaging a tubular organ and a blood vessel dominating the tubular organ, a region-of-interest setting unit that sets a region of interest in the tubular organ region, a blood vessel region extraction unit that extracts a blood vessel region dominating the tubular organ from the three-dimensional image, a branching structure extraction unit that extracts a branching structure of the blood vessel from the blood vessel region, and a dominating blood vessel identification unit that identifies a dominating blood vessel region in the blood vessel region that dominates the region of interest by using a positional relationship between a terminal end point of the extracted branching structure and the set region of interest.

Abstract: A surgery assistance apparatus includes an organ region extraction unit that extracts a tubular-organ region from a three-dimensional image obtained by imaging a tubular-organ and a blood vessel dominating the tubular-organ, a blood vessel region extraction unit that extracts a blood vessel region dominating the tubular-organ from the three-dimensional image, a branching structure extraction unit that extracts a branching structure of the blood vessel from the extracted blood vessel region, and a dominated region identification unit that identifies, with respect to an arbitrary partial blood vessel corresponding to an upper edge branching at least once to reach an edge including a terminal-end of the extracted branching structure, a dominated region in the tubular-organ region that is dominated by the arbitrary partial blood vessel by using positional relationships between a plurality of terminal end points present after the edge of the arbitrary partial blood vessel branches last and the tubular-organ region

Abstract: Providing an inner wall image generation unit that generates, based on a three-dimensional image of a subject, an inner wall image representing the inner wall of a hollow organ of the subject, a specific region projection image generation unit that obtains a representative value based on a plurality of voxels on a light ray vector extending outside the hollow organ by a preset distance from each pixel of the inner wall image and generates a specific region projection image by projecting the representative value on the inner wall image, and a display control unit that superimposingly displays the specific region projection image on the inner wall image, wherein the specific region projection image generation unit sets some visualization target voxels from the voxels of the three-dimensional image, and obtains a representative value of a visualization target voxel in the plurality of voxels on the light ray vector.

Abstract: Specification of a point of interest is received. After then, a distance of movement on a path from an initial viewpoint is obtained based on an operation amount obtained at an operation unit, such as a mouse. View line vectors are set by sequentially changing the view line vectors from an initial view line vector with its start point located at the initial viewpoint to a shortest view line vector connecting a point of interest and a viewpoint at a shortest distance by moving, along the path, a viewpoint of a virtual endoscope on the path from the initial viewpoint closer to the point of interest and by changing the direction of a view line of the virtual endoscope closer to a direction toward the point of interest. Virtual endoscopic images are sequentially generated based on the set view line vectors, and the generated virtual endoscopic images are sequentially displayed.

Abstract: First tomographic-image information for identifying a first tomographic-image included in a first image and first region-of-interest information for identifying a first region of interest on the first tomographic-image are obtained. An image deformation amount of one of the first image and the second image for deforming the one of the first image and the second image to match the first image and the second image with each other is calculated. A slice image in the second image corresponding to the first tomographic-image is identified, based on image deformation amounts at plural positions in the first region of interest and the first tomographic-image information, as a second tomographic-image, and a region of interest in the second image corresponding to the first region of interest is identified, as a second region of interest. The first tomographic-image and the second tomographic-image onto which the second region of interest is projected are displayed.

Abstract: A foreground statistic with respect to a distribution of image values in a foreground region and a background statistic with respect to a distribution of image values in a background region are calculated. Image values of a plurality of input images that are captured at different times are corrected based on the foreground statistics and the background statistics which are obtained by processing the input images.

Abstract: A medical image display apparatus includes a three-dimensional image obtaining unit that obtains a three-dimensional image of a subject, a tubular tissue region obtaining unit that obtains a tubular tissue region representing a tubular tissue of the subject from the three-dimensional image, an endpoint identification unit that identifies, if the tubular tissue region obtained by the tubular tissue region obtaining unit is separated, each endpoint of the two tubular tissue regions connecting to the separating portion, a cross-sectional image generation unit that generates a cross-sectional image that includes the two endpoints identified by the endpoint identification unit, a display control unit that displays the cross-sectional image generated by the cross-sectional image generation unit and a three-dimensional image of the tubular tissue region, and a route receiving unit that receives input of a route connecting the two tubular tissue regions.

Abstract: A linked switching partial area and a non-linked switching partial area are set in at least one display area in which a tomogram is to be displayed. When an input operation giving an instruction to switch the tomogram is performed in the non-linked switching partial area, only the image displayed in the display area is switched. When the input operation is performed in the linked switching partial area, the image displayed in the display area is switched and an image displayed in each of the other display area or areas is also switched in a linked manner.

