Registering regions of interest of a body part to a coordinate system

• US 9,069,996 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2011
• Issued: 06/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Modulated Imaging, Inc.
• Original Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Hyde, Roderick A., Kare, Jordin T., Leuthardt, Eric C., Lieberman, Erez, Rivet, Dennis J., Sweeney, Elizabeth A., Wood, Lowell L. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): YENTRAPATI, AVINASH
• Application Number:
  US13/200,110
• Publication Number:
  US 20130070979A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,383 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/000094 extracting biological structures
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0077 Devices for viewing the surface of the body, e.g. camera, magnifying lens
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/506 for diagnosis of nerves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/5241 combining overlapping images of the same imaging modality, e.g. by stitching
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/5253 combining overlapping images, e.g. spatial compounding
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/00 Pattern recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10068 Endoscopic image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30028 Colon; Small intestine
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/00 Image enhancement or restoration
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0012 Biomedical image inspection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0014 using an image reference approach
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/337 involving reference images or patches
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/40 relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/70 for mining of medical data, e.g. analysing previous cases of other patients
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00 Scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission; Details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/188 Capturing isolated or intermittent images triggered by the occurrence of a predetermined event, e.g. an object reaching a predetermined position signal generation from motion picture films H04N5/253

Abstract

Described embodiments include a system, method, and computer program product. A described system includes a receiver circuit that receives at least two medical images that each includes a respective region of interest of a mammalian body part. The receiver circuit also receives at least two reference images that each includes a respective landmark subsurface feature of the mammalian body part. Each landmark subsurface feature has a respective spatial relationship to a respective region of interest. The system includes a coordinate analysis circuit configured to determine a common frame of reference at least partially based on a landmark subsurface feature included in a reference image. The system includes a registration circuit configured to register the respective regions of interest. The registration is based on the determined common frame of reference. The system includes a computer-readable media configured to maintain informational data corresponding to the respective registered regions of interest.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

(a) a coordinate analysis circuit configured to determine a common frame of reference at least partially based on a landmark subsurface feature of a cavity or lumen of a mammalian body part, the mammalian body part having at least two landmark subsurface features of the cavity or lumen and at least two regions of interest, each landmark subsurface feature of the at least two landmark subsurface features of the cavity or lumen having a respective spatial relationship to a respective region of interest of the at least two regions of interest, wherein the landmark subsurface feature of the cavity or lumen includes a subsurface vessel, blood vessel, vascular structure, or a pattern presented by one or more blood vessel of the cavity or lumen of the mammalian body part;

(b) a registration circuit configured to register the respective regions of interest of the mammalian body part, the registration at least partially based on the determined common frame of reference; and

(c) a computer-readable media configured to maintain informational data corresponding to the respective registered regions of interest.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the coordinate analysis circuit includes:

a coordinate analysis circuit configured to determine a common frame of reference at least partially based on a landmark subsurface feature of a cavity or lumen of a mammalian body part, the cavity or lumen of the mammalian body part having at least two landmark subsurface features of the cavity or lumen and at least two regions of interest, each landmark subsurface feature of the at least two landmark subsurface features of the cavity or lumen having a respective spatial relationship to a respective region of interest of the at least two regions of interest.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the coordinate analysis circuit includes:

a coordinate analysis circuit configured to determine a common frame of reference at least partially based on a landmark subsurface feature of a cavity or lumen of a mammalian body part, the cavity or lumen of the mammalian body part having at least two landmark subsurface features of the cavity or lumen and at least two regions of interest of a surface of the cavity or lumen, each landmark subsurface feature of the at least two landmark subsurface features of the cavity or lumen having a respective spatial relationship to a respective region of interest of the at least two regions of interest.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the coordinate analysis circuit includes:

a coordinate analysis circuit configured to determine a common frame of reference and a coordinate system at least partially based on a landmark subsurface feature of the cavity or lumen of a mammalian body part, the mammalian body part having at least two landmark subsurface features of the cavity or lumen and at least two regions of interest, each landmark subsurface feature of the at least two landmark subsurface of the cavity or lumen features having a respective spatial relationship to a respective region of interest of the at least two regions of interest.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the coordinate analysis circuit includes:

