METHOD AND COMPUTERIZED USER INTERFACE FOR PRESENTATION OF MULTIPLE IMAGE DATA SETS

• US 20090313585A1
• Filed: 06/12/2009
• Published: 12/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GMBH (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Schmidt, Sebastien, Hellinger, Marion
• Granted Patent: US 8,640,053 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/850
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7425 Displaying combinations of multiple images regardless of image source, e.g. displaying a reference anatomical image with a live image geometric transforms for image registration G06T3/14; enhancement using image fusion G06T5/50; algorithms for registration of images G06T7/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/00 Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics

Abstract

In a method and user interface for the presentation of multiple image data sets within the scope of a comparative evaluation, a determination is made of at least three organization parameters that describe a sorting of images within an image data set and/or across image data sets, at least one organization parameter is associated with at least one dimension of a three-dimensional matrix, which one dimension is associated with a spatial direction, the images of the image data sets are arranged in the three-dimensional matrix according to the sorting, using the organization parameters and the dimensions, and at least a portion of the images is shown on a presentation device according to their arrangement in the three-dimensional matrix and the spatial directions.

Claims

1. A method for presenting multiple image data sets in a format allowing comparative evaluation of said multiple imaged data sets, comprising the steps of:

in a processor, automatically determining at least three organization parameters that describe a sorting of images within an image data set or images among a plurality of image data sets;

in said processor, associating at least one of said organization parameters with at least one dimension of a three-dimensional matrix, said at least one dimension being associated with a spatial direction;

in said processor, arranging said image data sets in the three-dimensional matrix according to said at least three organization parameters and said at least one dimension; and

at a display in communication with said processor, visually presenting at least some of said images according to said arrangement in said three-dimensional matrix and said at least one spatial dimension.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising allowing manual navigation within said three-dimensional matrix presented at said display by manipulating an input unit, in communication with said processor, having an input modality for spatial direction, respectively associated with the dimensions of said three-dimensional matrix, that are perpendicular to one another, selected from the group consisting of a zero-dimensional input modality and a one-dimensional input modality.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising allowing navigation within said three-dimensional matrix presented at said display by manipulating an input unit in communication with said processor having a two-dimensional input modality for two spatial directions respectively associated with dimensions of said three-dimensional matrix.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising navigating within said three-dimensional matrix presented at said display by manipulating an input unit in communication with said processor having a one-dimensional input modality allowing interactive actuation along said spatial direction associated with said at least one dimension.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising presenting said images at said display in a two-dimensional presentation having two spatial directions associated therewith, and allowing selection of individual ones of the images in said three-dimensional matrix in a third direction by operating a computer mouse in communication with said processor, by an operation selected from the group consisting of combined actuation of two actuation directions of said computer mouse that are perpendicular to each other by moving said mouse on a pad, and operating a scroll wheel of said computer mouse.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising varying a number of said images presented at said display and a corresponding variation of a size of the presented images by selecting a zoom function.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6 comprising navigating among said images presented in said three-dimensional matrix at said display with a first input modality, and selecting said zoom function with a second input modality.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising presenting said images at said display with respectively different presentation sizes with a central one of the displayed images having a larger size than images presented at an edge of display.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising presenting said images in a two-dimensional presentation at said display and, in said presentation, overlapping a currently presented image with a following or preceding image in a third dimension of said three-dimensional matrix, using a presentation effect selected from the group consisting of a transparency effect and a false color effect.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising allowing selection of said image data to be presented at said display by user-operated manipulation of an input unit in communication with said processor.

11. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising, in said processor, automatically determining at least a portion of said organization parameters from at least one of said image data sets.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11 comprising storing said organization parameters in said at least one image data set.

13. A method as claimed in claim 11 comprising determining said at least one organization parameter by backward calculation from image data of said at least one image data set.

14. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising allowing selection of said organization parameters and said at least one dimension by user manipulation of an input unit connected to said processor.

15. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising, in said presentation at said display, presenting at least one of said organization parameters as an icon associated with said at least one dimension.

16. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising associating more than one of said organization parameters with one of said dimensions.

