Patent · US Active

Shape estimates and temporal registration of lesions and nodules

US7486812B2 · kind B2 · utility

5Cited by
3References
47Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateNov 19, 2004
Grant dateFeb 3, 2009
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 1, 2027

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06T2207/30064
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method for refining shape estimates of detected abnormalities in medical images, particularly for the detection of pulmonary lesions in CT imagery is described. A cue point is refined prior to an initially segmentation of the lesion. A radial gradient is computed for points on an initial segmented lesion. Portions of the lesion with radial gradients deviating beyond a threshold angle are removed from the lesion. Registering imagery from more than one CT exam uses a high intensity structure, essentially bone, to provide coarse and fine alignment of a set of two-dimensional images is also described. A MIP image is formed from the three-dimensional images. A second MIP image is then formed from imagery. The second MIP image is correlated with the first MIP image to determine a preferred registration location.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.