Confirming that an image includes at least a portion of a target region of interest

• US 20130070980A1
• Filed: 09/16/2011
• Published: 03/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Modulated Imaging, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC (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.
• Granted Patent: US 9,081,992 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/128
• 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 a first medical image. The first medical image includes a selected target region of interest of an individual patient'"'"'s body part, and a landmark subsurface feature of the individual patient'"'"'s body part having a first spatial relationship with the selected target region. The receiver circuit receives a second medical image that includes a candidate region of interest of the individual patient'"'"'s body part, and a landmark feature of the individual'"'"'s patient body part having a second spatial relationship with the candidate region. A feature matching circuit determines a correspondence between the candidate landmark subsurface feature and the associated landmark subsurface feature. A reporting circuit generates informational data indicating the second medical image includes at least a portion of the selected target region of interest. A communication circuit outputs the informational data.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

(a) a receiver circuit configured to receive

(i) a first medical image that includes a selected target region of interest of a body part of an individual patient (hereafter “

individual patient body part”

), and that includes a landmark subsurface feature of the individual patient body part having a first spatial relationship with the selected target region of interest (hereafter “

associated landmark subsurface feature”

); and

(ii) a second medical image that includes a candidate region of interest of the individual patient body part, and that includes a landmark feature of the individual patient body part having a second spatial relationship with the candidate region of interest (hereafter “

candidate landmark subsurface feature”

);

(b) a feature matching circuit configured to determine a substantial correspondence between the candidate landmark subsurface feature and the associated landmark subsurface feature;

(c) a reporting circuit configured to generate informational data indicating the second medical image includes at least a portion of the selected target region of interest, the informational data at least partially based on the determined substantial correspondence between the candidate landmark subsurface feature and the associated landmark subsurface feature; and

(d) a communication circuit configured to output the informational data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first medical image includes:

a first medical image that includes a selected target region of interest of a cavity or lumen of an individual patient body part, and that includes an associated landmark subsurface feature.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first medical image includes:

a first medical image that includes a selected target region of interest of a surface of a cavity or lumen of an individual patient body part, and that includes an associated landmark subsurface feature.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first medical image includes:

a first medical image that includes a selected surface region of interest of an individual patient body part, and that includes an associated landmark subsurface feature.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first medical image includes:

a first medical image that includes a selected subsurface region of interest of an individual patient body part, and that includes an associated landmark subsurface feature.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the first medical image includes:

a first medical image that includes a selected target region of interest of an individual patient body part, and that includes an associated landmark subsurface feature machine-distinguishable from other landmark features of the individual patient body part.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the second medical image includes:

a second medical image that includes a candidate region of interest of the individual patient body part, and that includes a candidate landmark feature of the individual patient body part machine-distinguishable from other landmark features of the individual patient body part.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the first medical image includes:

a first medical image that includes a machine-selected target region of interest of an individual patient body part, and that includes an associated landmark subsurface feature.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the first medical image includes:

a first medical image that includes a human-selected target region of interest of an individual patient body part, and that includes an associated landmark subsurface feature.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the feature matching circuit includes:

a feature matching circuit configured to determine a substantial correspondence between the candidate landmark subsurface feature and the associated landmark subsurface feature, and to determine a substantial correspondence between the first spatial relationship and the second spatial relationship.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the reporting circuit includes:

a reporting circuit configured to generate informational data indicating the second medical image includes at least a portion of the selected target region of interest, the informational data at least partially based on (i) the determined substantial correspondence between the candidate landmark subsurface feature and the associated landmark subsurface feature, and (ii) the determined substantial correspondence between the first spatial relationship and the second spatial relationship.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the reporting circuit includes:

a reporting circuit configured to generate informational data indicating the second medical image includes at least a portion of the selected target region of interest, the informational data at least partially based on (i) the determined substantial correspondence between the candidate landmark subsurface feature and the associated landmark subsurface feature, (ii) the first spatial relationship between the selected target region of interest and the associated landmark subsurface feature, and (iii) the second spatial relationship between the candidate region of interest and the candidate landmark subsurface feature.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the feature matching circuit includes:

