Fusion of multiple imaging planes for isotropic imaging in MRI and quantitative image analysis using isotropic or near-isotropic imaging

• US 8,638,998 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2012
• Issued: 01/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Conformis Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Conformis Incorporated
• Inventors: Steines, Daniel, Timsari, Bijan, Tsougarakis, Konstantinos, Lang, Philipp
• Primary Examiner(s): Tabatabai, Abolfazl
• Application Number:
  US13/345,843
• Publication Number:
  US 20120201440A1
• Time in Patent Office: 750 Days
• Field of Search: 382128-134, 600/9, 600/10, 600/407, 600/410, 600/411, 600/425, 600/524, 378/4, 378 21- 27, 378/62, 378/8, 324/307, 324/309, 424/9.3
• US Class Current: 382/128
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 19/00 Machines for simply fitting together or separating metal parts or objects, or metal and non-metal parts, whether or not involving some deformation connecting metal parts or objects by metal-working procedures B21J, B23K; Tools or devices therefor so far as not provided for in other classes hand tools in general B25
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/56 Image enhancement or correction, e.g. subtraction or averaging techniques , e.g. improvement of signal-to-noise ratio and resolution
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/5608 Data processing and visualization specially adapted for MR, e.g. for feature analysis and pattern recognition on the basis of measured MR data, segmentation of measured MR data, edge contour detection on the basis of measured MR data, for enhancing measured MR data in terms of signal-to-noise ratio by means of noise filtering or apodization, for enhancing measured MR data in terms of resolution by means for deblurring, windowing, zero filling, or generation of gray-scaled images, colour-coded images or images displaying vectors instead of pixels image data processing or generation, in general G06T
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49 Method of mechanical manufacture

Abstract

In accordance with the present invention there is provided methods for generating an isotropic or near-isotropic three-dimensional images from two-dimensional images. In accordance with the present invention the method includes, obtaining a first image of a body part in a first plane, wherein the first image generates a first image data volume; obtaining a second image of the body part in a second plane, wherein the second image generates a second image data volume; and combining the first and second image data volumes to form a resultant image data volume, wherein the resultant image data volume is isotropic or near-isotropic.

Claims

1. A method of making a joint replacement device, including:

obtaining data of a first image volume;

obtaining data of a second image volume; and

transforming the data of the first image volume and the data of the second image volume into a common coordinate system, wherein the data referenced in the common coordinate system are used to design or select a joint replacement device.

2. The method of claim 1, including using anatomical landmarks for said transforming of the data of the first image volume and the data of the second image volume into said common coordinate system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said transforming of the data of the first image volume and the data of the second image volume into said common coordinate system is achieved with use of user defined landmarks.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said transforming of the data of the first image volume and the data of the second image volume into a common coordinate system is achieved with use of a priori knowledge.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said a priori knowledge includes knowledge of the image position.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said a priori knowledge include knowledge of the image orientation.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the data of the first image volume is image data selected from the group consisting of x-ray, CT, spiral CT and MRI image data, and wherein the data of the second image volume is image data selected from the group consisting of x-ray, CT, spiral CT and MRI image data.

8. The method of claim 1, where the data of the first image volume and the data of the second image volume are obtained from two different planes.

9. A method of designing or selecting a joint replacement device, including

obtaining data of a first image volume;

obtaining data of a second image volume;

transforming the data of the first image volume and the data of the second image volume into a common coordinate system, and

performing at least one or more segmentations of data, wherein data referenced in the common coordinate system and generated by the segmentation are used to design a joint replacement device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the data of the first image volume is image data selected from the group consisting of x-ray, CT, spiral CT and MRI image data, and wherein the data of the second image volume is image data selected from the group consisting of x-ray, CT, spiral CT and MRI image data.

11. The method of claim 9, where the data of the first image volume and the data of the second image volume are obtained from two different planes.

12. The method of claim 9, including using anatomical landmarks for said transforming of the data of the first image volume and the data of the second image volume into said common coordinate system.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein said transforming of the data of the first image volume and the data of the second image volume into said common coordinate system is achieved with use of user defined landmarks.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein said transforming of the data of the first image volume and the data of the second image volume into a common coordinate system is achieved with use of a priori knowledge.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said a priori knowledge includes knowledge of the image position and/or image orientation.

16. A method of designing or selecting a joint replacement device, including

obtaining data of a first image volume;

obtaining data of a second image volume;

transforming the data of the first image volume and the data of the second image volume into a common coordinate system, and

performing at least one or more segmentations of data, wherein data referenced in the common coordinate system and generated by the segmentation are used to select a joint replacement device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the data of the first image volume is image data selected from the group consisting of x-ray, CT, spiral CT and MRI image data, and wherein the data of the second image volume is image data selected from the group consisting of x-ray, CT, spiral CT and MRI image data.

18. The method of claim 16, where the data of the first image volume and the data of the second image volume are obtained from two different planes.

19. The method of claim 16, including using anatomical landmarks for said transforming of the data of the first image volume and the data of the second image volume into said common coordinate system.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein said transforming of the data of the first image volume and the data of the second image volume into said common coordinate system is achieved with use of user defined landmarks.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein said transforming of the data of the first image volume and the data of the second image volume into a common coordinate system is achieved with use of a priori knowledge.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said a priori knowledge includes knowledge of the image position and/or image orientation.