Three-dimensional labeling apparatus and method

• US 7,251,355 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2002
• Issued: 07/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• 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: Nishide, Akihiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehta; Bhavesh M
• Assistant Examiner(s): CARTER, AARON W
• Application Number:
  US10/266,274
• Publication Number:
  US 20030076991A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,757 Days
• Field of Search: 382/131, 382/132, 382/154, 345419-427, 348 42- 60, 356 12- 14, 359462-477
• US Class Current: 382/154
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/00 Image analysis

Abstract

When labeling is performed for a three-dimensional image, the present invention aims to reduce time required for labeling in the three-dimensional image by three-dimensionally referring connection relationships among image areas. To achieve this object, the following processing is performed. A variable i of label number is initialized to 1 (step S901), and pixels whose pixel value is 1 are searched for (step S902). The first time that a pixel whose pixel value is 1 is detected (step S903), the label number of the pixel is set to i (1) (step S904). When the next pixel (target pixel) whose pixel value is 1 is detected (step S905), if plural pixels having label numbers are detected within a three-dimensional neighboring mask, the smallest label number is assigned as the label number of the target pixel (step S907). If one pixel is detected, the label number is assigned as the label number of the target pixel. If all pixel values (except the target pixel) within the three-dimensional neighboring mask are 0, a label number (i+1) is assigned as the label number of the target pixel (step S909).

Claims

1. A three-dimensional labeling apparatus for labeling a plurality of three-dimensionally placed pixels of a three-dimensional image, comprising:

a three-dimensionally-shaped neighboring mask located at a neighboring mask position and covering a first plane and a second plane adjacent to said first plane, said first and second planes comprise a target pixel position and a plurality of pixels neighboring the target pixel position;

a labeling device that scans the neighboring mask within the three-dimensional image and assigns a label number to a pixel at the target pixel position, based on a value or a label number of a pixel included in the neighboring mask position, wherein the three-dimensional image includes a three-dimensional gray image; and

a binarizing device configured to binarize the three-dimensional gray image before said labeling device scans the neighboring mask within the three-dimensional image and before said labeling device assigns the label number to the pixel at the target pixel position.

2. The three-dimensional labeling apparatus according to claim 1, further including a spatial filter for eliminating noise from the three-dimensional gray image.

3. The three-dimensional labeling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second plane comprises the target pixel position and the first plane comprises a plurality of pixels, wherein the pixels within the first plane have been scanned earlier than the pixels within the second plane.

5. The three-dimensional labeling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the labeling device, when the plurality of pixels neighboring the target pixel position within the neighboring mask position have different pixel label numbers, creates connection information indicating that the plurality of pixels neighboring the target pixel position within the neighboring mask position having different pixel label numbers are connected.

6. The three-dimensional labeling apparatus according to claim 5, further including a connection device that connects the plurality of pixels neighboring the target pixel position within the neighboring mask position having different pixel label numbers, based on the connection information, and sets the label numbers of the pixels to a same number.

4. A three-dimensional labeling apparatus for labeling a plurality of three-dimensionally placed pixels of a three-dimensional image, comprising:

a three-dimensionally-shaped neighboring mask located at a neighboring mask position and covering a first plane and a second plane adjacent to said first plane, said first and second planes comprise a target pixel position and a plurality of pixels neighboring the target pixel position; and

a labeling device that scans the neighboring mask within the three-dimensional image and assigns a label number to a pixel at the target pixel position, based on a value or a label number of a pixel included in the neighboring mask position, wherein;

if a value of the pixel at the target pixel position is 1 and the plurality of pixels neighboring the target pixel position within the neighboring mask position have different pixel label numbers, the smallest of the label numbers of the plurality of pixels neighboring the target pixel position within the neighboring mask position is assigned as the label number of the pixel at the target pixel position;

if the value of the pixel at the target pixel position is 1 and the plurality of pixels neighboring the target pixel position within the neighboring mask position have the same pixel label numbers, the label number of the plurality of pixels neighboring the target pixel position within the neighboring mask position is assigned as the label number of the pixel at the target pixel position; and

if the value of the pixel at the target pixel position is 1 and there is no pixel neighboring the target pixel position within the neighboring mask position having a label number, a number that is one greater than the greatest of label numbers having already been used is assigned as the label number of the pixel at the target pixel position.

7. A three-dimensional labeling method for labeling three-dimensionally placed pixels of a three-dimensional image, comprising the steps of:

scanning a three-dimensionally-shaped neighboring mask that is located at a neighboring mask position and that covers a first plane and a second plane adjacent to the first plane, wherein the first and second planes, within the three-dimensional image, comprise a target pixel position and a plurality of pixels neighboring the target pixel position;

assigning a label number to a pixel at the target pixel position, based on a value or a label number of a pixel included in the neighboring mask position, wherein the three-dimensional image is a three-dimensional gray image; and

binarizing the three-dimensional gray image before said scanning the three-dimensionally-shaped neighboring mask.

8. The three-dimensional labeling method according to claim 7, further including a spatial filter for eliminating noise from the three-dimensional gray image.

9. The three-dimensional labeling method according to claim 7, wherein the second plane comprises the target pixel position and the first plane comprises a plurality of pixels, wherein the pixels within the first plane have been scanned earlier than the pixels within the second plane.

11. The three-dimensional labeling method according to claim 7, wherein the labeling process, when the plurality of pixels neighboring the target pixel position within the neigboring mask position have different pixel label numbers, creates connection information indicating that the plurality of pixels neighboring the target pixel position within the neighboring mask position having different pixel label numbers are connected.

12. The three-dimensional labeling method according to claim 11, further including a connection process that connects the plurality of pixels neighboring the target pixel position within the neighboring mask position having different pixel label numbers, based on the connection information, and sets the label numbers of the pixels to a same number.

13. The three-dimensional labeling method according to claim 7, wherein said binarizing the three-dimensional gray scale image comprises binarizing the three-dimensional gray image before said scanning the three-dimensionally-shaped neighboring mask and before said assigning the label number to the pixel at the target pixel position.

10. A three-dimensional labeling method for labeling three-dimensionally placed pixels of a three-dimensional image, comprising the steps of:

scanning a three-dimensionally-shaped neighboring mask that is located at a neighboring mask position and that covers a first plane and a second plane adjacent to the first plane, wherein the first and second planes, within the three-dimensional image, comprise a target pixel position and a plurality of pixels neighboring the target pixel position; and

assigning a label number to a pixel at the target pixel position, based on a value or a label number of a pixel included in the neighboring mask position, wherein;

if a value of the pixel at the target pixel position is 1 and the plurality of pixels neighboring the target pixel position within the neighboring mask position have different pixel label numbers, the smallest of the label numbers of the plurality of pixels neighboring the target pixel position within the neighboring mask position is assigned as the label number of the pixel at the target pixel position;

if the value of the pixel at the target pixel position is 1 and the plurality of pixels neighboring the target pixel position within the neighboring mask position have the same pixel label numbers, the label number of the plurality of pixels neighboring the target pixel position within the neighboring mask position is assigned as the label number of the pixel at the target pixel position; and

if the value of the target pixel is 1 and there is no pixel neighboring the target pixel position within the neighboring mask position having a label number, a number that is one greater than the greatest of label numbers having already been used is assigned as the label number of the pixel at the target pixel position.