Image display method and image display apparatus

• US 20060269115A1
• Filed: 08/08/2006
• Published: 11/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Oosawa, Akira
• Granted Patent: US 7,496,243 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/132
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10116 X-ray image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30061 Lung
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/50 using two or more images, e.g. averaging or subtraction
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/32 using correlation-based methods

Abstract

An image display apparatus and method which facilitate comparison of two or more images of an identical object. In one embodiment, three images to be compared are displayed at matched positions on an image display after going through the position-matching process conducted by the position matching means, in which the vertical positions of a structural feature area (or a anatomical feature area) of the object are aligned horizontally.

Claims

1. An image display method for displaying two or more images of an identical object to be compared, the method comprising:

applying a non-linear warping operation to the two or more images so that the two or more images are displayed together in a row or a column with positions of a structural feature area of the identical object in the two or more images aligned horizontally or vertically.

2. An image display method according to claim 1, wherein each of the two or more images of the identical object to be compared is a radiation image for medical use.

3. An image display method according to claim 2, wherein each of the two or more images of the identical object to be compared is an original image.

4. An image display method according to claim 3, wherein the two or more original images are taken at different points in time.

5. An image display method according to claim 2, wherein the two or more images of the identical object to be compared include at least one of a plurality of original images and a subtraction image, which is derived by matching positions of two images selected out of said plurality of original images and taking a differential between the selected two images.

6. An image display method according to claim 5, wherein said plurality of original images are taken at different points in time.

15. An image display method according to claim 1, wherein the two or more images physically occupy different areas of a display when the two images are simultaneously displayed.

16. An image display method according to claim 1, wherein a first of the two images represents the object at a first time, and a second of the two objects represents the object at a second time different from the first time.

17. An image display method according to claim 1, wherein the position of the structural feature area of the identical object in the two or more images are displayed according to one of the following:

1) the identical object in two images are displayed at a common horizontal coordinate but different vertical coordinate and

2) the identical objects in the two images are displayed at a common vertical coordinate but different horizontal coordinate.

20. An image display method according to claim 1, wherein said two or more images are displayed together in a row or column are arranged side by side at a given time.

24. An image display method according to claim 1, wherein said structural feature area of the identical object comprises an anatomical region of interest to be compared.

26. An image display method according to claim 1, wherein said structural feature area of the identical object comprises a part of a human body.

28. An image display method according to claim 1, wherein said structural feature area of the identical object comprises at least one of a human body, an animal, a plant, an industrial product, a landform, a celestial body and a landscape.

30. An image display method according to claim 1, further comprising physically aligning horizontally or vertically the two or more displayed images according to the structural feature area of the identical object.

7. (canceled)

8. An image display apparatus for displaying two or more images of an identical object to be compared, comprising

image display means for displaying the two or more images subject to a non-linear warping operation on the display;

and

position matching means for arranging the two or more images in a row or a column so that positions of a structural feature area of the identical object in the two or more images are aligned horizontally or vertically.

9. An image display apparatus according to claim 8, wherein each of the two or more images of the identical object to be compared is a radiation image for medical use.

10. An image display apparatus according to claim 9, wherein each of the two or more images of the identical object to be compared is an original image.

11. An image display apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the two or more original images are taken at different points in time.

12. An image display apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the two or more images of the identical object to be compared include at least one of a plurality of original images and a subtraction image, which is derived by matching positions of two images selected out of said plurality of original images and taking a differential between the selected two images.

13. An image display apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said plurality of original images are taken at different points in time.

18. An image display apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said image display means conducts a subtraction processing to derive a subtraction image from the two or more images.

19. An image display apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said subtraction image is obtained after a position matching operation of the position matching means.

21. An image display apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the two or more images physically occupy different areas of a display when the two images are simultaneously displayed.

22. An image display apparatus according to claim 8, wherein a first of the two images represents the object at a first time, and a second of the two objects represents the object at a second time different from the first time.

23. An image display apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the position of the structural feature area of the identical object in the two or more images are displayed according to one of the following:

1) the identical object in two images are displayed at a common horizontal coordinate but different vertical coordinate and

2) the identical objects in the two images are displayed at a common vertical coordinate but different horizontal coordinate.

25. An image display apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said structural feature area of the identical object comprises an anatomical region of interest to be compared.

27. An image display apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said structural feature area of the identical object comprises a part of a human body.

29. An image display apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said structural feature area of the identical object comprises at least one of a human body, an animal, a plant, an industrial product, a landform, a celestial body and a landscape.

31. An image display apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said two or more images are physically aligned horizontally or vertically on the image display means according to the structural feature area of the identical object.

14. (canceled)