17. A method as claimed in claim 16 comprising, in said processor, sorting said images in said one dimension having more than one organization parameter associated therewith in an order determined by association of said organization parameters with said one dimension.

18. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising, in said processor employing organization parameters selected from the group consisting of an acquisition time of said image data sets, a time of administration of a contrast agent to generate said image data sets, spatial dimensions within an image data set, at least one image acquisition parameter used to acquire the image data sets, a magnetic resonance sequence used to acquire said imaged data sets, an evaluation parameter for evaluating said image data sets, a filter type for evaluating said image data sets, an orientation of said image data sets in a patient, and an imaging modality used to acquire said imaged data sets.

19. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising, before presenting said image data sets at said display, editing said image data sets to be displayed, in said processor, by an editing function selected from the group consisting of bringing said image data sets into registration with each other, and correcting for distortion in said image data sets.

20. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising presenting successive images in one dimension of said three-dimensional matrix at said display with identical presentation parameters to facilitate comparison among said images presented at said display.

21. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said images to be presented at said display are two-dimensional images and three-dimensional images and comprising, in said processor, determining, for each of said three-dimensional images to be displayed, a two-dimensional projection thereof that corresponds to a projection of the two-dimensional images to be displayed, and presenting said three-dimensional images at said display with said two-dimensional projection.

22. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising, in said processor, adapting successive images presented in said display with each other with regard to an anatomical region shown therein.

23. A user interface for presenting multiple image data sets in a format allowing comparative evaluation of said multiple imaged data sets, comprising:

a processor configured to automatically determine at least three organization parameters that describe a sorting of images within an image data set or images among a plurality of image data sets;

said processor configured to associate at least one of said organization parameters with at least one dimension of a three-dimensional matrix, said at least one dimension being associated with a spatial direction;

said processor configured to arrange said image data sets in the three-dimensional matrix according to said at least three organization parameters and said at least one dimension; and

a display in communication with said processor, and being operated by said processor to visually presenting at least some of said images according to said arrangement in said three-dimensional matrix and said at least one spatial dimension.

24. A user interface as claimed in claim 23 comprising an input unit connected to said processor that is manipulatable to allow manual navigation within said three-dimensional matrix presented at said display, said input unit having an input modality for spatial direction, respectively associated with the dimensions of said three-dimensional matrix, that are perpendicular to one another, selected from the group consisting of a zero-dimensional input modality and a one-dimensional input modality.

25. A user interface as claimed in claim 23 comprising an input unit connected to said processor that is manipulatable to allow navigation within said three-dimensional matrix presented at said display, said input unit having a two-dimensional input modality for two spatial directions respectively associated with dimensions of said three-dimensional matrix.

26. A user interface as claimed in claim 23 comprising an input unit connected to said processor that is manipulatable to allow manual navigation among said images presented in said three-dimensional matrix at said display with a first input modality, and to select a zoom function with a second input modality.

27. A user interface as claimed in claim 23 wherein said processor is configured to present said images at said display with respectively different presentation sizes with a central one of the displayed images having a larger size than images presented at an edge of display.

28. A user interface as claimed in claim 23 wherein said processor is configured to present said images in a two-dimensional presentation at said display and, in said presentation, overlapping a currently presented image with a following or preceding image in a third dimension of said three-dimensional matrix, using a presentation effect selected from the group consisting of a transparency effect and a false color effect.

29. A user interface as claimed in claim 23 wherein said processor is configured in said presentation at said display, present at least one of said organization parameters as an icon associated with said at least one dimension.

30. A user interface as claimed in claim 23 wherein said processor is configured to present successive images in one dimension of said three-dimensional matrix at said display with identical presentation parameters to facilitate comparison among said images presented at said display.

31. A user interface as claimed in claim 23 wherein said images to be presented at said display are two-dimensional images and three-dimensional images and wherein said processor is configured to determine, for each of said three-dimensional images to be displayed, a two-dimensional projection thereof that corresponds to a projection of the two-dimensional images to be displayed, and to present said three-dimensional images at said display with said two-dimensional projection.

32. A user interface as claimed in claim 23 wherein said processor is configured to adapt successive images presented in said display with each other with regard to an anatomical region shown therein.