Medical image analysis

• US 20070036404A1
• Filed: 04/20/2006
• Published: 02/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Li, Wenguang
• Granted Patent: US 7,831,081 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/128
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/12 in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters catheters per se A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10068 Endoscopic image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10132 Ultrasound image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20096 Interactive definition of curve of interest
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30101 Blood vessel; Artery; Vein; Vascular
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0012 Biomedical image inspection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/12 Edge-based segmentation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/922 including image analysis

Abstract

A system and method of analysis for a medical image are described. A medical image is received and analyzed, and an initial border of a region within the medical image is determined based on the analysis of the medical image. A user input is received indicating one or more control points, where each of the one or more control points is located inside or outside of the initial border. A modified border of the region is determined based on the analysis and the user input, the modified border passing through the one or more control points.

Claims

1. A method of analysis for an intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) image comprising:

receiving an IVUS image;

analyzing the IVUS image;

determining an initial border of a region within the IVUS image based on the analysis of the IVUS image;

receiving a user input indicating one or more control points, where each of the one or more control points is located inside or outside of the initial border; and

determining a modified border of the region based on the analysis and the user input, the modified border passing through the one or more control points.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after determining a modified border, receiving a second user input indicating one or more second control points, where each of the one or more second control points is located inside or outside of the modified border; and

determining a second modified border of the region based on the analysis, the user input and the second user input, the second modified border passing through the one or more second control points.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein if a second control point indicated by the second user input is within a predetermined proximity to a control point indicated by the user input, then the second modified border passes through the one or more second control points and the control points other than the control point within the predetermined proximity.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the analysis of the IVUS image includes an analysis of the brightness contrast between a plurality of pixels comprising the IVUS image.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial border is a border of the luminal region of a blood vessel.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial border is a medial-adventitial boundary of a blood vessel.

7. The method of claim 1, where analyzing the IVUS image comprises generating an edge strength map including a plurality of edge strength values corresponding to a plurality of pixels comprising the IVUS image.

8. The method of claim 7, where determining an initial border comprises performing an edge detection process to detect an edge based at least in part on the edge strength map, where the edge represents the initial border.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising, generating a modified edge strength map based on the user input selecting one or more control points;

where determining a modified border comprises performing an edge detection process to detect an edge based at least in part on the modified edge strength map, where the edge represents the modified border.

10. An intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) imaging system comprising:

a processor, the processor being operable to execute instructions to;

receive an IVUS image;

analyze the IVUS image;

determine an initial border of a region within the IVUS image based on the analysis of the IVUS image;

receive user input indicating a control point, where the control point is located inside or outside of the initial border; and

determine a modified border of the region based on the analysis and the user input, the modified border passing through the control point.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

an ultrasound imaging device, the ultrasound imaging device being operable to generate the IVUS image.

12. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

a display device, the display device being operable to display the IVUS image; and

a user input device, the user input device being operable to interact with a user to receive the user input.

13. The system of claim 12, where the display device is further operable to display a graphical representation of the initial border superimposed on the display of the IVUS image.

14. The system of claim 12, where the display device is further operable to display a graphical representation of the modified border superimposed on the display of the IVUS image.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein a plurality of control points are received as user input.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the analysis of the IVUS image is based on an analysis of the brightness contrast between a plurality of pixels comprising the IVUS image.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the initial border is a border of the luminal region of a blood vessel.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the initial border is a medial-adventitial boundary of a blood vessel.

19. A method of analysis for an intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) image comprising:

receiving the IVUS image;

analyzing the IVUS image;

determining an initial outer border of an outer region within the IVUS image based on the analysis of the IVUS image;

determining an initial inner border of an inner region within the IVUS image based on the analysis of the IVUS image;

receiving a user input to modify one of the initial outer or initial inner borders;

receiving a second user input indicating a control point, where the control point is located at a point other than on the initial border to be modified;

if the initial outer border is to be modified, then, determining a modified outer border of the outer region based on the analysis and the second user input, the modified outer border passing through the control point; and

if the initial inner border is to be modified, then, determining a modified inner border of the inner region based on the analysis and the second user input, the modified border passing through the control point.

20. A method of analysis for medical image comprising:

receiving a medical image;

analyzing the medical image;

determining an initial border of a region within the medical image based on the analysis of the medical image;

receiving a user input indicating one or more control points, where each of the one or more control points is located inside or outside of the initial border; and

determining a modified border of the region based on the analysis and the user input, the modified border passing through the one or more control points.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the medical image is an echocardiograph image and the region represents a cardiac chamber.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the medical image is an intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) image and the region represents a blood vessel.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the initial border is a border of the luminal region of a blood vessel.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the initial border is a medial-adventitial boundary of a blood vessel.

25. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

after determining a modified border, receiving a second user input indicating one or more second control points, where each of the one or more second control points is located inside or outside of the modified border; and

determining a second modified border of the region based on the analysis, the user input and the second user input, the second modified border passing through the one or more second control points.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein if a second control point indicated by the second user input is within a predetermined proximity to a control point indicated by the user input, then the second modified border passes through the one or more second control points and the control points other than the control point within the predetermined proximity.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein the analysis of the medical image includes an analysis of the brightness contrast between a plurality of pixels comprising the medical image.

28. The method of claim 20, where analyzing the medical image comprises generating an edge strength map including a plurality of edge strength values corresponding to a plurality of pixels comprising the medical image.

29. The method of claim 28, where determining an initial border comprises performing an edge detection process to detect an edge based at least in part on the edge strength map, where the edge represents the initial border.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising, generating a modified edge strength map based on the user input selecting one or more control points;

where determining a modified border comprises performing an edge detection process to detect an edge based at least in part on the modified edge strength map, where the edge represents the modified border.

31. A medical imaging system comprising:

a processor, the processor being operable to execute instructions to;

receive a medical image;

analyze the medical image;

determine an initial border of a region within the medical image based on the analysis of the medical image;

receive user input indicating a control point, where the control point is located inside or outside of the initial border; and

determine a modified border of the region based on the analysis and the user input, the modified border passing through the control point.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the medical image is an echocardiograph image and the region represents a cardiac chamber.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein the medical image is an intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) image and the region represents a blood vessel.

34. The system of claim 33, further comprising:

an ultrasound imaging device, the ultrasound imaging device being operable to generate the IVUS image.

35. The system of claim 31, further comprising:

a display device, the display device being operable to display the medical image; and

a user input device, the user input device being operable to interact with a user to receive the user input.

36. The system of claim 35, where the display device is further operable to display a graphical representation of the initial border superimposed on the display of the medical image.

37. The system of claim 35, where the display device is further operable to display a graphical representation of the modified border superimposed on the display of the medical image.

38. The system of claim 31, wherein a plurality of control points are received as user input.

39. The system of claim 31, wherein the analysis of the medical image is based on an analysis of the brightness contrast between a plurality of pixels comprising the medical image.

40. A method of analysis for a medical image comprising:

receiving the medical image;

analyzing the medical image;

determining an initial outer border of an outer region within the medical image based on the analysis of the medical image;

determining an initial inner border of an inner region within the medical image based on the analysis of the medical image;

receiving a user input to modify one of the initial outer or initial inner borders;

receiving a second user input indicating a control point, where the control point is located at a point other than on the initial border to be modified;

if the initial outer border is to be modified, then, determining a modified outer border of the outer region based on the analysis and the second user input, the modified outer border passing through the control point; and

if the initial inner border is to be modified, then, determining a modified inner border of the inner region based on the analysis and the second user input, the modified border passing through the control point.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the medical image is an echocardiograph image and the region represents a cardiac chamber.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein the medical image is an intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) image and the region represents a blood vessel.