Method and apparatus for defining a three-dimensional imaging section

• US 6,757,417 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2000
• Issued: 06/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company LLC (GE Healthcare Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company LLC (GE Healthcare Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Licato, Paul E., DeMarco, James Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Jayanti K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tabatabai, Abolfazl
• Application Number:
  US09/748,962
• Publication Number:
  US 20020081009A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,280 Days
• Field of Search: 382/128, 382/129, 382/130, 382/131, 382/132, 382/154, 382/164, 382/171, 382/173, 382/177, 382/179, 600/411, 600/412, 600/415, 600/440, 600/445, 600/473, 600/474, 600/410, 600/427, 378/21, 378/23, 378/25, 378/27, 378/37
• US Class Current: 382/131
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/00 Three dimensional [3D] modelling, e.g. data description of 3D objects

Abstract

A method of defining a three-dimensional imaging section which comprises displaying a plurality of localizer images of the structure of interest, acquiring operator inputs that designate regions on the plurality of localizer images and that correspond to regions within the structure of interest, and determining a volume based on the regions designated by the operator inputs. The volume defines the three-dimensional imaging section, which is a three-dimensional section of a structure of interest.

Claims

1. A method of defining a three-dimensional imaging section, the imaging section being a three-dimensional section of a structure of interest, the method comprising:

displaying a plurality of localizer images of the structure of interest;

acquiring operator inputs that designate regions on said plurality of localizer images and that correspond to regions within the structure of interest, said designated regions pertaining to coordinate points that are located within the structure of interest;

determining a volume based on said regions designated by said operator inputs, said volume defining said three-dimensional section to be imaged; and

displaying prescription marks on said plurality of localizer images that correspond to said designated regions, each prescription mark being displayed on an image that is selected to be indicative of a first coordinate of a corresponding coordinate point, and each prescription mark being displayed on said selected localizer image at a location that is indicative of second and third coordinates of said corresponding coordinate point.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said operator inputs designate first, second, third and fourth points on said plurality of localizer images and respectively correspond to first, second, third and fourth points within the structure of interest.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein said determining step comprises determining a rectangular volume that encompasses said first, second, third and fourth points in the structure of interest.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein said rectangular volume has an oblique orientation with respect to at least one of first, second, and third orthogonal imaging planes.

5. A method according to claim 2, wherein, during said acquiring step, a plurality of additional operator inputs are acquired that designate a plurality of additional points on said plurality of localizer images and that correspond to a plurality of additional points within the structure of interest, and wherein said method further comprises

determining a subset of said first, second, third, and fourth points and said plurality of additional points, said subset of points being surface-defining points of a convex polyhedral that encompasses said first, second, third and fourth points and said plurality of additional points,

constructing said convex polyhedral using said subset of points.

6. A method according to claim 2, wherein maid method further comprises determining relative distances between said first, second, third and fourth points within the structure of interest.

7. A method according to claim 1,

wherein said plurality of localizer images comprise first, second, and third localizer images, and

wherein said first and second localizer images are spaced apart along a common axis, and said third localizer image extends between said first and second localizer images.

8. A method according to claim 7, further comprising

acquiring said first and second localizer images, then

acquiring operator inputs that prescribe said third localizer image relative to said first and second localizer images, and then

acquiring said third localizer image in accordance with the prescription of said third localizer image.

9. A method according to claim 7, wherein said operator inputs designate first, second, third and fourth points on said plurality of localizer images and respectively correspond to first, second, third and fourth points within the structure of interest, and wherein said determining step comprises determining a rectangular volume that encompasses said first, second, third and fourth points in the structure of interest.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of localizer images is acquired and displayed in real-time.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein the structure of interest includes at least a portion of a blood vessel, and wherein at least some of said plurality of localizer images lie in a plane that is substantially orthogonally oriented relative to a direction of blood flow through the portion of the blood vessel.

12. A method according to claim 1, further comprising acquiring said plurality of localizer images using a magnetic resonance imaging system, and wherein said three-dimensional section to be imaged is an section to be acquired by said magnetic resonance imaging system.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a volume based on said regions designated by said operator inputs comprises using coordinates of said regions designated by said operator inputs to determine the volume.

14. A method of defining a three-dimensional imaging section, the imaging section being a three-dimensional section of a structure of interest, the method comprising:

displaying a plurality of localizer images of the structure of interest to an operator, said plurality of localizer images being adjacent images acquired along a common axis, said plurality of localizer images being displayed sequentially in accordance with operator inputs, such that the operator perceives maneuvering a two-dimensional scan plane through the structure of interest;

acquiring operator inputs that prescribe spatial information on said plurality of localizer images, said prescribed spatial information pertaining to coordinate points that are located within the structure of interest;

determining a volume based on said spatial information prescribed on said plurality of localizer images, said volume defining a three-dimensional section to be imaged; and

displaying prescription marks on said plurality of localizer images that correspond to said prescribed spatial information, each prescription mark being displayed on an image that is selected to be indicative of a first coordinate of a corresponding coordinate point, and each prescription mark being displayed on said selected localizer image at a location that is indicative of a second and third coordinates of said corresponding coordinate point.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein said localizer image displaying step and said prescription mark displaying step are performed such that the operator perceives placing said prescription marks on the structure of interest as the operator maneuvers said two-dimensional scan plane through the structure of interest.

16. A method according to claim 14, wherein said coordinates points include first, second, third and fourth coordinate points, and wherein said method further comprises computing distances between each of said first, second, third and fourth coordinate points and each remaining one of said first, second, third and fourth coordinate points.

17. A method according to claim 14, wherein said coordinates points include first, second, third and fourth coordinate points and a plurality of additional coordinate points, and wherein said method further comprises determining a subset of said points that are surface-defining points of said three-dimensional section to be imaged.

18. A method according to claim 14, wherein said coordinates points include first, second, third and fourth coordinate points and a plurality of additional coordinate points, and wherein said method further comprises constructing a convex polyhedral that encompasses said first, second, third and fourth coordinate points and said plurality of additional coordinate points.

19. A method according to claim 14, wherein said method further comprises determining a barycenter of said coordinate points.

20. A method according to claim 14, wherein each of said plurality of localizer images is acquired and displayed in real-time.

21. A method according to claim 14, further comprising acquiring said plurality of localizer images using a magnetic resonance imaging system, and wherein said three-dimensional section to be imaged is an section to be acquired by said magnetic resonance imaging system.

22. The method of claim 14, wherein determining a volume based on said spatial information prescribed on said plurality of localizer images comprises using coordinates of said spatial information prescribed on said plurality of localizer images.

23. A method of defining a three-dimensional imaging section, the imaging section being a three-dimensional section of a structure of interest, the method comprising:

displaying a plurality of localizer images of the structure of interest to an operator, said plurality of localizer images being adjacent images acquired along a common axis, said plurality of localizer images being displayed sequentially in accordance with operator inputs, such that the operator perceives maneuvering a two-dimensional scan plane through the structure of interest;

acquiring operator inputs that prescribe spatial information on said plurality of localizer images, said prescribed spatial information pertaining to boundaries of said three-dimensional section to be imaged;

determining a volume based on said spatial information prescribed on said plurality of localizer images, said volume defining a three-dimensional section to be imaged; and

displaying prescription marks on said plurality of localizer images, said prescription marks being indicative of locations of said boundaries of said three-dimensional section to be imaged;

wherein said acquiring step comprises acquiring operator inputs that indicate desired changes in said locations of said boundaries of said three-dimensional section to be imaged.

24. A method according to claim 23, wherein said localizer image displaying step and said prescription mark displaying step are performed such that the operator perceives manipulating said boundaries of said three-dimensional section to be imaged.

25. An imaging system comprising:

a graphic prescription interface including

a plurality of localizer images;

a plurality of prescription marks, said plurality of prescription marks being displayed on said plurality of localizer images in response to operator inputs, said prescription marks including first, second, third and fourth prescription marks that correspond to respective points within a structure of interest, each of said first, second, third and fourth prescription marks being displayed on a particular one of said plurality of localizer images that is selected to be indicative of a first coordinate of said respective point, and each of said first, second, third and fourth prescription marks being displayed on said selected localizer image at a location that is indicative of second and third coordinates of said respective point;

a processor, said processor being coupled to receive information pertaining to said first, second and third coordinates for each of said respective points corresponding to said first, second, third and fourth prescription marks, and said processor being adapted to use said information to determine a volume that defines a three-dimensional section to be imaged which encompasses said respective points corresponding to said first, second, third and fourth prescription marks.

26. A system according to claim 25, further comprising

a gradient amplifier system including first, second and third amplifiers, and

first, second and third orthogonal gradient coils, said first, second and third amplifiers being respectively coupled to said first, second and third gradient coils to produce magnetic field gradients usable for position encoding acquired signals.

27. A system according to claim 25, wherein the structure of interest includes at least a portion of a blood vessel, and wherein at least some of said plurality of localizer images lie in a plane that is substantially orthogonally oriented relative to a direction of blood flow through the portion of the blood vessel.

28. An imaging system comprising:

means for acquiring operator inputs that prescribe spatial information on a plurality of localizer images, said plurality of localizer images being images of a structure of interest,

means for displaying said plurality of localizer images along with said prescribed spatial information; and

means for determining a volume based on said spatial information prescribed on plurality of localizer images, said volume defining a three-dimensional section to be imaged

wherein said prescribed spatial information pertains to coordinate points that are located within the structure of interest;

wherein said plurality of localizer images are adjacent images acquired along a common axis;

wherein said means for displaying displays said prescribed spatial information in the form of prescription marks displayed on said plurality of localizer images, each prescription mark being displayed on an image that is selected to be indicative of a first coordinate of a corresponding coordinate point, and each prescription mark being displayed on said selected localizer image at a location that is indicative of second and third coordinates of said corresponding coordinate point; and

wherein said means for determining includes means for determining relative distances between said coordinate points and means for determining, based on said relative distances, a subset of said coordinate points that are surface-defining points of said three-dimensional section to be imaged.

29. An imaging system according to claim 28,

wherein said plurality of localizer images comprise first, second, and third localizer images, and

wherein said first and second localizer images are spaced apart along a common axis, and said third localizer image extends between said first and second localizer images.