Apparatus for monitoring a system with time in space and method for diagnosing a condition of a prostate

• US 7,245,748 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2002
• Issued: 07/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yeda Research and Development Co. Ltd. (Weizmann Institute of Science)
• Original Assignee: Yeda Research and Development Co. Ltd. (Weizmann Institute of Science)
• Inventors: Degani, Hadassa, Furman-Haran, Edna
• Primary Examiner(s): Bella; Matthew C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHAH, UTPAL D
• Application Number:
  US10/229,944
• Publication Number:
  US 20030105605A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,784 Days
• Field of Search: 382/128
• US Class Current: 382/128
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10088 Magnetic resonance imaging [MRI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30081 Prostate
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30104 Vascular flow; Blood flow; Perfusion
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0012 Biomedical image inspection

Abstract

Apparatus and method for monitoring a prostate in a human body in which a fluid flows and which is characterized by a change in the prostate with time in space for the purpose of diagnosing a prostate condition, particularly cancer. A preselected place in the prostate is monitored to collect data at two or more time points correlated to a prostate event. The data is indicative of a prostate parameter that varies with time as a function of at least two variables related to prostate wash-in and wash-out behavior. A calibration map is made on a calculated basis with each pixel or voxel representative of a color hue indicative of wash-out behavior and a color intensity indicative of wash-in behavior. When a satisfactory map is obtained, the collected data is processed on the basis of the map to obtain an image of the preselected place with each spatial unit thereof correlated with a color hue and a color intensity. Software and a data processing system are provided to develop the calibration map. The calibration map and image of the preselected place are also novel implementations.

Claims

1. Apparatus for monitoring a human body in which a fluid flows and which is characterized by a change in the system with time in space for determining a prostate condition for diagnosing cancer comprising:

(a) monitoring means for monitoring a preselected place in a human body for collecting data indicative of a parameter of the prostate that varies with time as a function of at least one variable related to wash-in and wash-out behavior;

(b) first data processing means responsive to the monitoring means for receiving the collected data and processing same;

(c) selecting means for controlling the monitoring means for setting parameters of data collection, and for receiving inputs of body parameters including said prostate parameter and a plurality of time points correlated to a body event;

(d) second data processing means including;

(1) grid means for dividing the space defined by the at least two variables, each ranging from a minimum to a maximum, into a grid;

(2) first determining means for determining for each grid location a calculated value and intensity function indicative of the wash-in of the parameter being monitored for each time point;

(3) first normalizing means for determining a grid location of maximum intensity and normalizing all grid locations with reference to the maximum;

(4) first colorizing means for coloring all grid locations one of a plurality of colors based on a color function indicative of wash-out behavior;

(5) arranging means for arranging all grid locations for all time points into a composite to develop a calibration map of the grid with each grid location correlated to a color hue/color intensity;

(6) analyzing means for analyzing the calibration map to determine if the attributes of the calibration map meet a preselected standard and, if not, to implement the plurality of time points or a body parameter and iterate until the resultant calibration map meets said standard;

(e) said first data processing means receiving as further inputs the plurality of time points and the maximum of the intensity function as determined in the second data processing means and further including;

(1) division means for spatially dividing the preselected place in the system into spatial units;

(2) second determining means for determining for each spatial unit a value and intensity function indicative of wash-in behavior based on the collected data for each time point;

(3) second normalizing means for normalizing the intensity of each spatial unit based on maximum intensity obtained from the first normalizing means;

(4) second colorizing means for coloring all spatial units one of a plurality of colors based on the color function indicative of wash-out behavior of said first colorizing means;

(5) arranging means for arranging all spatial units for all time points into a composite of the preselected space with each spatial unit correlated to a color hue/color intensity.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the first colorizing means provides one color if the color function is greater than or equal to X indicative of slow wash-out behavior, a second color if the color function is less than X and greater than or equal to Y indicative of moderate wash-out behavior, and a third color if the color function is less than Y indicative of fast wash-out behavior, where X and Y are decimals less than one with X being positive and Y being negative.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein X equals 0.1 and Y equals −

0.1.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein three time points are used t0, t1 and t2, with t0 being the time at the beginning of the system event, t1 being a time after t0 and t2 being a time after t1.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the body event is the injection of a tracer material into the fluid flowing in the system.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the apparatus is an MRI system.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein a display means is provided to display the resultant calibration map and the composite of the preselected place.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein a storage is provided to store the resultant calibration map and the composite of the preselected place.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein a printer means is provided to print the resultant calibration map and the composite of the preselected place.

