Method for assessment of the structure-function characteristics of structures in a human or animal body

• US 20060069318A1
• Filed: 09/30/2005
• Published: 03/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Original Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Inventors: Crawford, R. Paul, Keaveny, Tony M.
• Application Number:
  US11/241,627
• Publication Number:
  US 20060069318A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4504 Bones A61B5/4547 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4509 Bone density determination
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4528 Joints A61B5/4533, A61B5/4538 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/505 for diagnosis of bone
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10072 Tomographic images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30008 Bone
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/97 Determining parameters from multiple pictures depth or shape recovery from multiple images G06T7/55; stereo camera calibration G06T7/85

Abstract

A method for determining one or more structure-function characteristics of a structure in a human or animal body from an image of the structure includes generating a structural model of a structure based on an image of the structure. A first biomechanical quantity is computed based on the structural model. The structural model is varied to create a variant model. A second biomechanical quantity is computed based on the variant model. The first and second biomechanical quantities are compared, in order to assess a structure-function characteristic of the structure.

Claims

1. A method for determining one or more structure-function characteristics of a structure in a human or animal body from an image of the structure, comprising:

receiving an image of a structure in a body;

generating a structural model of the structure based on the image;

computing a first biomechanical quantity based on the structural model;

modifying the structural model to create a variant model;

computing a second biomechanical quantity based on the variant model;

comparing the first and second biomechanical quantities; and

storing a result of the comparing in a digital medium.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining one or more structure-function characteristics based on the comparing.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising repeating the method for altered loading conditions.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising repeating the method at a later time period, and determining one or more effects of treatment, aging or disease, or combinations thereof, on one or more structure-function characteristics of the structure.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the structure comprises a musculoskeletal tissue or organ or joint, or combinations thereof.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the structure comprises bone.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the structure comprises a cardiovascular tissue or organ, or combination thereof.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the structure comprises a heart or blood vessel, or both.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the variant model comprises a homogenized model, and the method further comprises assigning an average density to one or more elements of the structural model.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the variant model comprises a reference model, and the method further comprises assigning a reference density to one or more elements of the structural model.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the variant model comprises a sub-structure model, and the method further comprises removing a portion of structure from the model.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the portion of structure that is removed comprises peripheral structure.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the structural model comprises a finite element model of the structure.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the variant model comprises a combination of two of more of a homogenized model, a sub-structure model, and a reference model.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the variant model comprises a variation of the structural model wherein a boundary condition is modified.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the boundary condition comprises force, pressure, bending moment, deformation, displacement, velocity, acceleration, fluid flow, temperature, energy, strain, or stress, or combinations thereof.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising scanning the structure to create the image of the structure.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the scanning comprises computed topography, magnetic resonance, DXA, X-ray radiograph, ultrasound, or PET scanning, or combinations thereof.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second image of the structure acquired at a different time period than when the first image was acquired;

generating a second structural model of the structure based on the second image;

computing a third biomechanical quantity based on the second structural model;

modifying the second structural model to create a second variant model; and

computing a fourth biomechanical quantity based on the second variant model, and wherein the comparing further comprises comparing the third and fourth biomechanical quantities.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the comparing further comprises comparing the result of the comparing of the first and second biomechanical quantities with a result of the comparing of the third and fourth biomechanical quantities.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second image of a different portion of the body than said structure;

generating a second structural model based on the second image;

computing a third biomechanical quantity based on the second structural model;

modifying the second structural model to create a second variant model; and

computing a fourth biomechanical quantity based on the second variant model, and wherein the comparing further comprises comparing the third and fourth biomechanical quantifies.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the comparing further comprises comparing a result of the comparing of the first and second biomechanical quantities with a result of the comparing of the third and fourth biomechanical quantities.

23. One or more processor readable storage devices having processor readable code embodied thereon, said processor readable code for programming one or more processors to perform a method for determining one or more structure-function characteristics of a structure in a human or animal body from an image of the structure, the method comprising:

receiving an image of a structure in a body;

generating a structural model of the structure based on the image;

computing a first biomechanical quantity based on the structural model;

modifying the structural model to create a variant model;

computing a second biomechanical quantity based on the variant model;

comparing the first and second biomechanical quantities; and

storing a result of the comparing in a digital medium.

