Method and system for interactive control of window/level parameters of multi-image displays

• US 10,152,951 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2012
• Issued: 12/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Healthineers International AG (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Varian Medical Systems International AG (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Waschbuesch, Michael, Munro, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Tung, Kee M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Valdez, Patrick F
• Application Number:
  US13/405,353
• Publication Number:
  US 20120218290A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,480 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 2270/0421 Controlled or regulated
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10072 Tomographic images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20092 Interactive image processing based on input by user
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/40 using histogram techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/92 based on global image properties
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/12 Overlay of images, i.e. displayed pixel being the result of switching between the corresponding input pixels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/08 Biomedical applications
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/377 for mixing or overlaying two or more graphic patterns G09G5/02, G09G5/397 take precedence

Abstract

A method, system, and article of manufacture are described for interactive control of multiple images with a high dynamic range that are displayed simultaneously. A medical image control engine provides several synchronous functional capabilities, which comprises an input module, a blending factor synchronization module, a window/level synchronization module, a display module, and an image storage. For window/level adjustment of two images in blended views, the blending factor synchronization module is configured to automatically link the activation of a window/level control of one image with a transparency blending factor that affects both images. For synchronization of window/level adjustments of two or more images, a window/level synchronization module is configured to automatically change window/level parameters of all remaining images when the user makes an adjustment to a window/level control of one image such that all images with updated window/level parameters are displayed simultaneously.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for adjusting a presentation of a plurality of medical images on a display, the computer-implemented method comprising:

displaying a first medical image having first three-dimensional voxel data and a second medical image having second three-dimensional voxel data in a 3-D blended view of a set of 3-D merged images on a display, the first image associated with first contrast parameters and the second image associated with second contrast parameters, the first image and the second image being sourced from a medical image scanner, the display in communication with the medical image scanner, the set of merged images being sourced from the first image and the second image;

adjusting the first contrast parameters and the first three-dimensional voxel data in the first image via a user interface output via the display, representing a first event, thereby automatically causing a 3-D transparency blending factor to change to display only the first image via the display, the 3-D transparency blending factor reverting back to an initial value to display both the first and second images via the display upon ending the adjustment of the contrast parameters; and

adjusting the contrast parameters of the first and second three-dimensional voxel data simultaneously via the user interface by correlating the image content of the first and second three-dimensional voxel data, representing a second event, thereby automatically causing the 3D transparency blending factor to change to display only the second image via the display, the transparency blending reverting back to the initial value that displays both the first and second images via the display upon ending the adjustment of the contrast parameters;

wherein the 3-D transparency blending factor is synchronized automatically between the first event and the second event based on a synchronization relationship of the first image upon adjustment of the first contrast parameters via the user interface to effectuate the set of merged images between the first three-dimensional voxel data and the second three-dimensional voxel data, the synchronization relationship comprises mapping window/level parameters of the second image from the input window/level parameters of the first image, pixel data of the first image, pixel data of the second image, metadata of the first image, metadata of the second image and characteristics of a display, the synchronization relationship comprises passing through the input window/level parameters of the first image to the window/level parameters of the second image.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the adjusting step comprises adjusting the first contrast parameters in the first image causing the transparency blending factor to slide completely in a first direction, the first image being fully opaque and the second image being fully transparent when the transparency blending factor is at the first value.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the adjusting step comprises adjusting the second contrast parameters in the second image causing the transparency blending factor to slide completely in a second direction, wherein the second image is fully opaque and the first image is fully transparent when the transparency blending factor is at the second value.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the value of the transparency blending factor ranges from zero to one.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the second displaying step comprises both the first and second images being semi-transparent and semi-opaque.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first displaying step comprises displaying a first control region associated with first contrast parameters of the first image;

and displaying a second control region associated with the second contrast parameters of the second image.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the adjusting step is directed by an input device for selecting the adjustment in the first control region affecting the first image without affecting the second image, or selecting the adjustment in the second control region affecting the second image without affecting the first image.

8. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the first control region has a first predetermined invisible area on the display that is responsive to a directing action by an input device placed within the first control region, and the second control region has a second predetermined invisible area on the display that is responsive to the directing action by the input device placed within the second control region.

9. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the first control region has a first predetermined invisible area on the display that is responsive to a directing action by an input device placed within the first control region, the second control region has a second predetermined invisible area on the display that is responsive to the directing action by the input device placed within the second control region, the directing action in the first control region being independent of the directing action in the second control region.

10. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the first control region has a first predetermined invisible area on the display that is responsive to a directing action by an input device placed within the first control region, the directing action simultaneously causing a combination of increased transparency and increased zooming such that the first image become more transparent and enlarged.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, prior to the first displaying step, further comprising scanning the first image and the second image, wherein the scanning step is performed by at least one scanner from the group of scanners consisting of an x-ray scanner, a computerized tomographic (CT) scanner, a cone beam computerized tomographic (CBCT) scanner, a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner, a positron emission tomographic (PET) scanner, and an ultrasound scanner.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first image comprises a first medical image obtained from a first medical image scanner, and the second image comprises a second medical image obtained from the first medical imaging scanner.

13. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first image comprises a first medical image obtained from a first medical image scanner, and the second image comprises a second medical image obtained from a second medical imaging scanner.

14. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first and second images comprise two-dimensional (2D) images, three-dimensional (3D) images, 2D videos, and 3D videos, and any combination of these.

15. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first image comprises a disease-matched expert case with a set of target volume contours providing outlines of different computerized tomographic (CT) images, the second image including a first medical image obtained from a first medical scanner and overlaying the first image.

16. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first and second images comprise two-dimensional (2D) slices of a three-dimensional (3D) image.

17. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first and second images comprise three-dimensional (3D) volume renderings.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising

adjusting the first contrast parameters and the first three-dimensional voxel data in the first image via a user interface, representing a third event, thereby automatically causing a transparency blending factor to change to display only the first image, the transparency blending factor reverting back to an initial value to display both the first and second images upon ending the adjustment of the contrast parameters;

and

adjusting the second contrast parameters and second three-dimensional voxel data in the second image via the user interface, representing a fourth event, thereby automatically causing the transparency blending factor to change to display only the second image, the transparency blending reverting back to the initial value that displays both the first and second images upon ending the adjustment of the contrast parameters;

wherein a first location of the merged images in the first event and the second event appears to be changed to a second location of the merged images in the third event and the fourth event dependent on the adjustment to the first contrast parameters and the second contrast parameters, the degree of transparency and opaqueness of the first image having an inverse relationship with the transparency and opaqueness of the second image.

19. A computer-implemented method for interactive control of a plurality of medical images, the computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving input window/level parameters of a first medical image sourced from a medical image scanner, the first image comprises first three-dimensional voxel data;

adjusting the input window/level parameters of the first image with updated window/level parameters associated with the first image;

responsive to the adjusting step, automatically computing window/level parameters of a second medical image with updated window/level parameters associated with the second image, the second image comprises second three-dimensional voxel data the updated window/level parameters of the second image being computed based on a synchronization relationship with the input window/level parameters of the first image, the second image sourced from the medical image scanner, the synchronization relationship comprises mapping window/level parameters of the second image from the input window/level parameters of the first image, pixel data of the first image, pixel data of the second image, metadata of the first image, metadata of the second image and characteristics of a display, the synchronization relationship comprises passing through the input window/level parameters of the first image to the window/level parameters of the second image; and

simultaneously displaying, via a display, the first image with the updated window/level parameters associated with the first image and the second image with the updated window/level parameters associated with the second image, the medical image scanner in communication with the display.

20. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the response step comprises calculating a plurality of window/level parameters associated with a plurality of images, each image in the plurality of images having respective updated window/level parameters;

and wherein the simultaneously displaying step comprises simultaneously displaying the first image with the updated window/level parameters associated with the first image, the second image with the updated window/level parameters associated with the second image, and the plurality of images with the updated window/level parameters.

21. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the synchronization relationship in the calculating step comprises mapping the updated window/level parameters of the second image from the input window/level parameters of the first image, pixel data of the first image, pixel data of the second image, metadata of the first image, metadata of the second image and characteristics of a display.

22. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the synchronization relationship in the calculating step comprises passing through the input window/level parameters of the first image to the updated window/level parameters of the second image.

23. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the synchronization relationship in the calculating step comprises a histogram equalization of the first image and the second image by comparing a first histogram of display intensities of the first image with a second histogram of display intensities of the second image.

24. The method as recited in claim 23, wherein the histogram equalization comprises further adjusting the window/level parameters of the second image based on a miniature optimization technique if the first histogram of display intensities of the first image is insufficiently similar to the second histogram of display intensities of the second image.

25. The method as recited in claim 23, wherein the histogram equalization comprises generating an output of the window/level associated with the second image if the first histogram of display intensities of the first image is substantially similar to the second histogram of display intensities of the second image.

26. The method as recited in claim 19, prior to the first displaying step, further comprising scanning the first image and the second image, wherein the scanning step is performed by at least one scanner from the group of scanners consisting of an x-ray scanner, a computerized tomographic (CT) scanner, a cone beam computerized tomographic (CBCT) scanner, a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner, a positron emission tomographic (PET) scanner, and an ultrasound scanner.

27. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the first image comprises a first medical image obtained from a first medical image scanner, and the second image comprises a second medical image obtained from the first medical imaging scanner.

28. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the first image comprises a first medical image obtained from a first medical image scanner, and the second image comprises a second medical image obtained from a second medical imaging scanner.

29. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the first and second images comprise two-dimensional (2D) images, three-dimensional (3D) images, 2D videos, and 3D videos, and any combination of these.

30. A system for adjusting a plurality of medical images, the system comprising:

an input module configured to receive input window/level parameters of a first medical image and to initialize window/level parameters of a second medical image, the first image and the second image are sourced from a medical image scanner, the first image comprises first three-dimensional voxel data, the second image comprises second three-dimensional voxel data;

a window/level application component configured to generate updated window/level parameters of the first image;

a window/level synchronization module configured to compute updated window/level parameters of the second image, the updated window/level parameters of the second image being computed automatically based on a synchronization relationship with the input window/level parameters of the first image, wherein the synchronization relationship comprises mapping window/level parameters of the second image from the input window/level parameters of the first image, pixel data of the first image, pixel data of the second image, metadata of the first image, metadata of the second image and characteristics of a display, wherein the synchronization relationship comprises passing through the input window/level parameters of the first image to the window/level parameters of the second image; and

a display module for simultaneously displaying, via a display, the first image with the updated window/level parameters associated with the first image and the second image with the updated window level parameters associated with the second image, the medical image scanner in communication with the display.

31. The system as recited in claim 30, wherein the synchronization relationship in the calculating step comprises mapping the updated window/level parameters of the second image from the input window/level parameters of the first image, pixel data of the first image, pixel data of the second image, metadata of the first image, metadata of the second image and characteristics of a display.

32. The system as recited in claim 30, wherein the synchronization relationship in the calculating step comprises passing through the input window/level parameters of the first image to the updated window/level parameters of the second image.

33. The system as recited in claim 30, wherein the synchronization relationship in the calculating step comprises a histogram equalization of the first image and the second image by comparing a first histogram of display intensities of the first image with a second histogram of display intensities of the second image.

34. The system as recited in claim 33, wherein the histogram equalization comprises further adjusting the window/level parameters of the second image based on a miniature optimization technique if the first histogram of display intensities of the first image is insufficiently similar to the second histogram of display intensities of the second image.

