Apparatus for reference image rotation, and computer software product and method for reference image rotation

• US 20020071599A1
• Filed: 10/01/2001
• Published: 06/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GMBH (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Harder, Martin, Herget, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 7,015,935 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/131
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0037 Performing a preliminary scan, e.g. a prescan for identifying a region of interest
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/055 involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7425 Displaying combinations of multiple images regardless of image source, e.g. displaying a reference anatomical image with a live image geometric transforms for image registration G06T3/14; enhancement using image fusion G06T5/50; algorithms for registration of images G06T7/30

Abstract

In an apparatus for displaying reference images of patients and slices to be measured in a displayed reference image for assisting the positioning of slices in preparation for a slice-by-slice measurement and a computer software product and corresponding method, a storage device stores at least one measured reference image of a current patient, a display screen displays a stored reference image, an input device allows entry of commands for displaying and positioning slices to be measured in a displayed reference image, and a processing device processes the entered commands and correspondingly controls the display of the reference image and the slices. The processing device, depending on the entry of commands via the input device by a user, generates a rotated representation of the reference image and a spatial representation—corresponding to the rotation of the reference image—of the slices and displays them on the screen.

Claims

1. An apparatus for displaying a reference image of a subject, and slices of said subject in the displayed reference image, for positioning slices in preparation for a slice-by-slice measurement of said subject, comprising:

a storage device for storing at least one reference image of current patient;

a display screen for displaying the stored reference image;

an input device for entering commands for displaying and positioning slices of said current patient to be measured, in the displayed reference image;

a processing device connected to said storage device, said display screen and said input device, for processing the commands entered via said input device and for controlling display of said reference image and said slices on said display screen, said processing device, dependent on the commands entered via said input device, generating a rotated representation of said reference image and a spatial representation, corresponding to the rotation of the reference image, of said layers, and causing said rotated representation to be displayed on said display screen together with said spatial representation.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said processing device generates a frame around said reference image on said display screen, and generates said rotated representation of said reference image with said frame as a rotated, two-dimensional structure on said display screen.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said processing device generates said rotated representation of said reference image and said frame depending on a direction of rotation in a perspective view on said display screen.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said processing device generates said spatial representation of said layers as a three-dimensional representation of contour lines of a group of layers.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said processing device generates said three-dimensional representation of said contour lines as a parallelepiped.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said processing device generates a cuboid as said parallelepiped.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said processing device causes respective contour lines to be displayed on said display screen so that contour lines facing an observer of said display screen are distinguishable from contour lines which are hidden from said observer.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said processing device causes contour lines which face an observer of said display screen to be visibly displayed, and makes contour lines which are hidden to an observer invisible on said display screen.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said processing device inhibits representation of contour lines which lie behind said reference image on said display screen, including said frame, as seen by an observer of said display screen.

10. A computer software product for operating a processing unit for displaying a reference image of a subject, and slices of said subject in the displayed reference image, for positioning slices in preparation for a slice-by-slice measurement of said subject, said processor unit being connected to a storage device for storing at least one reference image of current patient a display screen for displaying the stored reference image, and an input device for entering commands for displaying and positioning layers of said current patient to be measured, in the displayed reference image, said computer software product operating said processing device, for processing the commands entered via said input device and for controlling display of said reference image and said layers on said display screen, so that said processing device dependent on the commands entered via said input device, generates a rotated representation of said reference image and a spatial representation, corresponding to the rotation of the reference image, of said layers, and causes said rotated representation to be displayed on said display screen together with said spatial representation.

11. A computer software product as claimed in claim 10 which operates said processing device to generate a frame around said reference image on said display screen, and to generate said rotated representation of said reference image with said frame as a rotated, two-dimensional structure on said display screen.

12. A computer software product as claimed in claim 11 which operates said processing device to generate said rotated representation of said reference image and said frame depending on a direction of rotation in a perspective view on said display screen.

13. A computer software product as claimed in claim 10 which operates said processing device to generate said spatial representation of said layers as a three-dimensional representation of contour lines of a group of layers.

14. A computer software product as claimed in claim 13 which operates said processing device to generate said three-dimensional representation of said contour lines as a parallelepiped.

15. A computer software product as claimed in claim 14 which operates said processing device to generate a cuboid as said parallelepiped.

16. A computer software product as claimed in claim 13 which operates said processing device to cause respective contour lines to be displayed on said display screen so that contour lines facing an observer of said display screen are distinguishable from contour lines which are hidden from said observer.

17. A computer software product as claimed in claim 13 which operates said processing device to cause contour lines which face an observer of said display screen to be visibly displayed, and makes contour lines which are hidden to an observer invisible on said display screen.

18. A computer software product as claimed in claim 13 which causes said processing device to inhibit representation of contour lines which lie behind said reference image on said display screen, including said frame, as seen by an observer of said display screen.

20. A method as claimed in claim 19 comprising, in said processing device generating a frame around said reference image on said display screen, and generating said rotated representation of said reference image with said frame as a rotated, two-dimensional structure on said display screen.

21. A method as claimed in claim 20 comprising, in said processing device, generating said rotated representation of said reference image and said frame depending on a direction of rotation in a perspective view on said display screen.

22. A method as claimed in claim 19 comprising, in said processing device, generating said spatial representation of said layers as a three-dimensional representation of contour lines of a group of layers.

23. A method as claimed in claim 22 comprising, in said processing device, generating said three-dimensional representation of said contour lines as a parallelepiped.

24. A method as claimed in claim 23 comprising, in said processing device, generating a cuboid as said parallelepiped.

25. A method as claimed in claim 20 comprising, via said processing device, causing respective contour lines to be displayed on said display screen so that contour lines facing an observer of said display screen are distinguishable from contour lines which are hidden from said observer.

26. A method as claimed in claim 22 comprising, via said processing device, causing contour lines which face an observer of said display screen to be visibly displayed, and makes contour lines which are hidden to an observer invisible on said display screen.

27. A method as claimed in claim 22 comprising, via said processing device, inhibiting representation of contour lines which lie behind said reference image on said display screen, including said frame, as seen by an observer of said display screen.

19. A method for displaying a reference image of a subject, and slices of said subject in the displayed reference image, for positioning slices in preparation for a slice-by-slice measurement of said subject, comprising the steps of:

storing at least one reference image of current patient in a storage device;

providing a display screen for displaying the stored reference image;

entering commands for displaying and positioning slices of said current patient to be measured, in the displayed reference image, via an input device;

connecting a processing device to said storage device, said display screen and said input device, and processing the commands entered via said input device and for controlling display of said reference image and said layers on said display screen, and in said processing device, dependent on the commands entered via said input device, generating a rotated representation of said reference image and a spatial representation, corresponding to the rotation of the reference image, of said layers, and causing said rotated representation to be displayed on said display screen together with said spatial representation.