Opposed orthogonal fusion system and method for generating color segmented MRI voxel matrices

• US 6,956,373 B1
• Filed: 12/30/2002
• Issued: 10/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hugh Keith Brown, Jennifer D. Moody
• Original Assignee: Hugh Keith Brown, Jennifer D. Moody
• Inventors: Moody, Jennifer D., Brown, Hugh Keith
• Primary Examiner(s): Gutierrez, Diego
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vargas, Dixomara
• Application Number:
  US10/331,796
• Time in Patent Office: 1,023 Days
• Field of Search: 324/300, 324/307, 324/309, 324/312, 348/32, 600/410, 600/414, 600/419, 600/420, 600424-426, 600/431
• US Class Current: 324/309
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/56 Image enhancement or correction, e.g. subtraction or averaging techniques , e.g. improvement of signal-to-noise ratio and resolution

Abstract

Systems and methods for producing multi-dimensional tissue characterization images are described. By combining colorized MRI images composited from multiple gray tone MRI images, riffle stacks can be formed and combined to render multidimensional reconstruction of anatomical, physiological and pathological features. Biophysical parameters are therefore automatically segmented, characterized, tagged, mapped and otherwise labeled. In another embodiment, gray tone images are collected by acquiring orthogonally opposed pulse sequences, the images of which are color masked and uniquely rendered in three dimensions to obtain voxels in which the color is determined by the summative color masks applied to original gray tone pixels. This method can be embodied as specific applications designed for the brain, abdomen, breast, pelvis, musculoskeletal and other organs and biophysical systems to facilitate diagnosis, surgical planning and virtual exploration.

Claims

1. A method for rendering a color-coded multi-dimensional magnetic resonance image of a region of interest, comprising:

acquiring a plurality of digitally-stored gray-tone magnetic resonance images on a plurality of predetermined orthogonally-opposed planes at a plurality of predetermined pulse sequences, wherein each of the plurality of gray-tone magnetic resonance images comprises a plurality of pixels each representing a quantified biophysical parameter of interest;

applying a plurality of monochrome color masks to the plurality of gray-tone magnetic resonance images to form a plurality of color-masked magnetic resonance images; and

spatially aligning and combining the plurality of color-masked magnetic resonance images to form a color-coded multi-dimensional magnetic resonance image, wherein the color-coded multi-dimensional magnetic resonance image comprises a plurality of voxels each representing a quantified combination of biophysical parameters of interest.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of predetermined planes comprise planes selected from the group consisting of sagittal, axial, and coronal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of predetermined pulse sequences comprise pulse sequences selected from the group consisting of longitudinal relaxation rate (T1), transverse relaxation rate (T2), proton density (PD), gradient recovery (GR), inversion recovery (IR), magnetic susceptibility, and flow velocity and direction.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of color masks comprise color masks selected from the group consisting of a red-green-blue (RGB) color mask, a hue-saturation-intensity (HSI) color mask, and a cyan-magenta-yellow (CMY).

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the region of interest comprises at least a portion of one of a human brain, a human abdomen, a human pelvis, human musculoskelature, a human breast, a human liver, and a human kidney.

6. A system for rendering a color-coded multi-dimensional magnetic resonance image of a region of interest, comprising:

acquisition means for acquiring a plurality of digitally-stored gray-tone magnetic resonance images on a plurality of predetermined orthogonally-opposed planes at a plurality of predetermined pulse sequences, wherein each of the plurality of gray-tone magnetic resonance images comprises a plurality of pixels each representing a quantified biophysical parameter of interest;

first processing means for applying a plurality of monochrome color masks to the plurality of gray-tone magnetic resonance images to form a plurality of color-masked magnetic resonance images; and

second processing means for spatially aligning and combining the plurality of color-masked magnetic resonance images to form a color-coded multi-dimensional magnetic resonance image, wherein the color-coded multi-dimensional magnetic resonance image comprises a plurality of voxels each representing a quantified combination of biophysical parameters of interest.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the plurality of predetermined planes comprise planes selected from the group consisting of sagittal, axial, and coronal.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the plurality of predetermined pulse sequences comprise pulse sequences selected from the group consisting of longitudinal relaxation rate (T1), transverse relaxation rate (T2), proton density (PD), gradient recovery (GR), inversion recovery (IR), magnetic susceptibility, and flow velocity and direction.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the plurality of color masks comprise color masks selected from the group consisting of a red-green-blue (RGB) color mask, a hue-saturation-intensity (HSI) color mask, and a cyan-magenta-yellow (CMY).

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the region of interest comprises at least a portion of one of a human brain, a human abdomen, a human pelvis, human musculoskelature, a human breast, a human liver, and a human kidney.