24. The one or more storage devices of claim 23, the method further comprising determining one or more structure-function characteristics based on the comparing.

25. The one or more storage devices of claim 23, the method further comprising repeating the method for altered loading conditions.

26. The one or more storage devices of claim 23, the method further comprising repeating the method at a later time period, and determining one or more effects of treatment, aging or disease, or combinations thereof, on one or more structure-function characteristics of the structure.

27. The one or more storage devices of claim 23, wherein the structure comprises a musculo-skeletal tissue or organ, or combination thereof.

28. The one or more storage devices of claim 27, wherein the structure comprises bone.

29. The one or more storage devices of claim 23, wherein the structure comprises a cardio-vascular tissue or organ, or combination thereof.

30. The one or more storage devices of claim 29, wherein the structure comprises a heart or blood vessel, or both.

31. The one or more storage devices of claim 23, wherein the variant model comprises a homogenized model, and the method further comprises assigning an average density to one or more elements of the structural model.

32. The one or more storage devices of claim 23, wherein the variant model comprises a reference model, and the method further comprises assigning a reference density to the structural model.

33. The one or more storage devices of claim 23, wherein the variant model comprises a sub-structure model, and the method further comprises removing a portion of bone from the model.

34. The one or more storage devices of claim 33, wherein the portion of bone that is removed comprises peripheral bone.

35. The one or more storage devices of claim 23, wherein the structural model comprises a finite element model of the structure.

36. The one or more storage devices of claim 23, wherein the variant model comprises a combination of two of more of a homogenized model, a sub-structure model, an axial model, a bend model, and a reference model.

37. The one or more storage devices of claim 23, wherein the variant model comprises a variation of the structural model wherein a boundary condition is modified.

38. The one or more storage devices of claim 37, wherein the boundary condition comprises force, pressure, deformation, fluid field, energy, or stress, or combinations thereof.

39. The one or more storage devices of claim 23, further comprising scanning the structure to create the image of the structure.

40. The one or more storage devices of claim 39, wherein the scanning comprises computed topography, magnetic resonance, DXA, X-ray radiograph, ultrasound, or PET scanning, or combinations thereof.

41. The one or more storage devices of claim 23, further comprising:

receiving a second image of the structure acquired at a different time period than when the first image was acquired;

generating a second structural model of the structure based on the second image;

computing a third biomechanical quantity based on the second structural model;

modifying the second structural model to create a second variant model; and

computing a fourth biomechanical quantity based on the second variant model, and wherein the comparing further comprises comparing the third and fourth biomechanical quantities.

42. The one or more storage devices of claim 41, wherein the comparing further comprises comparing the result of the comparing of the first and second biomechanical quantities with a result of the comparing of the third and fourth biomechanical quantities.

43. The one or more storage devices of claim 23, further comprising:

receiving a second image of a different portion of said structure;

generating a second structural model based on the second image;

computing a third biomechanical quantity based on the second structural model;

modifying the second structural model to create a second variant model; and

computing a fourth biomechanical quantity based on the second variant model, and wherein the comparing further comprises comparing the third and fourth biomechanical quantities.

44. The one or more storage devices of claim 43, wherein the comparing further comprises comparing a result of the comparing of the first and second biomechanical quantities with a result of the comparing of the third and fourth biomechanical quantities.

45. A method for assessing the effects of aging, disease or treatment on a structure in a human or animal body, the method comprising:

receiving an image of a structure in a body at a first time period;

generating a structural model of the structure based on the image;

computing a first biomechanical quantity based on the structural model;

modifying the structural model to create a variant model;

computing a second biomechanical quantity based on the variant model;

comparing the first and second biomechanical quantities;

determining one or more structure-function characteristics based on comparing the first and second biomechanical quantities;

receiving a second image of the structure acquired at a second time period;

generating a second structural model of the structure based on the second image;

computing a third biomechanical quantity based on the second structural model;

modifying the second structural model to create a second variant model;

computing a fourth biomechanical quantity based on the second variant model;

comparing the third and fourth biomechanical quantities; and

comparing a result of the comparing of the first and second biomechanical quantities with a result of the comparing of the third and fourth biomechanical quantities, in order to assess and/or diagnose the effects of aging, disease or treatment on the structure.