IMAGE ENHANCEMENT METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR FIDUCIAL-LESS TRACKING OF TREATMENT TARGETS
First Claim
1. A method of enhancing an image of an object so as to increase the visibility in the image of at least one skeletal structure within the object, wherein the image is characterized by a plurality of pixels, each pixel having an associated pixel value that represents the image intensity of a corresponding unit volume of the object, the method comprising:
- generating a two-dimensional (2D) reconstructed image from a three-dimensional (3D) scan of the object, wherein the 2D reconstructed image includes the skeletal structure;
generating a 2D x-ray image of the object, wherein the 2D x-ray image includes the skeletal structure;
for each of the 2D reconstructed image and the 2D x-ray imagea) selecting at least a first neighborhood and a second neighborhood within the image,b) constructing an operator configured to select, within the first and second neighborhoods, one or more pixels having an optimal pixel value, and to eliminate the remaining pixels in the neighborhoods;
c) applying the operator to the selected neighborhoods so that only the pixels having the optimal pixel values remain in the selected neighborhoods, and the remaining pixels in the selected neighborhoods are eliminated to produce an enhanced image; and
registering the enhanced 2D x-ray image with the enhanced 2D reconstructed image.
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Abstract
A method and system are presented for enhancing one or more images of an object, so as to increase the visibility within the images of one or more structures within the object. The object may be an anatomical region of a patient, and may include one or more reference structures, for example skeletal structures or vertebral structures, and one or more treatment targets, for example tumors or lesions. An operator, for example a top-hat filter operator, selects at least a first neighborhood and a second neighborhood within the images. The operator selects within each neighborhood one or more pixels having an optimal pixel value, and eliminates the remaining pixels in these neighborhoods. When the operator is applied to the selected neighborhoods, only the pixels having the greatest pixel values remain in the selected neighborhoods, and the remaining pixels are eliminated in the selected neighborhoods. As a result, desired features can be located and enhanced in the images.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method of enhancing an image of an object so as to increase the visibility in the image of at least one skeletal structure within the object, wherein the image is characterized by a plurality of pixels, each pixel having an associated pixel value that represents the image intensity of a corresponding unit volume of the object, the method comprising:
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generating a two-dimensional (2D) reconstructed image from a three-dimensional (3D) scan of the object, wherein the 2D reconstructed image includes the skeletal structure; generating a 2D x-ray image of the object, wherein the 2D x-ray image includes the skeletal structure; for each of the 2D reconstructed image and the 2D x-ray image a) selecting at least a first neighborhood and a second neighborhood within the image, b) constructing an operator configured to select, within the first and second neighborhoods, one or more pixels having an optimal pixel value, and to eliminate the remaining pixels in the neighborhoods; c) applying the operator to the selected neighborhoods so that only the pixels having the optimal pixel values remain in the selected neighborhoods, and the remaining pixels in the selected neighborhoods are eliminated to produce an enhanced image; and registering the enhanced 2D x-ray image with the enhanced 2D reconstructed image. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of enhancing an image of an object so as to increase the visibility in the image of at least one structure within the object, wherein the image is characterized by a plurality of pixels, each pixel having an associated pixel value that represents the image intensity of a corresponding unit volume of the object, the method comprising:
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selecting at least a first neighborhood and a second neighborhood within the image, constructing a non-linear top-hat filter operator configured to select, within the first and second neighborhoods, one or more pixels having an optimal pixel value, and to eliminate the remaining pixels in the neighborhoods, wherein the top-hat filter operator comprises a white top-hat filter operator multiplied by a weighting coefficient, and a black top-hat filter operator multiplied by another weighting coefficient; and applying the operator to the selected neighborhoods so that only the pixels having the optimal pixel values remain in the selected neighborhoods, and the remaining pixels in the selected neighborhoods are eliminated. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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11. An apparatus for enhancing an image of an object so as to increase the visibility in the image of at least one skeletal structure within the object, the image being characterized by a plurality of pixels, each pixel having an associated pixel value that represents the image intensity of a corresponding unit volume of the object, the apparatus comprising:
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a) a neighborhood selector configured to select at least a first neighborhood and a second neighborhood within the image for each of a two-dimensional (2D) reconstructed image from a three-dimensional (3D) scan of the object and a 2D x-ray image of the object, wherein each image of the object includes the skeletal structure; b) an operator generator to construct an operator configured to select, within the first and second neighborhoods of each image, one or more pixels having an optimal pixel value, and to eliminate the remaining pixels in the selected neighborhoods; and c) a controller to apply the operator to the selected neighborhoods of each image so that only the pixels having the optimal pixel values remain in the selected neighborhoods, and the remaining pixels in the selected neighborhoods are eliminated to produce enhanced images, and to register the enhanced 2D x-ray image with the enhanced 2D reconstructed image. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. An apparatus for enhancing an image of an object so as to increase the visibility in the image of at least one structure within the object, the image being characterized by a plurality of pixels, each pixel having an associated pixel value that represents the image intensity of a corresponding unit volume of the object, the apparatus comprising:
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a) a neighborhood selector configured to select at least a first neighborhood and a second neighborhood within the image; b) an operator generator for constructing an operator configured to select, within the first and second neighborhoods, one or more pixels having an optimal pixel value, and to eliminate the remaining pixels in the selected neighborhoods, wherein the operator comprises a non linear top-hat filter operator, wherein the top-hat filter operator comprises a white top-hat filter operator multiplied by a weighing coefficient, and a black top-hat filter operator multiplied by another weighting coefficient; and c) a controller for applying the operator to the selected neighborhoods so that only the pixels having the optimal pixel values remain in the selected neighborhoods, and the remaining pixels in the selected neighborhoods are eliminated. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. An apparatus for enhancing an image of an object so as to increase the visibility in the image of at least one structure within the object, the image being characterized by a plurality of pixels, each pixel having an associated pixel value that represents the image intensity of a corresponding unit volume of the object, the apparatus comprising:
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a) means for selecting at least a first neighborhood and a second neighborhood within the image; b) means for constructing a non-linear top-hat filter operator that selects, within the first and second neighborhoods, one or more pixels having an optimal pixel value, and that eliminates the remaining pixels in the selected neighborhoods, wherein the non-linear top-hat filter operator comprises a white top-hat filter operator multiplied by a weighting coefficient, and a black top-hat filter operator multiplied by another weighting coefficient; and c) control means for applying the operator to the selected neighborhoods so that only the pixels having the optimal pixel values remain in the selected neighborhoods, and the remaining pixels in the selected neighborhoods are eliminated.
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Specification