Tooth identification digital X-ray images and assignment of information to digital X-ray images

• US 7,010,153 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2003
• Issued: 03/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sirona Dental Systems GmbH (Sirona Dental Systems Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Sirona Dental Systems GmbH (Sirona Dental Systems Incorporated)
• Inventors: Zimmermann, Jürgen
• Primary Examiner(s): Johns, Andrew W.
• Application Number:
  US10/644,991
• Publication Number:
  US 20040086160A1
• Time in Patent Office: 929 Days
• Field of Search: 382/128, 382/132, 382/305, 382/306, 707/100, 707/102, 707/103.R, 707/103.Y, 707/103.Z, 707/104.1, 705/2
• US Class Current: 382/132
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/463 characterised by displaying multiple images or images and diagnostic data on one display
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/465 adapted to display user selection data, e.g. graphical user interface, icons or menus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/51 for dentistry
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10116 X-ray image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30004 Biomedical image processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30036 Dental; Teeth
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0012 Biomedical image inspection
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/10 Image acquisition document image scanning and transmission H04N1/00; control of digital cameras H04N23/60
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/44 Local feature extraction by analysis of parts of the pattern, e.g. by detecting edges, contours, loops, corners, strokes or intersections; Connectivity analysis, e.g. of connected components
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 70/60 relating to pathologies

Abstract

A method and device for identifying objects, especially teeth, on a digitized X-ray picture, by using image processing algorithms to localize areas containing the object by segmenting and/or edge detection, these areas being computationally linked with parameters of the X-ray unit and, optionally, with patient-heightened specific parameters. Another method and device for assigning information to objects, especially teeth, determined in a digitized X-ray picture or in a schematic representation, includes a first step detecting the digitized X-ray image for the schematic representation, a second step in which a determination of objects manually or automatically ensues in the event these objects have not yet been determined, a third step selecting the object for which additional information should be stored, retrieved or deleted, and a fourth step in which a reference that is stored is followed for a query operation to determine the information displayed by using such reference.

Claims

1. A system for assigning information to objects, including teeth, which are specified in one of a digitized X-ray image and a schematic diagram, comprising

an input and output device for interactive control of the system,

a storage area, in which the X-ray image or the schematic diagram is placed, object-labelling information being assigned to the X-ray images or the schematic diagram,

a second storage area, in which information concerning the objects is placed, references between the objects and the object-labelling information being stored,

a processing unit which controls accepting, deleting, and/or accessing operations in the storage areas and which manages references, said operations being preferably initiated via the input device and displayed on the output device.

2. A system as defined in claim 1, wherein the output device is capable of showing the objects optically high-lighted such that the objects can be further selected in order to retrieve the saved information.

3. A system as defined in claim 2, wherein the output device enables, access to further branched information, if present, when a object is selected.

4. A system as defined in claim 1, wherein the second storage area enables the references to be managed in the form of links positioned either directly near the object and/or directly near the information and/or to be managed separately.

5. A system as defined in claim 1, wherein the output device comprises a visual display unit and the further information is capable of being displayed in one of an automatically opening display field including a pop-up window and the further information leads to a new screen build-up.

6. A system as defined in claim 5, wherein the further information comprises one of diagnostic and treatment information and other X-ray images, including of details.

7. A system as defined in claim 1, further comprising a computer interface to an X-ray apparatus, which transmits, via the computer interface, information in the form of data for representation as X-ray images, information in the form of data being deposited in a third storage area and a reference to an object being saved to a fourth storage area.

8. A system as defined in claim 7, wherein the information in the form of data is capable of being hierarchically arranged over a plurality of levels.

9. A system as defined in claim 1, further comprising means allowing for manual specification of objects by selection of a specific area of the X-ray image.

10. A system as defined in claim 1, further comprising a functionality of a data bank system.

11. A system as defined in claim 1, further comprising a system for identification of objects, including teeth, in a digitized X-ray image, said system for identification of objects comprising means for specifying the areas depicting the object, using image-processing algorithms, by one of segmenting and edge detection of the X-ray image, and that these areas are, for further specification of said areas linking, linked by computation to those image parameters of the X-ray apparatus which are used for making the X-ray image.

12. A method of assigning information to objects, including teeth, which have been specified in one of a digitized X-ray image and a schematic diagram representation, comprising

a first step, in which the one of the digitized X-ray image and the schematic diagram is made,

a second step, in which specification of the objects, if not already specified, is carried out one of manually and automatically,

a third step, in which one of the objects is selected for which further information is to be saved, accessed, or deleted,

and a fourth step, in which

a) when an interrogation operation is carried out, a reference is followed which has been deposited in relation to the object, which reference is used to determine what information is to be shown,

b) when a deleting operation is carried out, a reference is followed which has been deposited in relation to the object, which reference and/or the information is deleted,

c) when a storage operation is carried out, an object is selected, a storage area for the information is allocated, and a storage area for the reference is allocated, in order that the new information and the corresponding reference can be saved to these storage areas.

13. A method as defined in claim 12, wherein following specification of the object, data for making digital images are received from the X-ray apparatus, which data are automatically assigned to the specified object.

14. A method as defined in claim 12, wherein the information is in the form of graphical markings which can be placed over the images as an overlay.

15. A method as defined in claim 12, wherein areas of the objects can be specified to which information can be assigned.

16. A method as defined in claim 12, wherein pop-up menus relating to the individual objects can be accessed.