Image enhancement method and system for fiducial-less tracking of treatment targets
First Claim
1. A method of enhancing an image of an object so as to increase the visibility in the image of at least one structure within the object, wherein the image is characterized by a plurality of pixels, each pixel having an associated pixel value that represents the image intensity of a corresponding unit volume of the object, the method comprising:
- a) selecting at least a first neighborhood and a second neighborhood within the image, b) constructing an operator configured to select, within the first and second neighborhoods, one or more pixels having an optimal pixel value, and to eliminate the remaining pixels in the neighborhoods; and
c) applying the operator to the selected neighborhoods so that only the pixels having the optimal pixel values remain in the selected neighborhoods, and the remaining pixels in the selected neighborhoods are eliminated.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system are presented for enhancing one or more images of an object, so as to increase the visibility within the images of one or more structures within the object. The object may be an anatomical region of a patient, and may include one or more reference structures, for example skeletal structures or vertebral structures, and one or more treatment targets, for example tumors or lesions. An operator, for example a top-hat filter operator, selects at least a first neighborhood and a second neighborhood within the images. The operator selects within each neighborhood one or more pixels having an optimal pixel value, and eliminates the remaining pixels in these neighborhoods. When the operator is applied to the selected neighborhoods, only the pixels having the greatest pixel values remain in the selected neighborhoods, and the remaining pixels are eliminated in the selected neighborhoods. As a result, desired features can be located and enhanced in the images.
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Citations
78 Claims
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1. A method of enhancing an image of an object so as to increase the visibility in the image of at least one structure within the object, wherein the image is characterized by a plurality of pixels, each pixel having an associated pixel value that represents the image intensity of a corresponding unit volume of the object, the method comprising:
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a) selecting at least a first neighborhood and a second neighborhood within the image, b) constructing an operator configured to select, within the first and second neighborhoods, one or more pixels having an optimal pixel value, and to eliminate the remaining pixels in the neighborhoods; and
c) applying the operator to the selected neighborhoods so that only the pixels having the optimal pixel values remain in the selected neighborhoods, and the remaining pixels in the selected neighborhoods are eliminated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of enhancing a first image and a second image of an object when registering the first image with the second image, so as to increase the visibility in the first and second images of at least one structure within the object, wherein each image is characterized by an array of pixels, each pixel having an associated pixel value that represents the image intensity of a corresponding unit volume of the object, the method comprising:
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a) constructing an operator that is configured as a weighted combination of an opening of each image with a first structural element, and a closing of each image with a second structural element; and
b) applying the operator to selected pixels of each image. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An apparatus for enhancing an image of an object so as to increase the visibility in the image of at least one structure within the object, the image being characterized by a plurality of pixels, each pixel having an associated pixel value that represents the image intensity of a corresponding unit volume of the object, the apparatus comprising:
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a) a neighborhood selector configured to select at least a first neighborhood and a second neighborhood within the image;
b) an operator generator for constructing an operator configured to select, within the first and second neighborhoods, one or more pixels having an optimal pixel value, and to eliminate the remaining pixels in the selected neighborhoods; and
c) a controller for applying the operator to the selected neighborhoods so that only the pixels having the optimal pixel values remain in the selected neighborhoods, and the remaining pixels in the selected neighborhoods are eliminated. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. An apparatus for enhancing a first image and a second image of an object when registering the first image with the second image, so as to increase the visibility in the first and second images of at least one structure within the object, wherein each image is characterized by an array of pixels, each pixel having an associated pixel value that represents the image intensity of a corresponding unit volume of the object, the apparatus comprising:
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a) an operator generator configured to construct an operator that is configured as a weighted combination of an opening of each image with a first structural element, and a closing of each image with a second structural element; and
b) a controller configured to apply the operator to selected pixels of each image. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. An apparatus for enhancing an image of an object so as to increase the visibility in the image of at least one structure within the object, the image being characterized by a plurality of pixels, each pixel having an associated pixel value that represents the image intensity of a corresponding unit volume of the object, the apparatus comprising:
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a) means for selecting at least a first neighborhood and a second neighborhood within the image;
b) means for constructing an operator that selects, within the first and second neighborhoods, one or more pixels having an optimal pixel value, and that eliminates the remaining pixels in the selected neighborhoods; and
c) control means for applying the operator to the selected neighborhoods so that only the pixels having the optimal pixel values remain in the selected neighborhoods, and the remaining pixels in the selected neighborhoods are eliminated.
