Medical image navigation system

US10548570B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• KONINIKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V. · NL

Inventors

• Daniel Bystrov · Hamburg, DE
• Torbjoern Vik · Hamburg, DE
• Astrid Ruth Franz · Hamburg, DE
• Harald Sepp Heese · Hamburg, DE
• Rafael Wiemker · Kisdorf, DE
• Dominik Benjamin Kutra · Hamburg, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 3, 2017
• Grant date: Feb 4, 2020
• Expiry date: Mar 3, 2037

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G16Z99/00
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A system and a method are provided for enabling a user to interactively navigate through a set of slice images, the set of slice images jointly representing an image volume showing an anatomical structure of a patient. A user may be enabled to switch from a static viewing mode to a navigation mode based on navigation commands received from a user input device operable by the user. A display processor may be configured for, in the static viewing mode, generating an output image comprising one slice image of the set of slice images. The display processor may be configured for, in the navigation mode, replacing the said one slice image in the output image by a volume rendering of a slab of the image volume, the slab comprising more than one slice image. The system and method thus selectively switch to volume rendering, namely during navigation, whereas in a static (i.e., non-navigation) viewing mode, a slice image is shown. Advantageously, the user may thus follow structures more accurately when navigate through a volume image, thereby more quickly and accurately identifying slice images of interest.