Automated method and system for the segmentation of medical images
First Claim
1. A method of segmentation of an image of an anatomic feature of a subject, comprising:
- obtaining said image of said anatomic feature;
obtaining a global histogram using said image;
modifying said global histogram to obtain a modified global histogram; and
segmenting said image using said modified global histogram.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for the automated segmentation of medical images, including generating image data from radiographic images of the breast. The method is applicable to breast mammograms including the extraction of the skinline as well as correction for non-uniform exposure conditions, hand radiographs, and chest radiographs. Techniques for the segmentation include noise filtering, local gray value range determination, modified global histogram analysis, region growing and determination of object contour. The method also is applicable to skin detection and analysis of skin thickening in medical images, where image segmentation, local optimization of external skinline, creation of a gradient image, identification of the internal skinline and then skin thickness determination are carried out. The method for enhancement of medical images includes, after image segmentation and identification of the skinline, calculation of pixel distances from the skinline, determination of the enhancement parameter fit and then selective enhancement of the periphery.
254 Citations
46 Claims
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1. A method of segmentation of an image of an anatomic feature of a subject, comprising:
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obtaining said image of said anatomic feature; obtaining a global histogram using said image; modifying said global histogram to obtain a modified global histogram; and segmenting said image using said modified global histogram. - 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, 35)
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28. A method of segmenting and determining a skinline in an image of an anatomic feature of a subject, comprising:
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obtaining said image of said anatomic feature; segmenting said image to obtain a segmented image; determining an external skinline of said feature using said segmented image; determining an internal skinline of said feature using said segmented image; and measuring a skin thickness of said feature using said internal and external skinlines. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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36. A system for segmenting images, comprising:
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an image acquisition device; an image memory connected to said image acquisition device; a local range circuit connected to said image memory; a modified global thresholding circuit connected to said local range circuit; a distance map circuit connected to said modified global thresholding circuit; a contouring circuit connected to distance map circuit; a contour connection circuit connected to said contouring circuit; and a display. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38)
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39. A system for segmenting images, comprising:
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an image acquisition device; means for determining a global histogram of said image connected to said image acquisition device; means for determining a local range of said global histogram connected to said means for determining a global histogram; means for modifying said global histogram using said local range; means for segmenting said image based upon said modified global histogram. - View Dependent Claims (40)
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41. A system for segmenting and determining a skinline in an image, comprising:
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an image acquisition device; a segmentation circuit connected to said image acquisition device; a gradient circuit connected to said segmentation circuit; a local optimization circuit connected to said gradient circuit; a skinline identification circuit; and a skin analysis circuit. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43)
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44. A system for segmenting an image having an anatomic feature and determining a skinline in said image, comprising:
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an image acquisition device; a segmentation circuit connected to said image acquisition device; a skinline identification circuit connected to said segmentation circuit; a distance circuit connected to said skinline identification circuit; and an image enhancement circuit connected to said distance circuit. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46)
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Specification