COMPOSITE IMAGES FOR MEDICAL PROCEDURES
First Claim
1. A system for registering a floating image with a reference image, the system comprising:
- a reference image memory configured to store a reference image voxel set representing the reference image;
a floating image memory configured to store a floating image voxel set the floating image;
a voxel enumerator unit configured to count the voxels in sequential order along an axis of the reference image voxel set;
a voxel coordinate transformation unit configured to transform the voxels of the floating image voxel set with respect to the voxel in the reference image voxel set indicated by the voxel enumerator unit and to produce a transformed floating image voxel set;
a mutual histogram accumulator unit configured to accumulate a mutual histogram representing the transformed floating image voxel set interpolated with the reference image voxel set;
a volumetric interpolator unit configured to store in the mutual histogram accumulator unit the contribution to the mutual histogram of respective voxels of the transformed floating image voxel set interpolated with respective voxels of the reference image voxel set; and
a mutual information calculator unit configured to calculate the mutual information between the reference image voxel set and the transformed floating image voxel set based on the mutual histogram.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Medical imaging often involves the collective use of information presented in multiple images of an individual, such as images generated through different imaging modalities (X-ray, CT, PET, etc.) The use of a composite of these images may involve image registration to adjust for the variable position and orientation discrepancies of the individual during imaging. However, registration may be complicated by soft tissue deformation between images, and implementations (particularly pure software implementations) of the mathematical models used in image registration may be computationally complex and may require up to several hours. Hardware architectures are presented that apply the mathematical techniques in an accelerated manner, thereby providing near-realtime image registration that may be of particular use for the short timeframe requirements of surgical environments. The composite image generated thereby may be used to target anatomic features of interest during various medical procedures, including surgical procedures. Moreover, such techniques may be applied to computationally difficult image processing techniques, such as the display of a composite image based at least in part on a PET image, which may otherwise be difficult to utilize in a time-sensitive manner such as a surgical setting.
40 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A system for registering a floating image with a reference image, the system comprising:
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a reference image memory configured to store a reference image voxel set representing the reference image; a floating image memory configured to store a floating image voxel set the floating image; a voxel enumerator unit configured to count the voxels in sequential order along an axis of the reference image voxel set; a voxel coordinate transformation unit configured to transform the voxels of the floating image voxel set with respect to the voxel in the reference image voxel set indicated by the voxel enumerator unit and to produce a transformed floating image voxel set; a mutual histogram accumulator unit configured to accumulate a mutual histogram representing the transformed floating image voxel set interpolated with the reference image voxel set; a volumetric interpolator unit configured to store in the mutual histogram accumulator unit the contribution to the mutual histogram of respective voxels of the transformed floating image voxel set interpolated with respective voxels of the reference image voxel set; and a mutual information calculator unit configured to calculate the mutual information between the reference image voxel set and the transformed floating image voxel set based on the mutual histogram. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A system for displaying a composite image from a floating image and a reference image, the system comprising:
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a reference image memory configured to store a reference image voxel set representing the reference image; a floating image memory configured to store a floating image voxel set the floating image; a voxel enumerator unit configured to count the voxels in sequential order along an axis of the reference image voxel set; a voxel coordinate transformation unit configured to transform the voxels of the floating image voxel set with respect to the voxel in the reference image voxel set indicated by the voxel enumerator unit and to produce a transformed floating image voxel set; a mutual histogram accumulator unit configured to accumulate a mutual histogram representing the transformed floating image voxel set interpolated with the reference image voxel set; a volumetric interpolator unit configured to store in the mutual histogram accumulator unit the contribution to the mutual histogram of respective voxels of the transformed floating image voxel set interpolated with respective voxels of the reference image voxel set; a mutual information calculator unit configured to calculate the mutual information between the reference image voxel set and the transformed floating image voxel set based on the mutual histogram; an image registration control unit configured to perform multi-pass registration of the floating image with the reference image until the mutual information between the reference image voxel set and the transformed floating image voxel set is within a desired mutual information range; a composite image generating component configured to generate a composite image from the reference image voxel set and the transformed floating image voxel set; and a display unit configured to display the composite image. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of targeting an anatomic feature of an individual pertaining to a medical procedure illustrated in a reference image of the individual utilizing a first imaging modality and a floating image of the individual utilizing a floating imaging modality, the method comprising:
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generating a composite image from the reference image and the floating image; and targeting the anatomic feature using the composite image in furtherance of the medical procedure. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification