Method and apparatus for determining a subjects orientation

• US 8,737,705 B2
• Filed: 09/01/2011
• Issued: 05/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Pearson, Phil E. Jr., Dodge, James, Slavic, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Drennan, Barry
• Assistant Examiner(s): Harandi, Siamak
• Application Number:
  US13/223,946
• Publication Number:
  US 20130058545A1
• Time in Patent Office: 999 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 382/128
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/032 Transmission computed tomography [CT]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/037 Emission tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/0492 using markers or indicia for aiding patient positioning
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4417 related to combined acquisition of different diagnostic modalities
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/46 Arrangements for interfacing with the operator or the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/468 allowing annotation or message recording
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/547 involving tracking of position of the device or parts of the device
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10072 Tomographic images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/73 using feature-based methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/242 by image rotation, e.g. by 90 degrees
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/16 Human faces, e.g. facial parts, sketches or expressions

Abstract

A method for determining a subject'"'"'s orientation includes receiving, at an imaging system, an input that indicates an orientation of a subject being imaged, automatically determining the orientation of the subject using a feature recognition system, comparing the received input to the automatically determined orientation, and generating an image, the image including orientation indicia based on the comparison. An object orientation recognition system and an imaging system are also described herein.

Claims

1. A method for determining an imaging orientation for a subject, the method comprising:

receiving, at an imaging system, an input manually entered by an operator that indicates an orientation of a subject being imaged;

automatically determining the orientation of the subject using a feature recognition system including a digital camera;

comparing the received input to the automatically determined orientation; and

generating an image, the image including orientation indicia based on the comparison.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing a scout scan of the subject; and

automatically determining the orientation of the subject subsequent to the scout scan.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising prompting an operator to input a second different orientation based on the comparison or to confirm the automatically determined orientation.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the orientation indicia represents the automatically determined orientation.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the orientation indicia includes an L symbol and an R symbol formed on the image.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically determining the orientation further comprises determining if the subject is in a supine position, a prone position, a superior position or an inferior position.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the feature recognition system comprises a facial recognition device, the method further comprising using the facial recognition device to automatically determine the orientation of the subject.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the feature recognition system comprises a facial recognition device that is coupled to an external surface of the imaging system, the method further comprising using the facial recognition device to automatically determine the orientation of the subject prior to the subject being moved into the imaging system.

9. An object orientation recognition system (OORS) comprising:

at least one feature recognition device; and

an object orientation recognition module (OORM) configured to;

receive a user input that indicates an orientation of a subject being imaged;

receive an input from the feature recognition device that indicates the orientation of the subject;

compare the user input to the input received from the feature recognition device; and

generate an image, the image including orientation indicia based on the comparison.

10. The OORS of claim 9, wherein the at least one feature recognition device comprises a digital camera coupled to an exterior surface of a gantry.

11. The OORS of claim 9, wherein the OORM is further programmed to prompt an operator to input a second different orientation based on the comparison.

12. The OORS of claim 9, wherein the orientation indicia represents the automatically determined orientation.

13. The OORS of claim 9, wherein the OORM is further programmed to determine if the subject is in a supine position, a prone position, a superior position or an inferior position.

14. The OORS of claim 9, wherein the feature recognition system comprises a facial recognition device, the OORM being further programmed to use the facial recognition device to automatically determine the orientation of the subject.

15. The OORS of claim 9, wherein the feature recognition system comprises a facial recognition device that is coupled to an external surface of the imaging system, the OORM being further programmed to use the facial recognition device to automatically determine the orientation of the subject prior to the subject being moved into the imaging system.

16. An imaging system for generating an image of a subject, said imaging system comprising:

an object orientation recognition system (OORS) comprising;

a digital camera coupled to a gantry of the imaging system; and

an object orientation recognition module (OORM) configured to;

receive a user input that indicates an orientation of a subject being imaged;

receive an input from the digital camera that indicates the orientation of the subject;

compare the user input to the input received from the digital camera; and

generate an image, the imaging including orientation indicia based on the comparison.

17. The imaging system of claim 16, wherein the OORM is further programmed to automatically determine the orientation of the subject subsequent to a scout scan.

18. The imaging system of claim 16, wherein the OORM is further programmed to prompt an operator to input a second different orientation based on the comparison.

19. The imaging system of claim 16, wherein the orientation indicia represents the automatically determined orientation.

20. The imaging system of claim 16, wherein the OORM is further programmed to determine if the subject is in a supine position, a prone position, a superior position or an inferior position.