METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR IMPROVED MEDICAL IMAGE ANALYSIS

• US 20120176412A1
• Filed: 01/07/2011
• Published: 07/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Fox, Amanda, Stuebe, Susan Martignetti
• Application Number:
  US12/986,878
• Publication Number:
  US 20120176412A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/636
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/465 adapted to display user selection data, e.g. graphical user interface, icons or menus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/468 allowing annotation or message recording
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/465 adapted to display user selection data, e.g. icons or menus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/468 allowing annotation or message recording
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/5608 Data processing and visualization specially adapted for MR, e.g. for feature analysis and pattern recognition on the basis of measured MR data, segmentation of measured MR data, edge contour detection on the basis of measured MR data, for enhancing measured MR data in terms of signal-to-noise ratio by means of noise filtering or apodization, for enhancing measured MR data in terms of resolution by means for deblurring, windowing, zero filling, or generation of gray-scaled images, colour-coded images or images displaying vectors instead of pixels image data processing or generation, in general G06T
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/40 for processing medical images, e.g. editing

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed towards a method of efficient and unambiguous labeling of physiological features within medical image data during medical imagining analysis. For example, in one embodiment, the method includes receiving a selection of a label from a label tool, receiving one or more sets of coordinates that identify locations within an image associated with the selected label, defining a physiological feature within the image delineated by domains of shared physical properties within the medical image data and one or more identified locations associated with the selected label, and assigning the label to the defined feature.

Claims

1. A method of facilitating labeling during medical image analysis comprising:

receiving a selection of a label;

altering the appearance of a cursor based upon the selected label;

receiving one or more sets of coordinates identifying locations within an image associated with the selected label;

defining a physiological feature within the image delineated by domains of shared physical properties within the medical image data and one or more identified locations associated with the selected label; and

assigning the label to the defined feature.

2. A method of claim 1, wherein the label is selected from a label tool, and the appearance of the label in the label tool is altered to reflect its selected status.

3. A method of claim 2, wherein after the selected label has been assigned to the defined feature, the label is automatically deselected in the label tool, and the appearance of the label in the label tool is altered to reflect its deselected status.

4. A method of claim 1, wherein the appearance of the cursor is altered to include text identifying the selected label when the cursor is positioned over an image.

5. A method of claim 1, wherein shared physical properties within the medical image data comprise one or more of density, acoustic impedance, echogenicity, relative motion or flow, relative velocity, spin density, magnetic resonance T₁ or T₂ relaxation times, radiation absorptance or attenuance, radiation transmittance, or contrast agent concentration.

6. A method of claim 1, wherein the defined feature and its assigned label are displayed in the image after assignment.

7. A method of claim 1, wherein if the defined feature is present in within related images, the defined feature and its assigned label are automatically displayed on those images.

8. A medical image analysis system comprising:

input and output devices comprising a display and pointing device;

one or more images from an image dataset that are representations of patient tissue from medical imaging;

a cursor operable to select a label and to select locations within an image to be associated with a selected label;

a processor executing commands to perform functions, comprising;

receiving a selection of a label;

altering the appearance of a cursor based upon the selected label;

receiving one or more locations on an image associated with the selected label;

defining physiological features bound by one or more of the received locations and domains of common physical properties within the imaged tissue;

assigning the label to the defined feature.

9. A system of claim 8, wherein the system comprises a label tool including labels for physiological features that is configured to receive a label selection from the cursor and alter the appearance of the label in the label tool to reflect the selected status of the label.

10. A system of claim 9, wherein after the selected label has been assigned to the defined feature, the label is automatically deselected in the label tool, and the appearance of the label in the label tool is altered to reflect its deselected status.

11. A system of claim 8, wherein the appearance of the cursor is altered to include text identifying the selected label when the cursor is positioned over an image.

12. A system of claim 8, wherein shared physical properties within the medical image data comprise one or more of density, acoustic impedance, echogenicity, relative motion or flow, relative velocity, spin density, T₁ or T₂ relaxation times, radiation absorptance or scattering, radiation transmittance, or contrast agent concentration.

13. A system of claim 8, wherein the defined feature and its assigned label are displayed on the image.

14. A system of claim 8, wherein if the defined feature is present within other images in the image dataset, the defined feauture and its assigned label are automatically displayed on these images.

15. One or more tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media encoded with one or more routines, wherein the routines when executed by a processor perform actions comprising:

receiving a selection of a label;

altering the appearance of a cursor based upon the selected label;

receiving one or more locations on an image associated with the selected label;

defining physiological features bound by one or more of the identified locations and domains of common physical properties within the medical image data; and

assigning the label to the defined feature.

16. The one or more tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 15;

wherein the label is selected from a label tool, and the appearance of the label in the label tool is altered to reflect its selected status.

17. The one or more tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 16;

wherein after the selected label has been assigned to the defined feature, the label is automatically deselected in the label tool, and the appearance of the label in the label tool is altered to reflect its deselected status.

18. The one or more tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 15;

wherein the appearance of the cursor is altered to include text identifying the selected label when the cursor is positioned over an image.

19. The one or more tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 15;

wherein shared physical properties within the medical image data comprise one or more of density, acoustic impedance, echogenicity, relative motion or flow, relative velocity, spin density, magnetic resonance T₁ or T₂ relaxation times, radiation absorptance or attenuance, radiation transmittance, or contrast agent concentration.

20. The one or more tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 15;

wherein the defined feature and the assigned label are displayed on the image.