Methods and systems for assessing image quality in modeling of patient anatomic or blood flow characteristics

• US 8,831,315 B1
• Filed: 02/04/2014
• Issued: 09/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Heartflow Inc.
• Original Assignee: Heartflow Inc.
• Inventors: Fonte, Timothy A., Grady, Leo J., Wu, Zhongle, Schaap, Michiel, Hunley, Stanley C., Sengupta, Souma
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehta, Bhavesh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Harandi, Siamak
• Application Number:
  US14/172,594
• Publication Number:
  US 20140275947A1
• Time in Patent Office: 217 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 382/128
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2576/02 specially adapted for a particular organ or body part
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/026 Measuring blood flow A61B3/1233, A61B3/1241 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0261 using optical means, e.g. infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0263 using NMR
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/032 Transmission computed tomography [CT]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/037 Emission tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/481 involving the use of contrast agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/504 for diagnosis of blood vessels, e.g. by angiography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/507 for determination of haemodynamic parameters, e.g. perfusion CT
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/5217 extracting a diagnostic or physiological parameter from medical diagnostic data
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/5258 involving detection or reduction of artifacts or noise
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/5294 involving using additional data, e.g. patient information, image labeling, acquisition parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0883 for diagnosis of the heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/5223 for extracting a diagnostic or physiological parameter from medical diagnostic data for algorithms to analyse biomedical images G06T7/0012
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/5635 Angiography, e.g. contrast-enhanced angiography [CE-MRA] or time-of-flight angiography [TOF-MRA]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10081 Computed x-ray tomography [CT]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10088 Magnetic resonance imaging [MRI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10104 Positron emission tomography [PET]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10108 Single photon emission computed tomography [SPECT]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10132 Ultrasound image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30004 : Biomedical image processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30104 : Vascular flow; Blood flow; Perfusion
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30168 : Image quality inspection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30172 : Centreline of tubular or elongated structure
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30196 : Human being; Person
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2210/41 : Medical
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0012 : Biomedical image inspection
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/30 : for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/50 : for simulation or modelling of medical disorders

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for assessing the quality of medical images of at least a portion of a patient'"'"'s anatomy, using a computer system. One method includes receiving one or more images of at least a portion of the patient'"'"'s anatomy; determining, using a processor of the computer system, one or more image properties of the received images; performing, using a processor of the computer system, anatomic localization or modeling of at least a portion of the patient'"'"'s anatomy based on the received images; obtaining an identification of one or more image characteristics associated with an anatomic feature of the patient'"'"'s anatomy based on the anatomic localization or modeling; and calculating, using a processor of the computer system, an image quality score based on the one or more image properties and the one or more image characteristics.

Claims

1. A method for assessing the quality of medical images of at least a portion of a patient'"'"'s anatomy, using a computer system, the method comprising:

receiving one or more images of at least a portion of the patient'"'"'s anatomy;

performing, using a processor of the computer system, anatomic localization or modeling of at least a portion of the patient'"'"'s anatomy based on the received images;

identifying one or more image characteristics associated with anatomic features of the patient'"'"'s anatomy represented in the received images, based on the anatomic localization or modeling;

calculating an image quality score based on the one or more image characteristics;

performing, using a processor of the computer system, a simulation based on the anatomic localization or modeling of at least a portion of the patient'"'"'s anatomy; and

generating one or more confidence metrics associated with a result of the simulation based on the calculated image quality score.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the calculated image quality score is used for one or both of:

calculating a time to complete a medical diagnostic imaging analysis; and

calculating a cost to complete a medical diagnostic imaging analysis.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the calculated image quality score is used for determining whether to perform modeling, simulation, or a combination thereof based on the received images.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the calculated image quality score is used for generating a medical imaging determination.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more confidence metrics includes one or more of:

a confidence interval, an estimated error, a confidence percentage, an accuracy estimate, and a precision estimate.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the simulation includes one or more guided simulation techniques.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying, using a processor of the computer system, one or more modified image acquisition parameters determined to improve the calculated image quality score.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein further comprising:

selecting, for modeling, simulation, or analysis, a subset of the received images based on one or more image characteristics.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a set of data based on the one or more image characteristics; and

determining a selection, a combination, or a correction associated with the set of data to improve the calculated image quality score.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a feedback or recommendation to an imaging technician based on the calculated image quality score.

11. A system for assessing the quality of medical images of at least a portion of a patient'"'"'s anatomy, the system comprising:

a digital storage device storing instructions for assessing the quality of medical images of at least a portion of a patient'"'"'s anatomy; and

a processor configured to execute the instructions to perform a method including;

receiving one or more images of at least a portion of the patient'"'"'s anatomy;

performing, using a processor of the computer system, anatomic localization or modeling of at least a portion of the patient'"'"'s anatomy based on the received images;

identifying one or more image characteristics associated with anatomic features of the patient'"'"'s anatomy represented in the received images, based on the anatomic localization or modeling;

calculating an image quality score based on the one or more image characteristics;

performing, using a processor of the computer system, a simulation based on the anatomic localization or modeling of at least a portion of the patient'"'"'s anatomy; and

generating one or more confidence metrics associated with a result of the simulation based on the calculated image quality score.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the calculated quality score is used for one or both of:

calculating a time to complete a medical diagnostic imaging analysis; and

calculating a cost to complete a medical diagnostic imaging analysis.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the calculated image quality score is used for determining whether to perform modeling, simulation, or a combination thereof based on the received images.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the calculated image quality score is used for generating a medical image determination.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more confidence metrics includes one or more of:

a confidence interval, an estimated error, a confidence percentage, an accuracy estimate, and a precision estimate.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the simulation includes one or more guided simulation techniques.

17. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

identifying, using a processor of the computer system, one or more modified image acquisition parameters determined to improve the calculated image quality score.

18. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

selecting, for modeling, simulation, or analysis, a subset of the received images based on one or more image characteristics.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

determining a set of data based on the one or more image characteristics; and

determining a selection, a combination, or a correction associated with the set of data to improve the calculated image quality score.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium for use on at least one computer system containing computer-executable programming instructions for assessing the quality of medical images of at least a portion of a patient'"'"'s anatomy, that when executed by the at least one computer system, cause the performance of a method comprising:

receiving one or more images of at least a portion of the patient'"'"'s anatomy;

performing, using a processor of the computer system, anatomic localization or modeling of at least a portion of the patient'"'"'s anatomy based on the received images;

identifying one or more image characteristics associated with anatomic features of the patient'"'"'s anatomy represented in the received images, based on the anatomic localization or modeling;

calculating an image quality score based on the one or more image characteristics;

performing, using a processor of the computer system, a simulation based on the anatomic localization or modeling of at least a portion of the patient'"'"'s anatomy; and

generating one or more confidence metrics associated with a result of the simulation based on the calculated image quality score.