Abstract: An observation path setting unit sets an observation path. A viewpoint setting and changing unit sets a viewpoint on the observation path. When a virtual endoscopic image viewed from the viewpoint is generated, a visual range determination unit identifies, based on a three-dimensional medical image, the position of a wall region of the tubular structure in a local observation direction at the viewpoint that has been set by the viewpoint setting and changing unit and in the vicinity of the local observation direction. The visual range determination unit estimates, based on a positional relationship between the viewpoint and the wall region, a global observation direction at the viewpoint, and determines a visual range of the virtual endoscopic image in such a manner that image information about a region located in the global observation direction with respect to the viewpoint is represented at a central part of the virtual endoscopic image.

Abstract: First tomographic-image information for identifying a first tomographic-image included in a first image and first region-of-interest information for identifying a first region of interest on the first tomographic-image are obtained. An image deformation amount of one of the first image and the second image for deforming the one of the first image and the second image to match the first image and the second image with each other is calculated. A slice image in the second image corresponding to the first tomographic-image is identified, based on image deformation amounts at plural positions in the first region of interest and the first tomographic-image information, as a second tomographic-image, and a region of interest in the second image corresponding to the first region of interest is identified, as a second region of interest. The first tomographic-image and the second tomographic-image onto which the second region of interest is projected are displayed.

Abstract: At least one of the common regions in time-sequence images is specified. Then, the time-sequence images are adjusted such that the position of that common region in at least one image among the time-sequence images is adjusted to the position of that common region in a different image. Then, the new adjusted time-sequence images are subjected to video compression processing.

Abstract: A three-dimensional image is obtained, and a relative degree of interest is set at each of plural positions on a path connecting the plural positions in the three-dimensional image. A discrimination condition for identifying, based on the set degree or degrees of interest, a virtual endoscopic image or images to be generated from the three-dimensional image is obtained, and only the virtual endoscopic image or images identified based on the discrimination condition are generated based on the three-dimensional image.

Abstract: A display screen displaying a three-dimensional medical image of a subject to be examined, an operation detection unit receiving an operation input by detecting a touch on the display screen, and a processing setting unit in which a processing table has been set in advance are provided. The processing table links a series of operation inputs to be received on the display screen and kinds of processing to be performed on the image in such a manner that the serial positions of the inputs correspond to the kinds of processing. Further, an image processing unit that performs, on the image, processing corresponding to the serial position of the operation input with reference to the processing table when the operation input has been received on the display screen, and a display control unit that displays, on the display screen, the three-dimensional medical image on which processing has been performed are provided.

Abstract: A foreground statistic with respect to a distribution of image values in a foreground region and a background statistic with respect to a distribution of image values in a background region are calculated. Image values of a plurality of input images that are captured at different times are corrected based on the foreground statistics and the background statistics which are obtained by processing the input images.

Abstract: When an obstruction to observation is specified within one of a plurality of examination images, specification of a portion corresponding to the portion of the obstruction to observation within a different examination image is facilitated. An obstruction to observation is specified in a first examination image, from among a plurality of examination images that represent the interior of a subject having a lumen imaged by a medical image obtaining apparatus. A portion is specified within a second examination image, from among the plurality of examination images in which the obstruction to observation has not been specified, corresponding to the obstruction to observation specified within the first examination image. A plurality of observation images that visualize of the interior of the lumen are generated from the plurality of examination images. The portion corresponding to the specified obstruction to observation is indicated within an observation image generated from the second examination image.

Abstract: An observation path setting unit sets an observation path. A viewpoint setting and changing unit sets a viewpoint on the observation path. When a virtual endoscopic image viewed from the viewpoint is generated, a visual range determination unit identifies, based on a three-dimensional medical image, the position of a wall region of the tubular structure in a local observation direction at the viewpoint that has been set by the viewpoint setting and changing unit and in the vicinity of the local observation direction. The visual range determination unit estimates, based on a positional relationship between the viewpoint and the wall region, a global observation direction at the viewpoint, and determines a visual range of the virtual endoscopic image in such a manner that image information about a region located in the global observation direction with respect to the viewpoint is represented at a central part of the virtual endoscopic image.

Abstract: A method for improving the alignment accuracy between different medical images may be disclosed. A warped or non-warped previous image and a warped or non-warped current image may include a plurality of respective previous and current basic units, for example, pixels in a 2-dimensional image or voxels in a 3-dimensional image. To ensure accurate registration between the previous and current images, a first basic unit from the previous image may be replaced by a second basic unit from the current image if the value of the first and second basic units are identical or nearly identical. The first and second basic units may be selected from a nearly-identical region or “kernel” within the previous and current images.