Image Diagnosing Support Method and Image Diagnosing Support Apparatus

• US 20070244393A1
• Filed: 05/30/2005
• Published: 10/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Medical Corporation (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Medical Corporation (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Oshiki, Mitsuhiro, Shinomura, Ryuichi
• Granted Patent: US 8,355,775 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/463
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02007 Evaluating blood vessel condition, e.g. elasticity, compliance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1075 for measuring dimensions by non-invasive methods, e.g. for determining thickness of tissue layer A61B8/0858 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/06 Measuring blood flow measuring volume flow in general G01F, e.g. G01F1/66, G01F1/72; measuring speed of fluids in general G01P5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0833 involving detecting or locating foreign bodies or organic structures
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/463 characterised by displaying multiple images or images and diagnostic data on one display composite display in devices for short-range imaging with acoustic waves G01S7/52074
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/24 involving graphical user interfaces [GUIs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0012 Biomedical image inspection

Abstract

This is an image diagnosing support method comprising: an acquisition step of acquiring a plurality of images obtained by imaging the same region of the same object with one or more medical imaging apparatuses and having positional information at the time each of the images was picked up; a selecting step of selecting a first image and a second image out of the plurality of images; a displaying step of displaying the first image and the second image; a step of designating one or more of first reference points on the first image; a step of figuring out second reference points, on the second image, each matching one or another of the first reference points; a first step of extracting for each of the first reference points a first region containing that point within it; and a second step of extracting for each of the second reference points a second region containing that point within it, characterized in that either one of the first step and the second step is performed earlier or both are at the same time.

Claims

1. An image diagnosing support method comprising:

an acquisition step of acquiring a plurality of images obtained by imaging the same region of the same object with one or more medical imaging apparatuses and having positional information at the time each of the images was picked up;

a selecting step of selecting a first image and a second image out of said plurality of images;

a displaying step of displaying said first image and said second image;

a step of designating one or more of first reference points on said first image;

a step of figuring out second reference points, on said second image, each matching one or another of said first reference points;

a first step of extracting for each of said first reference points a first region containing that point within it; and

a second step of extracting for each of said second reference points a second region containing that point within it, wherein;

either one of said first step and said second step is performed earlier or both are at the same time.

2. The image diagnosing support method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of displaying region information on at least one of said first region and said second region superposed over at least one of said first image and said second image.

3. The image diagnosing support method according to claim 1, wherein:

said first image and said second image are images picked up by medical imaging apparatuses of different types.

4. The image diagnosing support method according to claim 1, wherein:

said first image and said second image are images picked up by different medical imaging apparatuses of the same type.

5. The image diagnosing support method according to claim 1, wherein:

said first image and said second image are images picked up by the same medical imaging apparatus.

6. The image diagnosing support method according to claim 3, wherein:

at least one of said first image and said second image is an image picked up by a medical imaging apparatus capable of real-time imaging.

7. The image diagnosing support method according to claim 1, wherein:

said first image and said second image are images of the same section.

8. The image diagnosing support method according to claim 1, wherein:

said first image and said second image are images of different sections of the same region of said object.

9. The image diagnosing support method according to claim 1, wherein:

said first image and said second image are images picked up at different times.

10. The image diagnosing support method according to claim 1, wherein:

said plurality of images further have time information on the times of being picked up,

said first image is an image representing changes of said region, and

said second image is an image of said region of said first image at a desired point of time.

11. The image diagnosing support method according to claim 2, wherein:

the extraction of said first region and said second region is accomplished by successively comparing pixel values in the vicinities of said reference points with a prescribed threshold.

12. The image diagnosing support method according to claim 2, wherein:

said region information is information representing at least one of the whole extracted region and the boundary thereof.

13. The image diagnosing support method according to claim 2, further comprising a step of altering at least either the gain or the dynamic range of image displaying on the basis of the image signal distribution in at least either said first region or said second region.

14. The image diagnosing support method according to claim 2, further comprising a step of acquiring geometric information that at least either said first region or said second region has.

15. The image diagnosing support method according to claim 14, wherein:

said first image and said second image are images obtained by picking up the same blood vessel of said object and contains a vascular sectional region including a luminal region in which blood flows and a vascular tissue region,

said luminal region and said vascular tissue region are respectively extracted by said first step and said second step, the method further comprising;

a step of extracting a plurality of parameters necessary for figuring out the rate of constriction of said blood vessel from said luminal region and said vascular tissue region of either one, and

a step of deriving the rate of constriction of said blood vessel by using said plurality of parameters.

17. The image diagnosing support method according to claim 15, wherein:

said plurality of parameters include at least either the internal diameter of said luminal region and the external diameter of said vascular tissue region or the square measure of said luminal region and the square measure of said vascular tissue region.

21. The image diagnosing support method according to claim 4, wherein:

at least one of said first image and said second image is an image picked up by a medical imaging apparatus capable of real-time imaging.

22. The image diagnosing support method according to claim 5, wherein:

at least one of said first image and said second image is an image picked up by a medical imaging apparatus capable of real-time imaging.

16. An image diagnosing support method comprising:

a step of acquiring an image obtained by imaging a blood vessel of an object with a medical imaging apparatus, the image containing a blood vessel sectional region comprising a luminal region in which blood flows and a vascular tissue region;

a step of extracting said luminal region and said vascular tissue region;

a step of extracting from said luminal region and said vascular tissue region a plurality of parameters necessary for figuring out the rate of constriction of said blood vessel; and

a step of calculating the rate of constriction of said blood vessel by using said plurality of parameters.

23. The image diagnosing support method according to claim 16, wherein:

said plurality of parameters include at least either the internal diameter of said luminal region and the external diameter of said vascular tissue region or the square measure of said luminal region and the square measure of said vascular tissue region.

18. An image diagnosing support apparatus comprising:

means for acquiring a plurality of images obtained by imaging the same region of the same object with one or more medical imaging apparatuses and having positional information at the time each of the images was picked up;

means for selecting two or more images out of said plurality of images;

means for displaying said selected two or more images;

means for designating one or more of first reference points on one of said selected two or more images;

means for figuring out second reference points, on one or more images out of said selected two or more images, each matching one or another of said first reference points; and

means for extracting for each of said first reference points a first region containing that point within it, and for each of said second reference points a second region containing that point within it.

19. The image diagnosing support apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising means for displaying region information on at least either said first region or said second region superposed over at least either one of said selected two or more images.

20. An image diagnosing support apparatus having:

means for acquiring an image obtained by imaging an object with a medical imaging apparatus; and

region extracting means for extracting a desired region out of said image, wherein;

said image contains a luminal region and a vascular tissue region of a desired blood vessel;

said region extracting means extracts said luminal region and said vascular tissue region; and

the apparatus comprises;

means for figuring out from said luminal region and said vascular tissue region a plurality of parameters necessary for figuring out the rate of constriction of said blood vessel; and

means for calculating the rate of constriction of said blood vessel by using said plurality of parameters.