a coordinate analysis circuit configured to determine a common frame of reference anchored in a landmark subsurface feature of the cavity or lumen of a mammalian body part, the mammalian body part having at least two landmark subsurface features of the cavity or lumen and at least two regions of interest, each landmark subsurface feature of the at least two landmark subsurface features of the cavity or lumen having a respective spatial relationship to a respective region of interest of the at least two regions of interest.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the registration circuit includes:

a registration circuit configured to register the respective regions of interest of the mammalian body part, the registration at least partially based on the determined common frame of reference and on a spatial relationship among each landmark subsurface feature of the at least two landmark subsurface features.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the registration circuit includes:

a registration circuit configured to register a spatial relationship of the respective regions of interest of a mammalian body part with respect to each other region of interest of the at least two regions of interest, the registration at least partially based on the common frame of reference.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the registration circuit includes:

a registration circuit configured to register the respective regions of interest of a mammalian body part, the registration including an orientation of the respective regions of interest, and the registration at least partially based on the common frame of reference.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer-readable media includes:

a computer-readable media configured to maintain informational data corresponding to the respective registered regions of interest, and corresponding to the determined common frame of reference.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a communication circuit configured to output the informational data.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a communication circuit configured to provide a notification at least partially based on the informational data to at least one of a human, computer, or system.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a receiver circuit configured to receive at least two medical images, each medical image of the at least two medical images includes a respective region of interest of the mammalian body part.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a receiver circuit configured to receive at least two reference images, each reference image of the at least two reference images includes a respective landmark subsurface feature of the cavity or lumen of the mammalian body part, each landmark subsurface feature of the cavity or lumen having a respective spatial relationship to a respective region of interest included in a medical image of the at least two medical images.

14. A method implemented in a computing device, the method comprising:

(a) receiving at least two medical images, each medical image of the at least two medical images includes a respective region of interest of a mammalian body part;

(b) receiving at least two reference images, each reference image of the at least two reference images includes a respective landmark subsurface feature of a cavity or lumen of the mammalian body part, each landmark subsurface feature of the cavity or lumen having a respective spatial relationship to a respective region of interest included in a medical image of the at least two medical images, wherein the landmark subsurface feature of the cavity or lumen includes a subsurface vessel, blood vessel, vascular structure, or a pattern presented by one or more blood vessel of the cavity or lumen of the mammalian body part;

(c) determining a common frame of reference at least partially based on a landmark subsurface feature of the cavity or lumen included in a reference image of the at least two reference images;

(d) registering the respective regions of interest included in the at least two medical images, the registration at least partially based on the common frame of reference; and

(e) maintaining in a computer-readable media informational data corresponding to the registration of the respective regions of interest included in the at least two medical images.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the determining includes:

determining a common frame of reference and determining a spatial relationship among each respective landmark subsurface feature of the cavity or lumen of the at least two reference images, the determining at least partially based on a landmark subsurface feature of the cavity or lumen included in a reference image of the at least two reference images.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the registering includes:

registering the respective regions of interest included in the at least two medical images, the registration at least partially based on the common frame of reference and on the spatial relationship among each respective landmark subsurface feature of the cavity or lumen of the at least two reference images.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the maintaining includes:

maintaining in a computer-readable media informational data corresponding to the registration of the respective regions of interest, and providing electronic access to the informational data.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

extracting the respective landmark subsurface features of the cavity or lumen of the mammalian body part from the at least two reference images.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

outputting data usable in displaying a human-perceivable indication of the informational data.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

transforming the informational data into a particular visual depiction of the registration of the respective regions of interest included in the at least two medical images.

21. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

transforming the informational data into a particular visual depiction of the relative spatial relationships of the respective regions of interest included in the at least two medical images.

22. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

outputting the informational data.

23. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

providing a notification at least partially based on the informational data to at least one of a human, computer, or system.

24. A method comprising:

determining a common frame of reference at least partially based on a landmark subsurface feature of a cavity or lumen of a mammalian body part having at least two landmark subsurface features of the cavity or lumen and at least two regions of interest, each landmark subsurface feature of the at least two landmark subsurface features of the cavity or lumen having a respective spatial relationship to a respective region of interest of the at least two regions of interest, wherein the landmark subsurface feature of the cavity or lumen includes a subsurface vessel, blood vessel, vascular structure, or a pattern presented by one or more blood vessel of the cavity or lumen of the mammalian body part;

registering the respective regions of interest of the mammalian body part, the registration at least partially based on the common frame of reference; and