a feature matching circuit configured to determine at least one of a structural, pattern, orientation, physical characteristic, or identification-based substantial correspondence between the candidate landmark subsurface feature and the associated landmark subsurface feature.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the reporting circuit includes:

a reporting circuit configured to generate informational data indicating the candidate region of interest of the second medical image includes at least a portion of the selected target region of interest, the informational data at least partially based on the determined substantial correspondence between the candidate landmark subsurface feature and the associated landmark subsurface feature.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the reporting circuit includes:

a reporting circuit configured to generate informational data indicating the second medical image includes at least a portion of the selected target region of interest, the informational data at least partially based on the determined substantial correspondence between the candidate landmark subsurface feature and the associated landmark subsurface feature, otherwise

to generate informational data indicating the second medical image does not include the target region of interest, the another informational data at least partially based on an absence of a determined substantial correspondence between the candidate landmark subsurface feature and the associated landmark subsurface feature.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication circuit includes:

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.

21. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an indicator circuit configured to display a human-perceivable indication that the second medical image includes at least a portion of the target region of interest.

22. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a computer-readable media configured to maintain the informational data.

3. (canceled)

5. (canceled)

7. (canceled)

9. (canceled)

23. A method comprising:

(a) receiving a first medical image that includes a selected target region of interest of a body part of an individual patient (hereafter “

individual patient body part”

), and that includes a landmark subsurface feature of the individual patient body part having a first spatial relationship with the selected target region of interest (hereafter “

associated landmark subsurface feature”

);

(b) receiving a second medical image that includes a candidate region of interest of the individual patient body part, and that includes a landmark feature of the individual patient body part having a second spatial relationship with the candidate region of interest (hereafter “

candidate landmark subsurface feature”

);

(c) determining a substantial correspondence between the candidate landmark subsurface feature and the associated landmark subsurface feature;

(d) generating informational data indicating the second medical image includes at least a portion of the selected target region of interest, the informational data at least partially based on the determined substantial correspondence between the candidate landmark subsurface feature and the associated landmark subsurface feature; and

(e) outputting the informational data.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein the receiving a first medical image includes:

receiving a first medical image that that includes a selected surface region of interest of an individual patient body part, and that includes an associated landmark subsurface feature.

30. The method of claim 23, wherein the receiving a first medical image includes:

receiving a first medical image that that includes a selected subsurface region of interest of an individual patient body part, and that includes an associated landmark subsurface feature.

32. The method of claim 23, wherein the receiving a first medical image includes:

receiving a first medical image that includes a selected target region of interest of an individual patient body part, and that includes an associated landmark subsurface feature machine-distinguishable from other landmark features of the individual patient body part.

34. The method of claim 23, wherein the determining a substantial correspondence includes:

determining a substantial correspondence between the candidate landmark subsurface feature and the associated landmark subsurface feature, and determining a substantial correspondence between the first spatial relationship and the second spatial relationship.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the generating informational data includes:

generating informational data indicating the second medical image includes at least a portion of the selected target region of interest, the informational data at least partially based on (i) the determined substantial correspondence between the candidate landmark subsurface feature and the associated landmark subsurface feature, and (ii) the determined substantial correspondence between the first spatial relationship and the second spatial relationship.

36. The method of claim 23, wherein the determining a substantial correspondence includes:

determining at least one of a structural, pattern, orientation, physical characteristic, or identification-based substantial correspondence between the candidate landmark subsurface feature and the associated landmark subsurface feature.

37. The method of claim 23, wherein the generating informational data includes:

generating informational data indicating the second medical image includes at least a portion of the selected target region of interest, the informational data at least partially based on (i) the determined substantial correspondence between the candidate landmark subsurface feature and the associated landmark subsurface feature, (ii) the first spatial relationship between the selected target region of interest and the associated landmark subsurface feature, and (iii) the second spatial relationship between the candidate region of interest and the candidate landmark subsurface feature.

