Virtual bone biopsy

• US 20050031179A1
• Filed: 12/05/2002
• Published: 02/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pennsylvania University of The Trustees of The
• Original Assignee: Pennsylvania University of The Trustees of The
• Inventors: Wehrli, Felix W., Gomberg, Bryon R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,477,770 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/131
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 24/08 by using nuclear magnetic resonance G01N24/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/48 NMR imaging systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/56509 due to motion, displacement or flow, e.g. gradient moment nulling G01R33/567 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/5659 caused by a distortion of the RF magnetic field, e.g. spatial inhomogeneities of the RF magnetic field G01R33/56509, G01R33/56518, G01R33/56536 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10088 Magnetic resonance imaging [MRI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30008 Bone
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0012 Biomedical image inspection

Abstract

The present indention comprises a system and method for analyzing trabecular bone structure. A means for scanning the trabecular bone using a magnetic resonance image (MRI) scanner generates bone image data, which is then processed including correcting, deshadi4 and reducing noise in the image data.

Claims

1. A method of analyzing trabecular bone structure of a patient comprising the steps of:

scanning the trabecular bone of said patient using a magnetic resonance image (MRI) scanner to generate bone image data; and

processing the image data comprising

correcting the image data to compensate for involuntary movement by the patient during said scanning;

deshading the image data to minimize the effects of radio frequency inhomogeniety; and

reducing noise in the image data.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of evaluating the processed image data to determine network strength of the scanned bone.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said evaluation comprises topological analysis of said bone.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said evaluation comprises determining structural anisotropy.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein said evaluation comprises trabecular thickness.

7. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of registering the bone image data to base line data, when said scanning is a rescan of said trabecular bone.

8. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of selecting an artifact free portion of the scanned trabecular bone, when said scanning is a first scan of the patient'"'"'s trabecular bone.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of determining the patient'"'"'s risk of bone fracture from the processed image data.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of determining the patient'"'"'s response to medication by comparing the processed image data taken of the patient'"'"'s trabecular bone before administration of the medication, with a processed image data from a matched trabecular bone image from the patient at a time point after administration of the medication.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising the steps of:

selecting an anatomical region comprising the trabecular bone for scanning;

selecting a coil for scanning in response to said selection;

positioning said anatomical location relative to said coil; and

immobilizing said anatomical location and said coil, such that movement is minimized.

15. An improved, scanned and processed image of the bone structure of a patient produced by the method of claim 1.

2. (Cancelled).

12-14. -14. (Cancelled).

16. A method of analyzing trabecular bone structure comprising the steps of:

scanning the trabecular bone using a magnetic resonance image (MRI) scanner to generate bone image data; and

processing the image data comprising;

correcting the image data to compensate for movement by the patient during said scanning;

deshading the image data to minimize the effects of radio frequency inhomogeniety; and

reducing noise in the image data.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of evaluating the processed image data to determine network strength of the scanned bone.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said evaluation comprises topological analysis of said bone.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein said evaluation comprises determining structural anisotropy.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein said evaluation comprises trabecular thickness.

21. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of registering the bone image data to base line data, when said scanning is a rescan of said trabecular bone.

22. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of selecting an artifact free portion of the scanned trabecular bone, when said scanning is a first scan of the trabecular bone.

23. An improved, scanned and processed image of the bone structure of a patient produced by the method of claim 16.

24. A device for analyzing trabecular bone structure, comprising:

means for scanning the trabecular bone using a magnetic resonance image (MRI) scanner to generate bone image data; and

computer means for processing the image data, the means comprising;

means for correcting the image data to compensate for movement during the scanning;

means for deshading the image data to minimize the effects of radio frequency inhomogeniety; and

means for reducing noise in the image data; and

means for transmitting the bone image data to the processing computer means.

25. The device of claim 24, further comprising means for evaluating processed image data to determine bone network strength of the scanned bone.

26. A system for analyzing trabecular bone structure, comprising:

computer-readable signal-bearing medium;

means in the medium for scanning the trabecular bone using a magnetic resonance image (MRI) scanner to generate bone image data; and

means in the medium for processing the image data, the means comprising;

means in the medium for correcting the image data to compensate for movement during said scanning;

means in the medium for deshading the image data to minimize the effects of radio frequency inhomogeniety; and

means for reducing noise in the image data.