10. Apparatus for monitoring a prostate in a human body in which a fluid flows and which is characterized by a change in the prostate with time in space comprising:

(a) monitoring means including a first output for monitoring a preselected place in the prostate for collecting data indicative of a parameter that varies with time as a function of at least two variables related to wash-in and wash-out behavior, (b) first processing means including a second output and a first input for receiving the collected data from the first output and processing same, (c) selecting means including a third output for controlling the monitoring means, for setting parameters of data collection and for providing input to the first input, the selecting means including;

(i) input means for receiving inputs of parameters including said parameter and a plurality of preselected time points correlated to an event, (ii) a second processing means including;

(1) grid means for dividing the space defined by the at least two variables, each ranging from a minimum to a maximum, into a grid, (2) first determining means for determining for each grid location a calculated value of intensity of the parameter being monitored for each time point, (3) first normalizing means for determining the maximum intensity of the grid locations and normalizing all grid locations with reference to the maximum, (4) first colorizing means for coloring all grid locations one of a plurality of colors based on a correlation with wash-out behavior, (5) arranging means for arranging all grid locations for all time points into a composite to develop a calibration map of the grid with each grid location correlated to a color hue/color intensity, (6) analyzing means for analyzing the calibration map to determine if the color distribution of the calibration map satisfies a predetermined condition and, if not, to implement one of the plurality of time points and a parameter and inputting to the input means for iteration until the resultant calibration map satisfies the predetermined condition, (d) said first processing means receiving as further inputs the plurality of time points and the maximum of the intensity function as determined in the second processing means, and further including;

(i) division means for spatially dividing the preselected place in the prostate into spatial units, (ii) second determining means for determining for each spatial unit a value and intensity based on the collected data for each time point, (iii) second normalizing means for normalizing the intensity of each spatial unit based on maximum intensity obtained from the first normalizing means, (iv) second colorizing means for coloring all spatial units one of a plurality of colors based on the correlation with wash-out behavior used in the first colorizing means, (v) arranging means for arranging all spatial units for all time points into a composite of the preselected place with each spatial unit correlated to a color hue/color intensity.

11. Software for use with a computer having a memory, an input device for generating device event signals and a display, the software comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code thereon including:

first program logic for dividing into a grid a space defined by two variables correlated to a preselected parameter of a prostate in a human body in which fluid flows-which is characterized by a change in the prostate with time in space, each variable ranging from a minimum to a maximum;

second program logic responsive to device event signals for determining intensity of each grid location at each of a plurality of time points based on a predetermined intensity function;

third program logic responsive to the second program logic to color all grid locations based on a predetermined color function; and

fourth program logic responsive to the third program logic for developing a composite calibration map of the grid with each grid location correlated to a color hue/color intensity.

12. Software as in claim 11 further including fifth program logic responsive to the fourth program logic for displaying the calibration map on the display.

13. Software as in claim 11 further including fifth program logic responsive to the fourth program logic for analyzing the calibration map to determine if it satisfies a predetermined condition.

14. Software as in claim 13 further including sixth program logic responsive to the fifth program logic to determine whether the condition is satisfied, and, if not, to iterate the program logic to adjust the calibration map until the condition is satisfied.

15. Data processing system for producing a calibration map for use with a monitored prostate in a human body in which a fluid flows and which is characterized by a change in the monitored prostate with time in space and wherein the monitoring occurs at a preselected location comprising:

(a) computer processing means for processing data;

(b) storage means for storing data on a storage medium;

(c) means for initializing the storage medium;

(d) processing means for dividing the space defined by two variables, each ranging from a minimum to a maximum, into a grid, said variables being con-elated to a preselected parameter of the monitored prostate;

(e) processing means for determining for each grid location a calculated value and intensity function of the parameter at each of a plurality of time points;

(f) processing means for determining the maximum of the intensity function of the grid locations and normalizing all grid locations with reference to the maximum;

(g) processing means for coloring all grid locations one of a plurality of colors based on a color function correlated with monitored prostate behavior;

(h) processing means for arranging all grid locations for all time points into a composite to develop a calibration map of the grid with each grid location correlated to a color hue/color intensity; and

(i) processing means for analyzing the calibration map to determine if the attributes of the calibration map meet a predetermined condition, and, if not, to implement the plurality of time points or variables and iterating until the attributes of the resultant calibration map meet the predetermined condition.

16. The data processing system of claim 15 wherein the attribute is color distribution.

17. The data processing system of claim 16 wherein the condition is substantially equal coloring of the colors of the calibration map.

