Region growing in anatomical images
US7397937B2 · kind B2 · utility
60Cited by
44References
34Claims
0Family size
Assignee
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Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 30, 2002 |
| Grant date | Jul 8, 2008 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 6, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG16H50/20
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A region-growing method for identifying nodules in an anatomical volume segments a 3-D image volume by controlled voxel growth from seed points. The process is based on creation and use of a distance map for tracking the distance of vessel voxels from a predetermined location. A volume map is created that identifies the largest sphere that can pass between a voxel and a predetermined location without touching a non-vessel voxel. The ratio between the distance map and the volume map is analyzed to find regions more likely to contain nodules, the features of which can be extracted or otherwise highlighted.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.