Method and apparatus for evaluating regional changes in three-dimensional tomographic images
First Claim
1. A method for determining a change in at least one portion of an object, comprising:
- obtaining a first and second three-dimensional image of an object;
determining a first region of interest within at least one of the first and second three-dimensional images;
determining a second region of interest within the other of the first and second three-dimensional images;
normalizing the first region of interest; and
determining the change in the at least one portion by comparing the normalized first region of interest to the second region of interest.
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Abstract
Methods for measuring atrophy in a brain region occupied by the hippocampus and entorhinal cortex. In one example, MRI scans and a computational formula are used to measure the medial-temporal lobe region of the brain over a time interval. This region contains the hippocampus and the entorhinal cortex, structures allied with learning and memory. Each year this region of the brain shrank in people who developed memory problems up to six years after their first MRI scan. The method is also applicable for measuring the progression rate of atrophy in the region in an instance where the onset of Alzheimer'"'"'s disease has already been established.
57 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for determining a change in at least one portion of an object, comprising:
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obtaining a first and second three-dimensional image of an object;
determining a first region of interest within at least one of the first and second three-dimensional images;
determining a second region of interest within the other of the first and second three-dimensional images;
normalizing the first region of interest; and
determining the change in the at least one portion by comparing the normalized first region of interest to the second region of interest. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for determining a volume change between a first image and second image, comprising:
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calculating a normalization factor for a first region of interest defined in the first image;
adjusting a signal strength of the second image by applying the normalization factor thereto;
computing a first partial volume for the first region of interest computing a second partial volume for a second region of interest defined in the second image;
determining a change in volume between the first and second partial volumes;
whereinthe operations performed on the first and second regions of interest are not performed on any other portion of the first or second images. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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20. A method for determining a change in a hippocampus of a brain, comprising:
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obtaining a first and second three-dimensional image of the brain;
determining a first region of interest within at least one of the first and second three-dimensional images, the first region of interest encompassing the hippocampus;
determining a second region of interest within the other of the first and second three-dimensional images, the second region of interest encompassing the hippocampus;
normalizing the first region of interest; and
determining the change in hippocampus by comparing the normalized first region of interest to the second region of interest.
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Specification