Method and apparatus for thermal radiation imaging

• US 6,023,637 A
• Filed: 11/04/1997
• Issued: 02/08/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Wang Chen, Zhong Q.I. Liu
• Original Assignee: Wang Chen, Zhong Q.I. Liu
• Inventors: Wang, Chen, Liu, Zhong Qi
• Primary Examiner(s): Manuel, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shaw, Shawna J.
• Application Number:
  US08/964,245
• Time in Patent Office: 826 Days
• Field of Search: 600/407, 600/410, 600/412, 600/473, 600/474, 600/549, 348/77, 348/164, 382/274, 382/128, 250/330, 250/338.1, 250/339.11, 250/339.02, 128/920, 128/922
• US Class Current: 600/474
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/015 By temperature mapping of body part
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/922 including image analysis

Abstract

A method and apparatus for thermal imaging is disclosed which enables a clinician to obtain visual images reflecting metabolic activity within a patient'"'"'s body. A scanning system is configured to scan an area on the patient'"'"'s body to obtain infrared intensity data. The data is digitized and processed prior to being displayed. The data processing includes a "slicing" function in which infrared intensity values are assigned color values in accordance with an output window. By redefining the mapping of the output window to the color spectrum, the data can be manipulated such that the visual display reflects metabolic activity within the patient'"'"'s body under the scanning area.

Claims

1. An imaging system, comprising:

a scanning subsystem for generating digital data corresponding to intensity levels of infrared radiation from a scanned area of a patient'"'"'s body;

a processor, coupled to said scanning subsystem to receive said digital data, for processing said data to generate image data reflecting metabolic activity internal to the patient'"'"'s body beneath the scanned surface areas;

a display system for generating a display corresponding to said image data;

a control system, coupled to said processor, said display system, and said scanning subsystem, for facilitating user control of said imaging system;

wherein said processor assigns color values from a predetermined range within a spectrum of color values to each unit of said digital data, such that different infrared radiation intensity levels are assigned different color values;

and wherein said color values comprise said image data, such that when said imaging system generates a display corresponding to said image data, different colors on said display correspond to different radiation levels in said scanned area;

and wherein said digital data lies within an input window of intensity values, said input window having a minimum IW_MIN and a maximum IW_MAX ;

and wherein said processor assigns said data values to color values by

(a) defining in said input window an output window of data values between a maximum output data value OW_MAX and a minimum output data value OW_MIN, where OW_MAX is less than or equal to IW_MAX, OW_MIN is greater than or equal to IW_MIN, and said output intensity window is smaller than said input intensity window;

(b) mapping said output intensity window of color values to said spectrum of color values such that OW_MAX is mapped to a highest color value in said spectrum of color values and OW_MIN and is mapped to a lowest color value in said spectrum of color values, with all data values between OW_MAX and OW_MIN being evenly mapped to color values between said highest and lowest color values in said color spectrum;

(c) assigning color values to said data values in accordance with said mapping in step (b);

and wherein said control system is adapted to enable a user to dynamically adjust OW_MAX and OW_MIN such that sub-surface metabolic activity may be observed on said display.

2. A method of radiation imaging, comprising:

(a) scanning a scanning area to obtain digital data values corresponding to levels of radiation intensity at a plurality of points within said scanned area, said digital data values each having a value within an input window of data values having a minimum IW_MIN and a maximum IW_MAX ;

(b) assigning a color value within a spectrum of color values to each digital data value, to generate image data;

(c) displaying said image data on a display;

wherein said step (b) of assigning a color value to each digital data value comprises;

(d) defining within said input window an output intensity window of data values between a maximum output data value OW_MAX and a minimum output data value OW_MIN, where OW_MAX is less or equal to IW_MAX, is greater than or equal to IW_MIN, and said output intensity window is smaller than said input intensity window;

(e) mapping said output intensity window of color values to said spectrum of color values such that OW_MAX is mapped to a highest color value in said spectrum of color values and OW_MIN and is mapped to a lowest color value in said spectrum of color values, with all data values between OW_MAX and OW_MIN being substantially evenly mapped to color values between said highest and lowest color values in said color spectrum;

(f) assigning color values to said data values in accordance with said mapping in step (e) and

(g) dynamically adjusting OW_MAX and OW_MIN such that sub-surface metabolic activity may be observed on said display.

3. A method in accordance with claim 2, wherein said steps (b) through (g) are performed by a computer.

4. A method of detecting internal metabolic activity in a patient, comprising:

(a) scanning a scanning area on said patient'"'"'s body to obtain digital data values corresponding to levels of radiation intensity at a plurality of points within said scanned area;

(b) assigning a color value within a spectrum of color values to each digital data value, to generate image data, said digital data values each having a value within an input window of data values having a minimum IW_MIN and a maximum IW_MAX ; and

(c) displaying said image data;

wherein said step (b) of assigning a color value to each digital data value comprises;

(d) defining within said input window an output intensity window of data values between a maximum output data value OW_MAX and a minimum output data value OW_MIN, where OW_MAX is less than or equal to IW_MAX, OW_MIN is greater than or equal to IW_MIN, and said output intensity window is smaller than said input intensity window;

(e) mapping said output intensity window of color values to said spectrum of color values such that OW_MAX is mapped to a highest color value in said spectrum of color values and OW_MIN and is mapped to a lowest color value in said spectrum of color values, with all data values between OW_MAX and OW_MIN being substantially evenly mapped to color values between said highest and lowest color values in said color spectrum;

(f) assigning color values to said data values in accordance with said mapping in step (e) and

(g) generating an adjusted image by dynamically adjusting OW_MAX and OW_MIN such that sub-surface metabolic activity may be observed on said display.

5. A method in accordance with claim 4, wherein said steps (b) through (g) are performed by a computer.

6. A method in accordance with claim 4, further comprising:

(h) detecting at least one predetermined type of variation in said adjusted image as compared with said image displayed in step (c).

7. A method in accordance with claim 6, wherein said step of detecting is performed by a computer.

8. A method of manipulating image data comprising a plurality of data values each corresponding to elements of an image, wherein said data values each having a value within an input window of data values having a minimum IW_MIN and a maximum IW_MAX, comprising:

(a) defining within said input window an output intensity window of data values between a maximum output data value OW_MAX and a minimum output data value OW_MIN, where OW_MAX is less than or equal to IW_MAX, OW_MIN is greater than or equal to IW_MIN, and said output intensity window is smaller than said input intensity window;

(b) mapping said output intensity window of color values to a spectrum of color values such that OW_MAX is mapped to a highest color value in said spectrum of color values and OW_MIN and is mapped to a lowest color value in said spectrum of color values, with all data values between OW_MAX and OW_MIN being substantially evenly mapped to color values between said highest and lowest color values in said color spectrum;

(c) assigning color values to said data values in accordance with said mapping in step (e); and

(d) dynamically adjusting OW_MAX and OW_MIN.

9. A method in accordance with claim 8, wherein said image data is obtained by optically scanning an area to be imaged.

10. A method in accordance with claim 9, wherein said area to be imaged is an area of a human body.