18. Data processing method for producing a calibration map for use with a monitored prostate in a human body in which a fluid flows and which is characterized by a change in the monitored system with time in space and wherein the monitoring occurs at a preselected location comprising the steps of:

(a) processing data;

(b) storing data on a storage medium;

(c) initializing the storage medium;

(d) processing by dividing the space defined by two variables, each ranging from a minimum to a maximum, into a grid, said variables being correlated to a preselected parameter of the monitored prostate;

(e) processing for determining for each grid location a calculated value and intensity function of the parameter at each of a plurality of time points;

(f) processing for determining the maximum of the intensity function of the grid locations and normalizing all grid locations with reference to the maximum;

(g) processing for coloring all grid locations one of a plurality of colors based on a color function correlated with monitored prostate behavior;

(h) processing for arranging all grid locations for all time points into a composite to develop a calibration map of the grid with each grid location correlated to a color hue/color intensity; and

(i) processing for analyzing the calibration map to determine if the attributes of the calibration map meet a predetermined condition, and, if not, to implement the plurality of time points or variables and iterating until the attributes of the resultant calibration map meet the predetermined condition.

19. Method for monitoring a prostate in a human body in which a fluid flows and which is characterized by a change in the prostate with time in space comprising the steps of:

(a) monitoring a preselected place in the prostate for collecting data indicative of a parameter that varies with time as a function of at least two variables related to wash-in and wash-out behavior;

(b) processing collected data;

(c) controlling the monitoring by setting parameters of data collection and selecting a plurality of time points correlated to a prostate event;

(d) dividing the space defined by the at least two variables, each ranging from a minimum to a maximum, into a grid;

(e) determining for each grid location a calculated value and intensity function of the parameter being monitored for each time point;

(f) determining the maximum intensity of the grid locations and normalizing all grid locations with reference to the maximum;

(g) coloring all grid locations one of a plurality of colors based on a color function correlated with wash-out behavior;

(h) arranging all grid locations for all time points into a composite to develop a calibration map of the grid with each grid location correlated to a color hue/color intensity;

(i) analyzing the calibration map to determine if the attributes of the calibration map meet a preselected condition and, if not, to implement the plurality of time points or a system parameter and iterating until the attributes of the resultant calibration map meet the preselected condition;

(j) inputting the plurality of time points and the maximum of the intensity function as determined in step (f) to the processing of step (b) which further includes the steps of;

(i) spatially dividing the preselected place in the prostate into spatial units;

(ii) determining for each spatial unit a value and intensity function based on the collected data for each time point;

(iii) normalizing the intensity of each spatial unit based on maximum intensity obtained from step (f);

(iv) colorizing all spatial units one of a plurality of colors based on the color function of step (g);

(v) arranging all spatial units for all time points into a composite of the preselected place with each spatial unit correlated to a color hue/color intensity.

20. The method according to claim 19 wherein the attribute is color distribution.

21. The method according to claim 20 wherein the condition is substantially equal coloring.

22. The method according to claim 19 wherein the prostate event is injection of a tracer into the fluid of the prostate upstream of the preselected place.

23. The method according to claim 19 wherein two time points are used.

24. The method according to claim 22 wherein three time points are used t0, t1 and t2, to being near in time to injection, t1 being a predetermined time later than t0 indicative of prostate wash-in behavior and t2 being a predetermined time later than t1 indicative of prostate wash-out behavior.

25. A calibration map for use in monitoring a prostate of a human body in which fluid flows and which is characterized by a change in a prostate parameter with time in space as a function of two variables related to prostate wash-in and system wash-out behavior at two time intervals after a prostate event, which map depicts in two or three dimensions an image of the two variables ranging from a minimum to a maximum wherein the discrete elements of the image have a color hue of one of a plurality of colors indicative of prostate wash-out behavior and a color intensity indicative of prostate wash-in behavior.

26. A calibration map according to claim 25 wherein the image is a display on a monitor.

27. A calibration map according to claim 25 wherein the image is digitally encoded on a computer readable medium.

28. A calibration map according to claim 25 wherein the image is printed on a printable medium.

29. A calibration map according to claim 25 wherein three colors are used.

30. A calibration map according to claim 29 wherein the colors are red, blue and green.

31. An image depicting in two or three dimensions a location in a prostate in a human body in which fluid flows and which is characterized at said location by a change in a prostate parameter as a function of two variables related to prostate wash-in behavior at a first time interval and prostate wash-out behavior at a second time interval after a prostate event, the discrete elements of the image having a color hue of one of a plurality of colors indicative of prostate wash-out behavior and a color intensity indicative of prostate wash-in behavior.

32. The image of claim 31 as a display on a monitor.

33. The image of claim 31 digitally encoded on a computer readable medium.

34. The image of claim 31 printed on a printable medium.

35. The image of claim 31 wherein at least three colors are used.

36. The image of claim 35 wherein the colors include red, blue and green.