Medical image processing device method and program

• US 20050018886A1
• Filed: 10/31/2002
• Published: 01/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Imagnosis, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Imagnosis, Inc.
• Inventors: Kim, Han-Joon
• Granted Patent: US 7,596,257 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/128
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/51 for dentistry
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/00 Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2210/41 Medical
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/008 Cut plane or projection plane definition

Abstract

A conventional medical image processing apparatus is capable of forming a section perpendicular to a reference plane, but has a drawback that a section intersecting the reference plane at a desired angle other than the right angle cannot be formed. A sectional line is defined in a three-dimensional image viewed perpendicularly to a reference plane. Then, the displayed image is switched to an image viewed along the sectional line, and a line indicative of the reference plane and a line indicative of a sectional plane based on the sectional line are displayed in the image. In turn, the line indicative of the displayed sectional plane is inclined with respect to the line indicative of the reference plane. Then, a sectional image taken along the sectional plane defined by the inclined line is displayed.

Claims

1. A medical image processing apparatus comprising:

a display device for displaying an image;

means which displays a three-dimensional medical image on the display device;

means which specifies at least three points in the displayed three-dimensional image to define a reference plane passing through the three points in the three-dimensional image;

first display switching means which switches the image displayed on the display device to a three-dimensional image viewed in a view direction perpendicular to the reference plane;

second display switching means which, in response to definition of a sectional line in the three-dimensional image viewed in the view direction perpendicular to the reference plane, switches the image displayed on the display device to a three-dimensional image viewed in a view direction along the sectional line, and displays a line indicative of the reference plane and a line indicative of a sectional plane based on the sectional line together with this three-dimensional image;

adjustment means which inclines the line indicative of the sectional plane displayed together with the three-dimensional image viewed in the view direction along the sectional line with respect to the line indicative of the reference plane; and

means which displays an image taken along the sectional plane defined by the inclined line.

2. A medical image processing apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the at least three points specified in the three-dimensional image are points specified by landmarks indicative of anatomical characteristic points, or markers.

3. A medical image processing apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the adjustment means is further capable of moving the line indicative of the sectional plane along the line indicative of the reference plane.

8. A medical image processing apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein the adjustment means is further capable of moving the line indicative of the sectional plane along the line indicative of the reference plane.

4. A medical image processing method comprising the steps of:

displaying a three-dimensional medical image;

specifying at least three points in the displayed three-dimensional image to define a reference plane passing through the three points in the three-dimensional image;

switching the displayed image to a three-dimensional image viewed in a view direction perpendicular to the reference plane;

recognizing that a sectional line is defined in the three-dimensional image viewed in the view direction perpendicular to the reference plane;

switching the displayed image to a three-dimensional image parallel to the reference plane and viewed in a view direction along the defined sectional line, and displaying a line indicative of the reference plane and a line indicative of a sectional plane based on the sectional line together with this three-dimensional image;

inclining the line indicative of the sectional plane displayed together with the three-dimensional image viewed in the view direction along the sectional line with respect to the line indicative of the reference plane; and

displaying an image taken along the sectional plane defined by the inclined line.

5. A medical image processing method as set forth in claim 4, wherein the at least three points specified in the displayed three-dimensional image are points specified by landmarks indicative of anatomical characteristic points, or markers contained in the three-dimensional image.

6. A medical image processing program comprising processes for:

displaying a three-dimensional medical image viewed in a view direction perpendicular to a reference plane;

defining a sectional line in the displayed three-dimensional medical image;

displaying an image parallel to the reference plane and viewed along the defined sectional line together with a line indicative of the reference plane and a line indicative of a sectional plane based on the sectional line;

recognizing that the line indicative of the sectional plane is adjusted with respect to the line indicative of the reference plane; and

displaying a sectional image taken along the sectional plane defined by the line indicative of the adjusted sectional plane.

7. A medical image processing program as set forth in claim 6 further comprising a process for specifying at least three points in the displayed three-dimensional medical image to define a plane passing through the three points as the reference plane in the displayed three-dimensional medical image.