35. The system as recited in claim 33, wherein the histogram equalization comprises generating an output of the window/level associated with the second image if the first histogram of display intensities of the first image is substantially similar to the second histogram of display intensities of the second image.

36. The system as recited in claim 30, further comprising at least one scanner for scanning the first and second images, wherein the at least one scanner is selected from the group of scanners consisting of an x-ray scanner, a computerized tomographic (CT) scanner, a cone beam computerized tomographic (CBCT) scanner, a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner, a positron emission tomographic (PET) scanner, and an ultrasound scanner.

37. The system as recited in claim 30, wherein the first image comprises a first medical image obtained from a first medical image scanner, and the second image comprises a second medical image obtained from the first medical imaging scanner.

38. The system as recited in claim 30, wherein the first image comprises a first medical image obtained from a first medical image scanner, and the second image comprises a second medical image obtained from a second medical imaging scanner.

39. The system as recited in claim 30, wherein the first and second images comprise two-dimensional (2D) images, three-dimensional (3D) images, 2D videos, and 3D videos, and any combination of these.

40. A non-transitory computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium structured to store instructions executable by a processor, the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to:

first display a first medical image from a first three-dimensional voxel data and a second medical image from a second three-dimensional voxel data in a 3-D blended view of a set of 3-D merged images on a display, the first image associated with first contrast parameters and the second image associated with second contrast parameters, the first image and the second images are sourced from a medical image scanner, the display in communication with the medical image scanner, the set of merged images is sourced from the first image and the second image;

adjust the first contrast parameters and the first three-dimensional voxel data in the first image via a user interface output via the display, representing a first event, thereby automatically causing a 3-D transparency blending factor to change display only the first image via the display, the 3-D transparency blending factor reverting back to an initial value to display both the first and second images via the display upon ending the adjustment of the contrast parameters; and

adjust the contrast parameters of the first and second three-dimensional voxel data simultaneously via the user interface by correlating the image content of the first and second three-dimensional voxel data, representing a second event, thereby causes the transparency blending factor to change to display only the second image via the display, the transparency blending reverting back to the initial value that displays both images via the display upon ending the adjustment of the contrast parameters;

wherein the 3-D transparency blending factor is synchronized automatically between the first event and the second event based on a synchronization relationship of the first image upon adjustment of the first contrast parameters via the user interface to effectuate the set of merged images between the first three-dimensional voxel data and the second three-dimensional voxel data, the synchronization relationship comprises mapping window/level parameters of the second image from the input window/level parameters of the first image, pixel data of the first image, pixel data of the second image, metadata of the first image, metadata of the second image and characteristics of a display, the synchronization relationship comprises passing through the input window/level parameters of the first image to the window/level parameters of the second image.

41. A non-transitory computer program product for adjusting multiple medical images, the computer program product being stored on a computer readable storage medium and comprising:

program code for receiving an input window/level parameters of a first medical image sourced from a medical image scanner, the first image comprises first three-dimensional voxel data;

program code for adjusting the input window/level parameters of the first image with updated window/level parameters associated with the first image;

responsive to the adjusting step, program code for computing window/level parameters of a second medical image with updated window/level parameters associated with the second image, the second image comprises second three-dimensional voxel data, the updated window/level parameters of the second image being computed based on a synchronization relationship with the input window/level parameters of the first image, the second image sourced from the medical image scanner, the synchronization relationship comprises mapping window/level parameters of the second image from the input window/level parameters of the first image, pixel data of the first image, pixel data of the second image, metadata of the first image, metadata of the second image and characteristics of a display, the synchronization relationship comprises passing through the input window/level parameters of the first image to the window/level parameters of the second image; and

program code for simultaneously displaying, via a display, the first image with the updated window/level parameters associated with the first image and the second image with the updated window level parameters associated with the second image, the medical image scanner in communication with the display.