Automatic enhancement of an image stream of a moving organ and displaying as a movie
First Claim
1. A method for imaging a portion of a body of a subject that undergoes motion, the method comprising:
- using an image-acquisition device, acquiring a plurality of image frames of the portion of the subject'"'"'s body;
using a processor, generating an enhanced movie of the portion of the subject'"'"'s body, in which a vicinity of a given feature of the image frames is enhanced, by;
automatically identifying the given feature in each of the plurality of acquired image frames,aligning at least some of the image frames of the plurality of acquired image frames by aligning the given feature in the at least some of the image frames, andaveraging respective sets of two or more of the aligned frames to generate a plurality of averaged image frames, in which the vicinity of the given feature in the averaged image frames is enhanced, by components of the aligned frames that are not in the vicinity of the given feature being at least partially averaged out; and
using a display, displaying the enhanced movie of the portion of the subject'"'"'s body, by displaying, as a stream of image frames, the plurality of averaged image frames,wherein acquiring the plurality of image frames comprises acquiring, sequentially, first and second image frames of the portion of the subject'"'"'s body,wherein generating the enhanced movie of the portion of the subject'"'"'s body comprises;
generating a first moving-average image frame, in which the vicinity of a given feature is enhanced, using frames of the portion of the subject'"'"'s body that were acquired prior to the acquisition of the first and second acquired image frames;
aligning the given feature in the first acquired image frame with the given feature in the first moving-average image frame;
when the given feature in the first acquired image frame is aligned with the given feature in the first moving-average image frame, averaging the first acquired image frame with the first moving-average image frame to generate a second moving average image frame in which the vicinity of the given feature is enhanced;
aligning the given feature in the second moving-average image frame with the given feature in the second acquired image frame; and
when the given feature in the second moving-average image frame is aligned with the given feature in the second acquired image frame, averaging the second acquired image frame with the second moving-average image frame to generate a third moving-average image frame in which the vicinity of the given feature is enhanced, andwherein displaying the enhanced movie of the portion of the subject'"'"'s body comprises displaying, in an image stream, the first, second, and third moving-average image frames.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus and methods are described for imaging a portion of a body of a subject that undergoes motion. A plurality of image frames of the portion are acquired. A stream of image frames is generated in which a vicinity of a given feature of the image frames is enhanced, by (a) automatically identifying the given feature in each of the image frames, (b) aligning the given feature in two or more of the image frames, (c) averaging sets of two or more of the aligned frames to generate a plurality of averaged image frames, and (d) displaying as a stream of image frames the plurality of averaged image frames. Other embodiments are also described.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A method for imaging a portion of a body of a subject that undergoes motion, the method comprising:
-
using an image-acquisition device, acquiring a plurality of image frames of the portion of the subject'"'"'s body; using a processor, generating an enhanced movie of the portion of the subject'"'"'s body, in which a vicinity of a given feature of the image frames is enhanced, by; automatically identifying the given feature in each of the plurality of acquired image frames, aligning at least some of the image frames of the plurality of acquired image frames by aligning the given feature in the at least some of the image frames, and averaging respective sets of two or more of the aligned frames to generate a plurality of averaged image frames, in which the vicinity of the given feature in the averaged image frames is enhanced, by components of the aligned frames that are not in the vicinity of the given feature being at least partially averaged out; and using a display, displaying the enhanced movie of the portion of the subject'"'"'s body, by displaying, as a stream of image frames, the plurality of averaged image frames, wherein acquiring the plurality of image frames comprises acquiring, sequentially, first and second image frames of the portion of the subject'"'"'s body, wherein generating the enhanced movie of the portion of the subject'"'"'s body comprises; generating a first moving-average image frame, in which the vicinity of a given feature is enhanced, using frames of the portion of the subject'"'"'s body that were acquired prior to the acquisition of the first and second acquired image frames; aligning the given feature in the first acquired image frame with the given feature in the first moving-average image frame; when the given feature in the first acquired image frame is aligned with the given feature in the first moving-average image frame, averaging the first acquired image frame with the first moving-average image frame to generate a second moving average image frame in which the vicinity of the given feature is enhanced; aligning the given feature in the second moving-average image frame with the given feature in the second acquired image frame; and when the given feature in the second moving-average image frame is aligned with the given feature in the second acquired image frame, averaging the second acquired image frame with the second moving-average image frame to generate a third moving-average image frame in which the vicinity of the given feature is enhanced, and wherein displaying the enhanced movie of the portion of the subject'"'"'s body comprises displaying, in an image stream, the first, second, and third moving-average image frames. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. Apparatus for use with a portion of a body of a subject that undergoes motion, the apparatus comprising:
-
an image-acquisition device configured to acquire a plurality of image frames of the portion of the subject'"'"'s body; a display; and at least one processor configured to; generate an enhanced movie of the portion of the subject'"'"'s body, in which a vicinity of a given feature of the image frames is enhanced, by; receiving the plurality of acquired image frames, automatically identifying the given feature in each of the acquired image frames, aligning at least some of the image frames of the plurality of acquired image frames by aligning the given feature in the at least some of the image frames, and averaging respective sets of two or more of the aligned frames to generate a plurality of averaged image frames, in which the vicinity of the given feature in the averaged image frames is enhanced, by components of the aligned frames that are not in the vicinity of the given feature being at least partially averaged out, and drive the display to display the enhanced movie of the portion of the subject'"'"'s body, by displaying, as a stream of image frames, the plurality of averaged image frames, wherein; the image-acquisition device is configured to acquire, sequentially, first and second image frames of the portion of the subject'"'"'s body, and the processor is configured to; generate the enhanced movie of the portion of the subject'"'"'s body by; generating a first moving-average image frame, in which the vicinity of the given feature is enhanced, using frames of the portion of the subject'"'"'s body that were acquired prior to the acquisition of the first and second frames, aligning the given feature in the first acquired image frame with the given feature in the first moving-average image frame, when the given feature in the first image frame is aligned with the given feature in the first moving-average image frame, averaging the first acquired image frame with the first moving-average image frame to generate a second moving-average image frame in which the vicinity of the given feature is enhanced, aligning the given feature in the second moving-average image frame with the given feature in the second acquired image frame, when the given feature in the second moving-average image frame is aligned with the given feature in the second acquired image frame, averaging the second acquired image frame with the second moving-average image frame to generate a third moving-average image frame in which the vicinity of the given feature is enhanced, and drive the display to display the enhanced movie of the portion of the subject'"'"'s body, by driving the display to display, in an image stream, the first, second, and third moving-average image frames. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification