Method for generating a 3D image dataset

• US 20040041807A1
• Filed: 06/19/2003
• Published: 03/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GMBH (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Hornegger, Joachim, Reiss, Joachim
• Granted Patent: US 7,536,040 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/419
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/364 Correlation of different images or relation of image positions in respect to the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/10 Computer-aided planning, simulation or modelling of surgical operations
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/36 Image-producing devices or illumination devices not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/20 Processor architectures; Processor configuration, e.g. pipelining
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/006 Inverse problem, transformation from projection-space into object-space, e.g. transform methods, back-projection, algebraic methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2211/428 Real-time

Abstract

In a method for the generation of a 3D dataset from 2D x-ray datasets, the 2D data are forwarded from a customer to a 3D reconstruction center in which a calibration of the projection geometry ensues by means of a software package and/or a specialist. As a result a 3D volume dataset is calculates and made available to the customer.

Claims

1. A method for generating a three-dimensional image dataset from a plurality of two-dimensional x-ray recordings, comprising the steps of:

obtaining a plurality of 2D x-ray recordings of a subject, respectively at different projection directions, at a first location;

transmitting said plurality of 2D x-ray recordings from said first location to a reconstruction center at a second location, remote from said first location;

at said reconstruction center, making a calibration from said 2D x-ray recordings of a projection geometry needed for generating a three-dimensional volume dataset from said 2D x-ray recordings and, using said calibration and said plurality of 2D x-ray recordings, generating a 3D volume dataset; and

transmitting said 3D volume dataset from said reconstruction center at said second location to said first location.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising generating a video at said reconstruction center of said 3D volume dataset.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising generating specially rendered individual exposures of said 3D volume dataset at said reconstruction center.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising establishing an Internet connection between said first and second locations, and transmitting said plurality of 2D x-ray recording electronically from said first location to said second location via said Internet connection, and transmitting said 3D volume dataset from said second location to said first location via said Internet connection.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the step of making a calibration at said reconstruction center comprises making an autocalibration at said reconstruction center using automatically detected natural landmarks in said plurality of two-dimensional x-ray recordings, and calculating respective point correspondences based on said natural landmarks.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5 comprising, at said reconstruction center, additionally calculating respective three-dimensional coordinates of said points and deriving projection parameters from the point correspondences.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the step of making said calibration at said reconstruction center comprises manually detecting natural landmarks in said plurality of two-dimensional x-ray recordings, and making an autocalibration at said reconstruction center by calculating respective point correspondences based on the manually detected natural landmarks.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7 comprising, at said reconstruction center, additionally calculating respective three-dimensional coordinates of said points and deriving projection parameters from the point correspondences.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising the step of attaching detectable markers to said subject when generating said plurality of two-dimensional x-ray recordings, and wherein the step of making said calibration at said reconstruction center comprises making an autocalibration at said reconstruction center by automatically detecting said markers in said plurality of two-dimensional x-ray recordings and calculating respective point correspondences based on the automatically detected markers.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9 comprising, at said reconstruction center, additionally calculating respective three-dimensional coordinates of said points and deriving projection parameters from the point correspondences.

11. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising transmitting a calibration sample with a known three-dimensional geometry from said first location to said reconstruction center at said second location together with said plurality of two-dimensional x-ray recordings, and at said reconstruction center, calculating said point correspondences from automatically detected point features and deriving projection parameters from said known three-dimensional geometry.

12. A method for generating a three-dimensional image dataset from a plurality of two-dimensional x-ray recordings, comprising the steps of:

obtaining a plurality of 2D x-ray recordings of a subject, respectively at different projection directions, at a first location;

transmitting said plurality of 2D x-ray recordings from said first location to a reconstruction center at a second location, remote from said first location;

at said reconstruction center, automatically calibrating a projection geometry needed for generating a three-dimensional volume dataset from said plurality of 2D x-ray recordings and, using said projection geometry, calculating said 3D volume dataset from said plurality of two-dimensional x-ray recordings; and

transmitting said 3D volume dataset from said reconstruction center at said second location to said first location.