IMAGE-BASED EXTRACTION FOR VASCULAR TREES
First Claim
1. A method for extracting a curve-skeleton from a volumetric image of a vessel having a local center and a boundary, the method comprising the steps of:
- segmenting vessels within the volumetric image to identify a plurality of points;
determining a boundary of the plurality of points by moving the points along a gradient direction so that the points are located at a maximal gradient;
computing a tetrahedrization of the plurality of points located at the maximal gradient along the boundary;
computing a vector field of the plurality of points so that the vectors within the vector field point inwards toward the local center of the vessel;
computing points using topological analysis of the vector field to identify center points within the vessel; and
connecting the center points based upon topology of the tetrahedrization to create a centerline of the vessel within the volumetric image.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An accurate analysis of the spatial distribution and intravascular pattern of blood flow in any organ must be based on interpolated gradient located within back plane detailed morphometry (diameters, lengths, of cube defined by neighboring voxels vessel numbers, branching pattern, branching angles, etc.) of the organ vasculature. Despite the significance of detailed morphometric data, there is relative scarcity of database on vascular anatomy, mainly because the process is extremely labor intensive. Novel methods in the form of a segmentation algorithm for semi-automation of morphometric data extraction are provided. The extraction algorithm is based on a topological analysis of a vector field generated by the normal vectors of the extracted vessel wall. With this approach, special focus is made on achieving the highest accuracy of the measured values, with excellent results when compared to manual measurements of the main trunk of the coronary arteries with microscopy.
103 Citations
105 Claims
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1. A method for extracting a curve-skeleton from a volumetric image of a vessel having a local center and a boundary, the method comprising the steps of:
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segmenting vessels within the volumetric image to identify a plurality of points; determining a boundary of the plurality of points by moving the points along a gradient direction so that the points are located at a maximal gradient; computing a tetrahedrization of the plurality of points located at the maximal gradient along the boundary; computing a vector field of the plurality of points so that the vectors within the vector field point inwards toward the local center of the vessel; computing points using topological analysis of the vector field to identify center points within the vessel; and connecting the center points based upon topology of the tetrahedrization to create a centerline of the vessel within the volumetric image. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A method for extracting a curve-skeleton, the method comprising the steps of:
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obtaining a volumetric image of a vasculature; and extracting a boundary of the volumetric image using a gradient threshold, the boundary comprising a plurality of points. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34)
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35. A method for determining a curve-skeleton of an object, the method comprising the steps of:
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extracting a boundary of the object, the boundary having a surface; computing a vector field, the vector field being orthogonal to the object'"'"'s boundary surface; and determining the curve-skeleton by applying topological analysis to the vector field. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39)
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40-46. -46. (canceled)
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47. A system for extracting a curve-skeleton from a volumetric image of a vessel having a local center and a boundary, the system comprising:
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a processor; a storage medium operably connected to the processor, the storage medium capable of receiving and storing morphometric data; wherein the processor is operable to; segment vessels within the volumetric image to identify a plurality of points; determine a boundary of the plurality of points by moving the points along a gradient direction so that the points are located at a maximal gradient; compute a tetrahedrization of the plurality of points located at the maximal gradient along the boundary; compute a vector field of the plurality of points so that the vectors within the vector field point inwards toward the local center of the vessel; compute points using topological analysis of the vector field to identify center points within the vessel; and connect the center points based upon topology of the tetrahedrization to create a centerline of the vessel within the volumetric image. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78)
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79. A system for extracting a curve-skeleton, the system comprising:
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a processor; a storage medium operably connected to the processor, the storage medium capable of receiving and storing morphometric data; wherein the processor is operable to; obtain a volumetric image of a vasculature; and extract a boundary of the volumetric image using a gradient threshold, the boundary comprising a plurality of points. - View Dependent Claims (80, 81, 82, 83, 84)
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85. A system for extracting a curve-skeleton from a volumetric image of a vessel, the system comprising:
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a processor; a storage medium operably connected to the processor, the storage medium capable of receiving and storing morphometric data; wherein the processor is operable to; extract a boundary of the object, the boundary having a surface; compute a vector field, the vector field being orthogonal to the object'"'"'s boundary surface; and determine the curve-skeleton by applying topological analysis to the vector field. - View Dependent Claims (86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91)
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92-100. -100. (canceled)
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101. A program having a plurality of program steps to be executed on a computer having a processor and a storage medium to extract a curve-skeleton from a volumetric image of a vessel having a local center and a boundary, the program operable to:
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segment vessels within the volumetric image to identify a plurality of points; determine a boundary of the plurality of points by moving the points along a gradient direction so that the points are located at a maximal gradient; compute a tetrahedrization of the plurality of points located at the maximal gradient along the boundary; compute a vector field of the plurality of points so that the vectors within the vector field point inwards toward the local center of the vessel; compute points using topological analysis of the vector field to identify center points within the vessel; and connect the center points based upon topology of the tetrahedrization to create a centerline of the vessel within the volumetric image. - View Dependent Claims (102)
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103. A program having a plurality of program steps to be executed on a computer having a processor and a storage medium to extract a curve-skeleton from a volumetric image of a vessel having a local center and a boundary, the program operable to:
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obtain a volumetric image of a vasculature; and extract a boundary of the volumetric image using a gradient threshold, the boundary comprising a plurality of points.
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104. A program having a plurality of program steps to be executed on a computer having a processor and a storage medium to extract a curve-skeleton from a volumetric image of a vessel having a local center and a boundary, the program operable to:
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extract a boundary of the object, the boundary having a surface; compute a vector field, the vector field being orthogonal to the object'"'"'s boundary surface; and determine the curve-skeleton by applying topological analysis to the vector field.
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105. (canceled)
Specification