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46. A method of registering a near real-time 2D x-ray image of an anatomical region with 3D scan data representative of a preoperative image of the anatomical region, the anatomical region including at least one reference structure and at least one treatment target, the method comprising:
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modifying the 3D scan data, and reconstructing from the modified 3D scan data at least one DRR;
enhancing the DRR and the 2D x-ray image so as to increase the visibility in the DRR and the 2D x-ray image of one of the reference structure and the treatment target;
generating a 3D motion field by estimating one or more 2D local motion fields within the DRR, and constructing a full 3D motion field from the local motion fields; and
determining from the full 3D motion field a set of non-rigid transformation parameters that represent the difference in the position and orientation of the reference structure and the treatment target, as shown in the 2D x-ray image, as compared to the position and orientation of the reference structure and the treatment target, as shown in the DRR. - View Dependent Claims (47)
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48. An image registration system for registering at least one 2D image of an anatomical region with previously generated 3D scan data of the anatomical region, the anatomical region including at least one treatment target and at least one reference structure, wherein the 2D image is generated in near real time by detecting one or more radiographic imaging beams after the imaging beams have traversed at least a portion of the anatomical region, the imaging beams having known intensities and known positions and angles relative to the anatomical region, the system comprising:
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means for providing the 3D scan data of the anatomical region;
a scan data modifier configured to modify the 3D scan data so as to compensate for a difference between the ratio of bone-to-tissue attenuation at the energy level of the 3D scan, and the ratio of bone-to-tissue attenuation at the energy level of the imaging beam used for the near real-time 2D image;
a DRR generator configured to generate at least one DRR (digitally reconstructed radiograph) of the anatomical region, using the 3D scan data and the known locations, angles, and intensities of the imaging beams;
an image enhancer configured to enhance the DRR and the 2D image by applying a filter operator to the DRR and to the 2D image;
a motion field generator configured to generate a 3D full motion field within the DRR by estimating a plurality of local motion fields within the DRR; and
a parameter determiner configured to determine from the 3D full motion field a set of non-rigid transformation parameters that represent the difference in the position and orientation of the treatment target as shown in the 2D image, as compared to the position and orientation of the treatment target as shown in the DRR. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
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61. A method of registering a near real-time 2D x-ray image of an anatomical region with 3D scan data representative of a preoperative image of the anatomical region, the anatomical region including at least one reference structure and at least one treatment target, the method comprising:
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reconstructing from the 3D scan data at least one DRR;
enhancing the DRR and the 2D x-ray image so as to increase the visibility in the DRR and the 2D x-ray image of one of the reference structure and the treatment target;
selecting an ROI (region of interest) within the DRR, wherein the ROI includes at least a portion of the reference structure or the treatment target;
generating a 3D motion field by estimating one or more 2D local motion fields within the ROI, and constructing a full 3D motion field from the local motion fields; and
determining from the full 3D motion field a set of non-rigid transformation parameters that represent the difference in the position and orientation of the reference structure and the treatment target, as shown in the 2D x-ray image, as compared to the position and orientation of the reference structure and the treatment target, as shown in the DRR. - View Dependent Claims (62, 63, 64, 65, 66)
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67. An image registration system for registering at least one 2D image of an anatomical region with previously generated 3D scan data of the anatomical region, the anatomical region including at least one treatment target and at least one reference structure, wherein the 2D image is generated in near real time by detecting one or more radiographic imaging beams after the imaging beams have traversed at least a portion of the anatomical region, the imaging beams having known intensities and known positions and angles relative to the anatomical region, the system comprising:
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means for providing the 3D scan data of the anatomical region;
a DRR generator configured to generate at least one DRR (digitally reconstructed radiograph) of the anatomical region, using the 3D scan data and the known locations, angles, and intensities of the imaging beams;
an image enhancer configured to enhance the DRR and the 2D image by applying a filter operator to the DRR and to the 2D image;
an ROI selector configured to select an ROI (region of interest) within the DRR, the ROI including at least a portion of the treatment target or of the reference structure;
a motion field generator configured to generate a 3D full motion field within the DRR by estimating a plurality of local motion fields within the DRR; and
a parameter determiner configured to determine from the 3D full motion field a set of non-rigid transformation parameters that represent the difference in the position and orientation of the treatment target as shown in the 2D image, as compared to the position and orientation of the treatment target as shown in the DRR. - View Dependent Claims (68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76)
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77. An image registration system for registering at least one 2D image of an anatomical region with previously generated 3D scan data of the anatomical region, the anatomical region including at least one treatment target and at least one reference structure, wherein the 2D image is generated in near real time by detecting one or more radiographic imaging beams after the imaging beams have traversed at least a portion of the anatomical region, the imaging beams having known intensities and known positions and angles relative to the anatomical region, the system comprising:
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means for providing the 3D scan data of the anatomical region;
a DRR generator configured to generate at least one DRR (digitally reconstructed radiograph) of the anatomical region, using the 3D scan data and the known locations, angles, and intensities of the imaging beams;
an image enhancer configured to enhance the DRR and the 2D image by applying a filter operator to the DRR and to the 2D image;
a motion field generator configured to generate a 3D full motion field within the DRR by estimating a plurality of local motion fields within the DRR; and
a parameter determiner configured to determine from the 3D full motion field a set of non-rigid transformation parameters that represent the difference in the position and orientation of the treatment target as shown in the 2D image, as compared to the position and orientation of the treatment target as shown in the DRR. - View Dependent Claims (78)
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Specification