maintaining in a computer-readable media informational data corresponding to the respective registered regions of interest.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the determining includes:

determining a common frame of reference at least partially based on a landmark subsurface feature of a cavity or lumen of a mammalian body part, the cavity or lumen of the mammalian body part having at least two landmark subsurface features and at least two regions of interest, each landmark subsurface feature of the at least two landmark subsurface features of the cavity or lumen having a respective spatial relationship to a respective region of interest of the at least two regions of interest.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the determining includes:

determining a common frame of reference at least partially based on a landmark subsurface feature of a cavity or lumen of a mammalian body part, the cavity or lumen of the mammalian body part having at least two landmark subsurface features of the cavity or lumen and at least two regions of interest of a surface of the cavity or lumen, each landmark subsurface feature of the at least two landmark subsurface features of the cavity or lumen having a respective spatial relationship to a respective region of interest of the at least two regions of interest.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the registering includes:

registering the respective regions of interest of the mammalian body part, the registration at least partially based on the determined common frame of reference and on a spatial relationship among each landmark subsurface feature of the at least two landmark subsurface features of the cavity or lumen.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein the maintaining includes:

maintaining in a computer-readable media informational data corresponding to the respective registered regions of interest, and providing electronic access to the informational data.

29. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

transforming the informational data into a particular visual depiction of the respective registered regions of interest.

30. The method of claim 24, further including:

transforming the informational data into a particular visual depiction of a spatial relationship among the respective registered regions of interest.

31. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

outputting the informational data.

32. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

providing a notification at least partially based on the informational data to at least one of a human, computer, or system.

33. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

receiving at least two medical images, each medical image of the at least two medical images includes a respective region of interest of the mammalian body part.

34. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

receiving at least two reference images, each reference image of the at least two reference images includes a respective landmark subsurface feature of the cavity or lumen of the mammalian body part, each landmark subsurface feature of the cavity or lumen having a respective spatial relationship to a respective region of interest included in a medical image of at least two medical images.

35. A computer program product comprising:

(a) a non-transitory computer-readable medium including program instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor of a computing device, cause the computing device to perform a process including;

(i) determining a common frame of reference at least partially based on a landmark subsurface feature of a cavity or lumen of a mammalian body part having at least two landmark subsurface features of the cavity or lumen and at least two regions of interest, each landmark subsurface feature of the at least two landmark subsurface features of the cavity or lumen having a respective spatial relationship to a respective region of interest of the at least two regions of interest, wherein the landmark subsurface feature of the cavity or lumen includes a subsurface vessel, blood vessel, vascular structure, or a pattern presented by one or more blood vessel of the cavity or lumen of the mammalian body part;

(ii) registering the respective regions of interest of the mammalian body part, the registration at least partially based on the determined common frame of reference; and

(iii) storing in another computer-readable media operably coupled with processor informational data corresponding to the respective registered regions of interest.

36. The computer program product of claim 35, wherein the process further includes:

transforming the informational data into a signal useable in providing a particular visual depiction of the respective registered regions of interest.

37. The computer program product of claim 35, wherein the process further includes:

providing a notification at least partially based on the informational data to at least one of a human, computer, or system.

38. The computer program product of claim 35, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium includes a tangible computer-readable media.

39. The computer program product of claim 35, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium includes a communications media.

40. A system comprising;

means for determining a common frame of reference at least partially based on a landmark subsurface feature of a cavity or lumen of a mammalian body part, the mammalian body part having at least two landmark subsurface feature of the cavity or lumen and at least two regions of interest, each landmark subsurface feature of at least two landmark subsurface features of the cavity or lumen having a respective spatial relationship to a respective region of interest of the at least two regions of interest, wherein the landmark subsurface feature of the cavity or lumen includes a subsurface vessel, blood vessel, vascular structure, or a pattern presented by one or more blood vessel of the cavity or lumen of the mammalian body part;

means for registering the respective regions of interest of the mammalian body part, the registration at least partially based on the common frame of reference; and

means for persistently maintaining computer-readable informational data corresponding to the respective registered regions of interest.

41. The system of claim 40, further comprising:

means for transforming the informational data into a particular visual depiction of the respective registered regions of interest.

42. The system of claim 40, further comprising:

means for outputting the informational data.

43. The system of claim 40, further comprising:

means for providing a notification at least partially based on the informational data to at least one of a human, computer, or system.