Elastic Image Registration Functionality

• US 20080273779A1
• Filed: 11/04/2005
• Published: 11/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Pekar, Vladimir
• Granted Patent: US 7,792,343 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/131
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30004 Biomedical image processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/153 using elastic snapping
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/30 Determination of transform parameters for the alignment of images, i.e. image registration

Abstract

A current diagnostic image (A) and an archived diagnostic image (B) of a common region of a patient are loaded into a first memory (14) and a second memory (18). The first and second diagnostic images (A, B) are automatically aligned and registered with one another. The three 2D orthogonal views through a selected crossing point in the image (A) are concurrently displayed along with the same three orthogonal views through the corresponding crossing point in the image (B) on a display (40). A user manually corrects alignment in the first and second sets of slices that are currently displayed on the display (40) using local tools (72).

Claims

1. An apparatus for diagnostic imaging comprising:

a first memory which supplies a first diagnostic image;

a second memory which supplies a second diagnostic image;

a registration routine which automatically registers the first and second diagnostic images from the first and second image memories;

a display which concurrently displays at least a corresponding pair of 2D slices of the first and second registered diagnostic images; and

a means for manually transforming at least one of the currently displayed 2D slices corresponding to one of the first and second registered diagnostic images.

2. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further including:

a segmentation means for segmenting appropriate target organs in the diagnostic images.

3. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further including:

a means for concurrently stepping the slice pair through the first and second registered images correspondingly; and

a means for concurrently updating the stepped, currently displayed slices in accordance with manual transformations performed on nearby slices.

4. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the registering means includes:

a means for determining an affine transform representative of misalignment of the first and second diagnostic images and operating on one of the first and second diagnostic images in accordance with the determined affine transform to approximate an alignment of the first and second images.

5. The apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein the registering means further includes:

a means for determining an elastic transform representative of misalignment of the approximately aligned first and second diagnostic images and operating on one of the first and second diagnostic images in accordance with the determined elastic transform to register the first and second images.

6. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the manual transforming means includes:

manual tools which are employed by a user to deform one or both of the slice images to bring them into closer correspondence.

7. The apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein the manual tools include:

a pull tool which deforms a surface in the slice by pulling a selected surface along a predefined smooth curve.

8. The apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein the predefined smooth curve is one of a Gaussian, a sphere, or an ellipse.

9. The apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein the deformation is controlled by a mouse.

10. The apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein the manual tools include:

a push tool which deforms a selected surface in the slice by pushing a predefined smooth surface against the selected surface.

11. The apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein a mouse is used to adjust the deformation.

12. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further including:

a diagnostic imaging apparatus connected with the first memory means for generating the first diagnostic image representation of a region of interest of a subject; and

an archive means, from which the second image representation of the region of interest of the subject taken at an earlier time is withdrawn and loaded into the second memory means.

13. A method of diagnostic imaging comprising:

supplying a first diagnostic image of a selected region;

supplying a second diagnostic image of the selected region;

registering automatically the first and second diagnostic images;

displaying concurrently a corresponding pair of 2D slices of the first and second registered diagnostic images; and

transforming manually at least one of the currently displayed 2D slices corresponding to one of the first and second registered diagnostic images.

14. The method as set forth in claim 13, further including:

segmenting appropriate target organs in the diagnostic images.

15. The method as set forth in claim 13, further including:

concurrently stepping the slice pair through the first and second registered images correspondingly; and

concurrently updating the stepped, currently displayed slices in accordance with manual transformations performed on nearby slices.

16. The method as set forth in claim 13, further including:

concurrently stepping the slice pair through the first and second registered images correspondingly; and

updating the open slices in accordance with manual transformations.

17. The method as set forth in claim 13, wherein the step of registering includes:

determining an affine transform representative of misalignment of the first and second diagnostic images; and

operating on one of the first and second diagnostic images in accordance with the determined affine transform to approximate an alignment of the first and second images.

18. The method as set forth in claim 17, wherein the step of registering further includes:

determining an elastic transform representative of misalignment of the approximately aligned first and second diagnostic images; and

operating on one of the first and second diagnostic images in accordance with the determined elastic transform to register the first and second images.

19. The method as set forth in claim 13, wherein the step of manual transformation includes:

deforming by a user one or both of the displayed slices to bring them into closer correspondence by a use of manual tools.

20. The method as set forth in claim 19, wherein the step of manual transformation further includes:

deforming a surface of one of the displayed 2D slices by pulling a selected surface along a predefined smooth curve.

21. The method as set forth in claim 19, wherein the step of manual transformation further includes:

deforming a surface of one of the displayed 2D slices by pushing a predefined smooth surface against the selected surface.

22. A diagnostic imaging apparatus for performing the method of claim 13.