Enhanced image processing for a three-dimensional imaging system

• US 6,334,847 B1
• Filed: 09/10/1999
• Issued: 01/01/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Life Imaging Systems Inc.
• Original Assignee: Life Imaging Systems Inc.
• Inventors: Dunne, Shane, Fenster, Aaron
• Primary Examiner(s): Lateef, Marvin M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Imam, Ali M.
• Application Number:
  US09/297,361
• Time in Patent Office: 844 Days
• Field of Search: 600/437, 600/443, 600/447, 128/916, 736/25, 736/26, 367/7, 367/11, 367/130, 395/119
• US Class Current: 600/443
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4209 by using holders, e.g. positioning frames
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/483 involving the acquisition of a 3D volume of data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8993 Three dimensional imaging systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/00 Three dimensional [3D] modelling, e.g. data description of 3D objects
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/916 Ultrasound 3-D imaging

Abstract

A depth-limited image processor employed in combination with a three-dimensional ultrasonographic system whereby, from a model representing at least a portion of a three-dimensional volumetric array, a user selecta a ray-depth from at least one face of the model thereby forming a “thick-plane” region of interest. All voxels within the “thick-plane” are processed successively according to a user selected imaging technique along the depth of the ray. The results of the processing are projected onto corresponding screen pixels to produce an enhanced three-dimensional image. In another embodiment, an adaptive depth-limited image processing means is employed whereby voxels are first checked against a user selected condition. voxels meeting this condition are then processed as above to produce an enhanced three-dimensional image. The user selected imaging technique may include, but is not limited to, Texture Mapping, Maximum Intensity Projection (MIP), Conditional MIP (CMIP) and/or Ray Summation (Raysum).

Claims

1. A three-dimensional imaging system for acquiring a succession of two-dimensional images of a target volume represented by an array of pixels I(x,y,z) into a three-dimensional image represented by a volumetric image array V(x,y,z) comprising:

scanning means to scan said target volume along a predetermined geometric scanning path and generate a succession of digitized two-dimensional images thereof representing cross-sections of said target volume on a plurality of planes spaced along said scanning path;

memory storing said succession of digitized two-dimensional images together with other related image data defining the location of said two-dimensional images in said memory and defining interpretation information relating to the relative position of pixels within said two-dimensional images and to the relative position of pixels in adjacent two-dimensional images within said target volume;

transformation means receiving said digital two-dimensional images and said other related image data and transforming said two-dimensional images and said other related image data into a volumetric image array;

display means to generate a three-dimensional image of said target volume from said volumetric image array; and

an image processing means for processing said three-dimensional image of said target volume to render an enhanced three-dimensional image.

2. An imaging system as defined in claim 1, wherein said geometric scanning path is linear.

3. An imaging system as defined in claim 2, wherein said cross-sections are tilted with respect to an axis normal to the linear scanning path and wherein said linear transformation means transforms said two-dimensional images and said other related image data into said volumetric image array using a shear transformation.

4. An imaging system as defined in claim 3, wherein said other related image data includes an address pointer indicating the location of said memory at which the two-dimensional image data begins together with data representing the number of pixels along x and y axis of each two-dimensional image.

5. An imaging system as defined in claim 4, wherein said other related image data further includes physical distance values between the centers of adjacent pixels of the two-dimensional images in the x and y directions and the physical distances between corresponding pixels in adjacent two-dimensional images as well as said tilt angle.

6. An imaging system as defined in claim 1 wherein the image processing means employs a predetermined ray depth, thereby defining a “

thick plane”

region of interest from at least one face of a model within said volumetric array and within which voxels are processed.

7. An imaging system according to claim 6 wherein the voxels within the thick plane region of interest are processed by a user selected processing technique.

8. An imaging system according to claim 7 wherein the user selected processing technique is Maximum Intensity Projection.

9. An imaging system according to claim 7 wherein the user selected processing technique is Conditional Maximum Intensity Projection.

10. An imaging system according to claim 7 wherein the user selected processing technique is Ray Summation.

11. An imaging system according to claim 7 wherein the users specifies the ray depth via an input means determined from a model face toward the target volume.