METHOD, APPARATUS, AND PROGRAM FOR JUDGING IMAGE RECOGNITION RESULTS, AND COMPUTER READABLE MEDIUM HAVING THE PROGRAM STORED THEREIN

• US 20080260226A1
• Filed: 04/11/2008
• Published: 10/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: MORIYA, Yoshiyuki
• Granted Patent: US 8,081,811 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/128
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/22 Matching criteria, e.g. proximity measures
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 2201/031 of internal organs

Abstract

To obtain more accurate image recognition results while alleviating the burden on the user to check the image recognition results. An image recognition unit recognizes a predetermined structure in an image representing a subject, then a recognition result judging unit measures the predetermined structure on the image recognized by the image recognition unit to obtain a predetermined anatomical measurement value of the predetermined structure, automatically judges whether or not the anatomical measurement value falls within a predetermined standard range, and, if it is outside of the range, judges the image recognition result to be incorrect.

Claims

1. An image recognition result judging apparatus, comprising:

an image recognition means that recognizes a predetermined structure in an image representing a subject;

a structure measuring means that measures the predetermined structure on the image recognized by the image recognition means to obtain a predetermined anatomical measurement value of the predetermined structure; and

a recognition result judging means that judges whether or not the anatomical measurement value falls within a predetermined standard range.

2. The image recognition result judging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined structure is a normal structure of the subject.

3. The image recognition result judging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image recognition means is a means that performs the recognition using a discriminator obtained by machine learning.

4. The image recognition result judging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the anatomical measurement value represents at least one of the length, area, volume, shape, orientation, and positional relationship of the predetermined structure recognized by the image recognition means.

5. The image recognition result judging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the apparatus further comprises a standard range storage means storing information that identifies the predetermined standard range; and

the recognition result judging means is a means that obtains the standard range from the standard range storage means and makes the judgment using the obtained standard range.

6. The image recognition result judging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the anatomical measurement value is assumed to follow a predetermined probability distribution;

the apparatus further comprises a reliability level obtaining means that obtains a reliability level in the probability distribution; and

the recognition result judging means is a means that obtains a reliability range in the probability distribution based on the obtained reliability level and makes the judgment with the reliability range as the standard range.

7. The image recognition result judging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the apparatus further comprises an attribute information obtaining means that obtains attribute information representing an attribute of the subject; and

the recognition result judging means is a means that determines the standard range according to the obtained attribute information and makes the judgment using the determined standard range.

8. The image recognition result judging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an incorrect recognition result output means that provides an output indicating that the recognition result of the image recognition means is incorrect when the anatomical measurement value is judged to be outside of the standard range as a result of the judgment of the recognition result judging means.

9. The image recognition result judging apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the incorrect recognition result output means is a means that outputs the anatomical measurement value judged to be outside of the standard range.

10. The image recognition result judging apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the incorrect recognition result output means is a means that outputs the standard range used in the judgment.

11. The image recognition result judging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a recognition result correction means that corrects the recognition result of the image recognition means when the anatomical measurement value is judged to be outside of the standard range as a result of the judgment of the recognition result judging means.

12. The image recognition result judging apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the recognition result correction means is a means that causes the image recognition means to re-perform the recognition of the predetermined structure by changing at least one of the processing conditions thereof.

13. The image recognition result judging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the image recognition means is a means that, based on a characteristic of content of each of a plurality of tomographic images representing a plurality of regions of the subject and a relationship of the characteristic of content between each of the tomographic images, determines a region of the subject represented by each of the tomographic images so as to match with the anatomical relationship of each of the regions of the subject;

the structure measuring means is a means that calculates a length of the determined region in the direction perpendicular to the tomographic planes of the tomographic images; and

the recognition result judging means is a means that judges whether or not the calculated length falls within a predetermined standard length range.

14. The image recognition result judging apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the image recognition means includes:

a region provisional recognition means that provisionally recognizes a region of the subject represented by each of the plurality of tomographic images based on the characteristic of content of each of the tomographic images; and

a region determination means that determines the region represented by each of the tomographic images by correcting the provisionally recognized region in each of the tomographic images such that the positional relationship between the provisionally recognized regions of the respective tomographic images matches with the anatomical positional relationship of the subject.

15. The image recognition result judging apparatus according to claim 13, wherein

the subject is a human body;

and

the plurality of tomographic images is axial section images, and includes two or more of head, neck, chest, abdomen, leg, and a composite region including two adjacent ones thereof.

16. The image recognition result judging apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the recognition result judging means is a means that makes the judgment using a ratio of the lengths of two of the regions determined by the image recognition means.

17. The image recognition result judging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined structure is at least either one of a rib or a vertebral body.

18. An image recognition result judging method comprising the steps of:

recognizing a predetermined structure in an image representing a subject;

measuring the recognized predetermined structure on the image to obtain a predetermined anatomical measurement value of the predetermined structure; and

judging whether or not the anatomical measurement value falls within a predetermined standard range.

19. A computer readable recording medium having an image recognition result judging program recorded therein for causing a computer to perform the steps of:

recognizing a predetermined structure in an image representing a subject;

measuring the recognized predetermined structure on the image to obtain a predetermined anatomical measurement value of the predetermined structure; and

judging whether or not the anatomical measurement value falls within a predetermined standard range.