38. The method of claim 23, wherein the generating informational data includes:

generating informational data indicating the candidate region of interest of the second medical image includes at least a portion of the selected target region of interest, the informational data at least partially based on the determined substantial correspondence between the candidate landmark subsurface feature and the associated landmark subsurface feature.

39. The method of claim 23, wherein the generating informational data includes:

generating informational data indicating the second medical image includes at least a portion of the selected target region of interest, the informational data at least partially based on the determined substantial correspondence between the candidate landmark subsurface feature and the associated landmark subsurface feature, otherwise

generating informational data indicating the second medical image does not include the target region of interest, the another informational data at least partially based on an absence of a determined substantial correspondence between the candidate landmark subsurface feature and the associated landmark subsurface feature.

40. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

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

41. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

displaying a human-perceivable indication that the second medical image includes at least a portion of the target region of interest.

42. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

maintaining the informational data in a computer-readable media.

43. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

transforming the informational data into a signal usable in displaying a particular visual indication that the second medical image includes at least a portion of the selected target region of interest.

24-27. -27. (canceled)

29. (canceled)

31. (canceled)

33. (canceled)

44. A computer program product comprising:

(a) program instructions which, when executed by a processor of a computing device, cause the computing device to perform a process including;

(i) receiving a first medical image that includes a selected target region of interest of a body part of an individual patient (hereafter “

individual patient body part”

), and that includes a landmark subsurface feature of the individual patient body part having a first spatial relationship with the selected target region of interest (hereafter “

associated landmark subsurface feature”

);

(ii) receiving a second medical image that includes a candidate region of interest of the individual patient body part, and that includes a landmark feature of the individual patient body part having a second spatial relationship with the candidate region of interest (hereafter “

candidate landmark subsurface feature”

);

(iii) determining a substantial correspondence between the candidate landmark subsurface feature and the associated landmark subsurface feature;

(iv) generating informational data indicating the second medical image includes at least a portion of the selected target region of interest, the informational data at least partially based on the determined substantial correspondence between the candidate landmark subsurface feature and the associated landmark subsurface feature; and

(v) outputting the informational data; and

(b) a computer-readable media bearing the program instructions.

45. The computer program product of claim 44, wherein the process further comprises:

storing the informational data in another computer-readable media operably coupled with the processor.

46. The computer program product of claim 44, wherein the process further comprises:

transforming the informational data into a signal usable in providing a particular visual indication that the second medical image includes at least a portion of the selected target region of interest.

47. The computer program product of claim 44, 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.

48. The computer program product of claim 44, wherein the computer-readable media includes a tangible computer-readable media.

49. The computer program product of claim 44, wherein the computer-readable media includes a communications media.

50. A system comprising:

(a) means for receiving a first medical image that includes a selected target region of interest of a body part of an individual patient (hereafter “

individual patient body part”

), and that includes a landmark subsurface feature of the individual patient body part having a first spatial relationship with the selected target region of interest (hereafter “

associated landmark subsurface feature”

);

(b) means for receiving a second medical image that includes a candidate region of interest of the individual patient body part, and that includes a landmark feature of the individual patient body part having a second spatial relationship with the candidate region of interest (hereafter “

candidate landmark subsurface feature”

);

(c) means for determining a substantial correspondence between the candidate landmark subsurface feature and the associated landmark subsurface feature;

(d) means for generating informational data indicating the second medical image includes at least a portion of the selected target region of interest, the informational data at least partially based on the determined substantial correspondence between the candidate landmark subsurface feature and the associated landmark subsurface feature, and

(e) means for outputting the informational data.

51. The system of claim 50, further comprising:

means for persistently maintaining the informational data.

52. The system of claim 50, further comprising:

means for transforming the informational data into a signal usable in providing a particular visual indication that the second medical image includes at least a portion of the selected target region of interest.

53. The system of claim 50, 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.