Method for the reconstruction of three-dimensional objects

• US 20060142984A1
• Filed: 01/23/2004
• Published: 06/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Young, Stewart, Weese, Jurgen, Movassaghi, Babak, Rasche, Volker
• Application Number:
  US10/543,394
• Publication Number:
  US 20060142984A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 703/11
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10121 Fluoroscopy
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20156 Automatic seed setting
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30101 Blood vessel; Artery; Vein; Vascular
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/11 Region-based segmentation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/55 from multiple images

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for the computer-aided reconstruction of a three-dimensional anatomical object (3) from diagnostic image data. First of all, a diagnostic image data set of the object (3) is acquired. Then a seed point (5) is set, starting from which the object is reconstructed within a reconstruction volume (4). Thereafter, an adjacent point of the reconstruction volume (4) likewise belonging to the object (3) is located in accordance with a propagation criterion, which is calculated by means of a mathematical analysis of local areas (6, 7), assigned to the point concerned, of the image data set Reconstruction of the three-dimensional structure of the object (3) is then performed within the reconstruction volume (4) by multiple repetition of this method step and propagation along the located adjacent points. To apply such a reconstruction method to image data obtained by means of rotational X-ray imaging, wherein a plurality of two-dimensional projection images (1, 2) are recorded from different projection directions, the invention proposes that the propagation criterion be calculated by subjecting the local image areas (6, 7) of the two-dimensional projection images (1, 2) in each case individually to the mathematical analysis.

Claims

1. A method for the computer-aided reconstruction of a three-dimensional anatomical object (3) from diagnostic image data, having the method steps:

a) acquisition of a diagnostic image data set of the object (3),

b) setting of a seed point (5) belonging to the object (3) within a reconstruction volume (4),

c) location of an adjacent point, likewise belonging to the object (3), within the reconstruction volume (4) in accordance with a propagation criterion, which is calculated by means of a mathematical analysis of local image areas (6, 7), assigned to the point (5) concerned, of the image data set,

d) reconstruction of the three-dimensional structure of the object (3) within the reconstruction volume (4) by multiple repetition of method step c) and propagation along the adjacent points thus located,

characterized in that, in method step a), a plurality of two-dimensional projection images (1, 2) is recorded from different projection directions, the propagation criterion being calculated in method step c) by subjecting the local image areas (6, 7) of the two-dimensional projection images (1, 2) in each case individually to the mathematical analysis.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, in method step c), a point is identified as belonging to the object (3) if the mathematical analysis yields a result which agrees for a plurality of the two-dimensional projection images (1, 2).

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, in method step c), the local image areas (6, 7) are determined by projecting the respective point (5) within the reconstruction volume (4) in accordance with the respective projection directions into the image planes of the two-dimensional projection images (1, 2).

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, a propagation coefficient is calculated by the mathematical analysis in method step c), as a propagation criterion for each two-dimensional projection image (1, 2), the value of which coefficient indicates whether the point (5) concerned belongs to the object or not.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that, during calculation of the propagation coefficient, the inherent values are calculated of the Hesse matrix of the gray scale values in the local image area (6, 7) of the respective two-dimensional projection image (1, 2)

6. A method as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that, when calculating the propagation coefficient for the respective two-dimensional projection image (1, 2), an adaptation to a cylinder model within the local image area (6, 7) is calculated.

7. A method as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that a point is identified in method step c) as belonging to the object (3) if the propagation coefficient assumes a large value for a plurality of two-dimensional projection images (1, 2).

8. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the reconstruction is stopped when a predeterminable end point is reached during propagation in method step d).

9. An imaging apparatus, in particular a C-arm X-ray apparatus, having means (10, 11, 12, 13, 16) for generating an image data set, which set comprises a plurality of two-dimensional projection images of a body part of a patient (15) recorded from different projection directions, and having computer means (17) for reconstructing a three-dimensional anatomical object from the image data set,

characterized in that the computer means (17) comprise a program control which operates according to the method as claimed in claim 1 to reconstruct the object.

10. An imaging apparatus as claimed in claim 9, characterized by an ECG control (18), by means of which recording of the two-dimensional projection images can be controlled in accordance with the heart beat cycle of the patient (15).

11. A computer program for an imaging apparatus in particular a C-arm X-ray apparatus, having means (10, 11, 12, 13, 16) for generating an image data set, which set comprises a plurality of two-dimensional projection images of a body part of a patient (15) recorded from different projection directions, and having computer means (17) for reconstructing a three-dimensional anatomical object from the image data set,

characterized in that the computer means (17) comprise a program control which operates according to the method as claimed in one of claims 1 to 8 to reconstruct the object, characterized in that the method as claimed in claim 1 is implemented by the computer program on the computer means of the imaging apparatus.