Method for medical imaging and image processing, computed tomography machine, workstation and computer program product

• US 7,339,587 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2005
• Issued: 03/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GMBH (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Kropfeld, Helmut
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Kimbinh T.
• Application Number:
  US11/124,108
• Publication Number:
  US 20050249393A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,030 Days
• Field of Search: 345/419, 345/424, 345/427, 345/473, 382/131
• US Class Current: 345/424
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/027 characterised by the use of a particular data acquisition trajectory, e.g. helical or spiral
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/08 Volume rendering
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/20 Perspective computation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/003 Navigation within 3D models or images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/04 involving 3D image data
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10072 Tomographic images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30048 Heart; Cardiac
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/20 Analysis of motion motion estimation for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals H04N19/43, H04N19/51

Abstract

A method is for medical imaging and image processing in the form of a perspective volumetric display. The method includes providing a multiplicity of temporally graded 3D data volumes at a multiplicity of instants, a 3D data volume, respectively being assigned to an instant; and prescribing a spatially absolutely fixed viewer position within an evaluation volume for at least one 3D data volume at a first instant. The method further includes determining a temporal correlation between the spatially absolutely fixed viewer position and the evaluation volume for at least one further 3D data volume at at least one second instant; determining a viewer position, spatially relatively fixed in relation to the evaluation volume, within the evaluation volume for the at least one further 3D data volume at the at least one second instant; and displaying the interior of the evaluation volume from a perspective of the spatially relatively fixed viewer position for the at least one further 3D data volume at the at least one second instant.

Claims

1. A method for medical imaging and image processing in the form of a perspective volumetric display, the method comprising:

providing a multiplicity of temporally graded 3D data volumes at a multiplicity of instants (t₁, t₂, t₁), a 3D data volume, respectively being assigned to an instant;

prescribing a spatially absolutely fixed first viewer position within an evaluation volume for at least one 3D data volume at a first instant, said evaluation volume is a moving body part which varies its absolute spatial position in time;

determining a temporal correlation between the spatially absolutely fixed first viewer position and the evaluation volume for at least one further 3D data volume at at least one second instant;

determining a second viewer position, spatially relatively fixed in relation to the evaluation volume, within the evaluation volume for the at least one further 3D data volume at the at least one second instant; and

displaying the interior of the evaluation volume from a perspective of the spatially relatively fixed second viewer position for the at least one further 3D data volume at the at least one second instant.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

determining a multiplicity of spatially relatively fixed viewer positions for the multiplicity of temporally graded 3D data volumes at the multiplicity of instants, and displaying the evaluation volume in each case from a perspective of a spatially relatively fixed viewer position.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the displaying further displays a two-dimensional image from the perspective of a spatially relatively fixed viewer position and with a prescribed search beam.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the displaying further displays two or more two-dimensional images by using two or more relatively fixed viewer positions comparatively slightly displaced from one another in space.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein each of the relatively fixed viewer positions comparatively slightly displaced from one another is assigned a search beam.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the displaying displays views representing a virtual endoscopy.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein imaging is performed for the multiplicity of viewer positions and at a selected instant, such that the two-dimensional image is present as a spatially variable moving image.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein spatial navigation is used within a 3D data volume for a selected instant.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein imaging is performed for the multiplicity of instants and a selected viewer position such that the two-dimensional image is present as a temporally variable moving image.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein a variably settable speed is used for the sequence of the temporally variable moving image.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein temporal navigation is used within a 3D data volume for a selected viewer position.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the method for medical imaging and image processing is an imaging method in computed tomography.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the method for medical imaging and image processing is an imaging method in magnetic resonance tomography.

14. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the method is preceding from a 3D data volume obtained by using a contrast agent.

15. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the method is for imaging and image processing of computed tomograms inside a colon.

16. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the method is for imaging and image processing of computed tomograms inside a bronchus.

17. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the method is for imaging and image processing of computed tomograms inside a blood vessel.

18. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the method is for imaging and image processing of computed tomograms inside a heart.

19. A computed tomography machine comprising operating elements for performing the method of claim 1.

20. A workstation for imaging and image processing of computed tomograms comprising operating elements for performing the method of claim 1.

21. A computer program product storing executable instructions, which when executed by a computer system, causes the computer system to perform the method of claim 1.

22. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the displaying further displays a two-dimensional image from the perspective of a spatially relatively fixed viewer position and with a prescribed search beam.

23. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the displaying displays views representing a virtual endoscopy.

24. A computed tomography machine, comprising:

means for providing a multiplicity of temporally graded 3D data volumes at a multiplicity of instants (t₁, t₂, t_i), a 3D data volume, respectively being assigned to an instant;

means for prescribing a spatially absolutely fixed first viewer position within an evaluation volume for at least one 3D data volume at a first instant, said evaluation volume is a moving part which varies its absolute spatial position in time;

means for determining a temporal correlation between the spatially absolutely fixed first viewer position and the evaluation volume for at least one further 3D data volume at at least one second instant;

means for determining a second viewer position, spatially relatively fixed in relation to the evaluation volume, within the evaluation volume for the at least one further 3D data volume at the at least one second instant; and

means for displaying the interior of the evaluation volume from a perspective of the spatially relatively fixed second viewer position for the at least one further 3D data volume at the at least one second instant.

25. A workstation for imaging and image processing of computed tomograms, comprising:

means for providing a multiplicity of temporally graded 3D data volumes at a multiplicity of instants (t₁, t₂, t_i), a 3D data volume, respectively being assigned to an instant;

means for prescribing a spatially absolutely fixed first viewer position within an evaluation volume for at least one 3D data volume at a first instant said evaluation volume is a moving body part which varies its absolute spatial position in time;

means for determining a temporal correlation between the spatially absolutely fixed first viewer position and the evaluation volume for at least one further 3D data volume at at least one second instant;

means for determining a second viewer position, spatially relatively fixed in relation to the evaluation volume, within the evaluation volume for the at least one further 3D data volume at the at least one second instant; and

means for displaying the interior of the evaluation volume from a perspective of the spatially relatively fixed second viewer position for the at least one further 3D data volume at the at least one second instant.