Virtual bone biopsy

• US 7,477,770 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2002
• Issued: 01/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pennsylvania University of The Trustees of The
• Original Assignee: Trustees Of The University Of Pennsylvania (University of Pennsylvania)
• Inventors: Gomberg, Bryon R., Wehrli, Felix W.
• Primary Examiner(s): AZARIAN, SEYED H
• Application Number:
  US10/497,747
• Publication Number:
  US 20050031179A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,231 Days
• Field of Search: 382/128, 382/129, 382/130, 382/131, 382/132, 382/133, 382/154, 382/155, 382/168, 382/193, 382/232, 382/256, 382/260, 382/274, 382/275, 382/276, 382/280, 382/285, 382/305, 382/312, 382/100, 382/131.M, 382/134, 382/181, 382/199, 382/203, 382/219, 382/224, 382/291, 600/407, 600/410, 378/18, 378/21, 378/54
• US Class Current: 382/131
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 24/08 by using nuclear magnetic resonance G01N24/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/48 NMR imaging systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/56509 due to motion, displacement or flow, e.g. gradient moment nulling G01R33/567 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/5659 caused by a distortion of the RF magnetic field, e.g. spatial inhomogeneities of the RF magnetic field G01R33/56509, G01R33/56518, G01R33/56536 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10088 Magnetic resonance imaging [MRI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30008 Bone
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0012 Biomedical image inspection

Abstract

The present indention comprises a system and method for analyzing trabecular bone structure. A means for scanning the trabecular bone using a magnetic resonance image (MRI) scanner generates bone image data, which is then processed including correcting, deshadi4 and reducing noise in the image data.

Claims

1. A method of analyzing trabecular bone structure of a patient comprising the steps of:

selecting an anatomical region comprising the trabecular bone for scanning;

selecting a magnetic resonance imaging coil for scanning the selected region;

positioning and immobilizing the selected region relative to the coil, thereby minimizing movement;

then

scanning trabecular bone of the patient using a magnetic resonance image (MRI) scanner to generate bone image data, wherein image data comprises data acquired by signals emitted from bone marrow regions of the scanned trabecular bone;

processing the image data comprising correcting the image data to compensate for involuntary movement by the patient during scanning;

deshading the image data to minimize the effects of radio frequency inhomogeneity and reducing noise in the image data; and

outputting the processed image data or derived quantitative parameters, or combinations thereof.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein deriving quantitative parameters comprises calculating network strength of the scanned bone.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein deriving quantitative parameters comprises topological analysis of said bone.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein deriving quantitative parameters comprises determining structural anisotropy.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein quantitative parameters comprises determining trabecular thickness.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of registering the bone image data to base line data when the scanning is a rescan of the trabecular bone.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of selecting an artifact free portion of the scanned trabecular bone.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of determining the patient'"'"'s risk of bone fracture from the processed image data or derived quantitative parameters, or combinations thereof.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of determining the patient'"'"'s response to medication by comparing the processed image data taken of the patient'"'"'s trabecular bone before administration of the medication, with a processed image data from a matched trabecular bone image from the patient at a time point after administration of the medication.

10. An improved, scanned and processed image of the bone structure of a patient produced by the method of claim 1.

11. A method of analyzing trabecular bone structure comprising the steps of:

selecting an anatomical region comprising the trabecular bone for scanning;

selecting a magnetic resonance imaging coil for scanning the selected region;

positioning and immobilizing the selected region relative to the coil, thereby minimizing movement;

then

scanning trabecular bone using a magnetic resonance image (MRI) scanner to generate bone image data, wherein image data comprises data acquired by signals emitted from bone marrow regions of the scanned trabecular bone;

processing the image data comprising correcting the image data to compensate for unintended movement during scanning;

deshading the image data to minimize the effects of radio frequency inhomogeneity and reducing noise in the image; and

outputting the processed image data or derived quantitative parameters, or combinations thereof.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein deriving quantitative parameters comprises calculating the network strength of the scanned bone network.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein deriving quantitative parameters comprises topological analysis of said bone.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein deriving quantitative parameters comprises determining structural anisotropy.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein deriving quantitative parameters comprises determining trabecular thickness.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of registering the bone image data to base line data, when the scanning is a rescan of the trabecular bone.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of selecting an artifact free portion of the scanned trabecular bone.

18. An improved, scanned and processed image of the bone structure of a patient produced by the method of claim 11.