Method and system for identifying anomalies in medical images especially those including one of a pair of symmetric body parts
First Claim
1. A method for analyzing a subject medical image containing at least a first body part having symmetrical properties with a second body part, comprising:
- determining, using a processor, a line of symmetry between the first body part in the subject medical image and the second body part;
analyzing, using the processor, regions of the first and second body parts on opposite sides of the determined line of symmetry for differences; and
only when one or more differences between one of the regions of the first body part in the subject medical image relative to a symmetric one of the regions of the second body part are found,retrieving, from a database, at least one set of a plurality of specific metrics from a plurality of sets of metrics stored in the database, each of the sets of metrics stored in the database being derived from an anomaly or a non-anomalous region in an associated one of a plurality of historical medical images such that at least one set is derived from an anomaly of an associated historical medical image and at least one set is derived from a non-anomalous region of an associated historical medical image, each of the metrics in each set of metrics being a different measurement of the associated historical medical image;
determining, using the processor, a plurality of specific metrics from each of the regions of the first body part in the subject medical image, each of the metrics being a different measurement of the region of the first body part in the subject medical image;
comparing, using the processor, each of the determined metrics from each of the regions of the first body part in the subject medical image to a respective one of the metrics of the retrieved at least one set of the plurality of metrics from the database to determine a degree of similarity therebetween;
creating, using the processor, a contour map based on the determined degree of similarity between the plurality of determined metrics from each of the regions of the first body part in the subject medical image and the retrieved at least one set of the plurality of metrics from the database; and
displaying the created contour map on the subject medical image on a display.
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Abstract
Method for locating anomalous features in medical images in which medical images are supplied by an external source. A sequence of specific measurements is executed on the supplied data to obtain image-related metrics. The metrics are compared to corresponding values in a database resulting in an anomalous/not anomalous determination. Anomalous determinations are presented to the test operator for analysis along with supplemental historical data. In application to all types of medical imagery, potential anomalies are located resulting in an efficient and accurate diagnosis. For paired body parts having symmetrical properties, as a pre-screening stage, a line of symmetry between the body parts is determined and symmetric regions of the two body parts on opposite sides of the determined line of symmetry are analyzed for differences. The metric comparison using the database is performed between both symmetric regions only when differences between the symmetric regions of the subject medical image are present.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method for analyzing a subject medical image containing at least a first body part having symmetrical properties with a second body part, comprising:
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determining, using a processor, a line of symmetry between the first body part in the subject medical image and the second body part; analyzing, using the processor, regions of the first and second body parts on opposite sides of the determined line of symmetry for differences; and only when one or more differences between one of the regions of the first body part in the subject medical image relative to a symmetric one of the regions of the second body part are found, retrieving, from a database, at least one set of a plurality of specific metrics from a plurality of sets of metrics stored in the database, each of the sets of metrics stored in the database being derived from an anomaly or a non-anomalous region in an associated one of a plurality of historical medical images such that at least one set is derived from an anomaly of an associated historical medical image and at least one set is derived from a non-anomalous region of an associated historical medical image, each of the metrics in each set of metrics being a different measurement of the associated historical medical image; determining, using the processor, a plurality of specific metrics from each of the regions of the first body part in the subject medical image, each of the metrics being a different measurement of the region of the first body part in the subject medical image; comparing, using the processor, each of the determined metrics from each of the regions of the first body part in the subject medical image to a respective one of the metrics of the retrieved at least one set of the plurality of metrics from the database to determine a degree of similarity therebetween; creating, using the processor, a contour map based on the determined degree of similarity between the plurality of determined metrics from each of the regions of the first body part in the subject medical image and the retrieved at least one set of the plurality of metrics from the database; and displaying the created contour map on the subject medical image on a display. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A system for analyzing a subject medical image containing at least a first body part having symmetrical properties with a second body part, comprising:
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a database containing sets of a plurality of specific metrics, each of the sets of metrics being derived from an anomaly or a non-anomalous region in an associated one of a plurality of historical medical images such that at least one set is derived from an anomaly of an associated historical medical image and at least one set is derived from a non-anomalous region of an associated historical medical image, each of the metrics in each set of metrics being a different measurement of the associated historical medical image; at least one processor coupled to said database and that determines a line of symmetry between the first body part in the subject medical image and the second body part, analyzes regions of the first and second body parts on opposite sides of the determined line of symmetry for differences, and only when one or more differences between one of the regions of the first body part of the subject medical image relative to a symmetric one of the regions of the second body part are found, determines a plurality of specific metrics from each of the regions of the first body part of the subject medical image, each of the determined metrics being a different measurement of the subject medical image, said at least one processor being configured to compare each of the determined metrics from each of the regions of the first body part of the subject medical image to a respective one of the metrics of the retrieved at least one set of the plurality of metrics from said database to determine a degree of similarity therebetween, said at least one processor being further configured to create a contour map based on the determined degree of similarity between the plurality of determined metrics from each of the regions of the first body part of the subject medical image and the retrieved at least one set of the plurality of metrics from said database; and a display device coupled to said at least one processor, said display device being directed by said at least one processor to display the created contour map on the subject medical image. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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14. A system for analyzing a subject medical image containing at least a first body part having symmetrical properties with a second body part, comprising:
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a database containing sets of a plurality of specific metrics derived from both anomalies and non-anomalous regions in a plurality of historical medical images, wherein the anomalies and non-anomalous regions are considered to be “
good”
or normal;a second database containing sets of a plurality of specific metrics derived from both anomalies and non-anomalous regions in a plurality of historical medical images, wherein the anomalies and non-anomalous regions are considered to be “
bad”
or abnormal;a processor coupled to said first and second databases and configured to; determine a line of symmetry between the first body part in the subject medical image and the second body part, analyze regions of the first and second body parts on opposite sides of the determined line of symmetry for differences, and only when one or more differences between one of the regions of the first body part of the subject medical image relative to a symmetric one of the regions of the second body part are found, determine the plurality of specific metrics from each of the regions of the first body part of the subject medical image obtained by said medical imaging device, each of the determined metrics being a different measurement of the subject medical image, compare the plurality of metrics from each of the regions of the first body part of the subject medical image to the sets of the plurality of metrics from said first database to determine a degree of similarity between the plurality of determined metrics from each of the regions of the first body part of the subject medical image and each set of the plurality of metrics from said first database, and thereafter and only when the degree of similarity between the plurality of determined metrics from at least one of the regions of the first body part of the subject medical image and all of the sets of the plurality of metrics from said first database is below a threshold, compare the plurality of metrics from the at least one of the regions of the first body part of the subject medical image to the sets of the plurality of metrics from said second database to determine a degree of similarity between the plurality of determined metrics from the at least one of the regions of the first body part of the subject medical image and each set of the plurality of metrics from said second database, and create a contour map based on the determined degree of similarity between the plurality of metrics from the at least one of the regions of the first body part of the subject medical image and the sets of the plurality of metrics from said second database; and a display device coupled to said processor, said display device being directed by said processor to display the created contour map on the subject medical image.
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Specification