Method and apparatus for small pulmonary nodule computer aided diagnosis from computed tomography scans
US8050481B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 2, 2010 |
| Grant date | Nov 1, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 2, 2030 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06T2207/30061
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The present invention is a multi-stage detection algorithm using a successive nodule candidate refinement approach. The detection algorithm involves four major steps. First, a lung region is segmented from a whole lung CT scan. This is followed by a hypothesis generation stage in which nodule candidate locations are identified from the lung region. In the third stage, nodule candidate sub-images or the lung region of the CT scan pass through a streaking artifact removal process. The nodule candidates are then successively refined using a sequence of filters of increasing complexity. A first filter uses attachment area information to remove vessels and large vessel bifurcation points from the nodule candidate list. A second filter removes small bifurcation points.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.