Patent · US Active

Composite images for medical procedures

US8207992B2 · kind B2 · utility

1Cited by
16References
14Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 5, 2008
Grant dateJun 26, 2012
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 5, 2028

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06T2207/30004
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Medical imaging often involves the collective use of information presented in multiple images of an individual, such as images generated through different imaging modalities (X-ray, CT, PET, etc.) The use of a composite of these images may involve image registration to adjust for the variable position and orientation discrepancies of the individual during imaging. However, registration may be complicated by soft tissue deformation between images, and implementations (particularly pure software implementations) of the mathematical models used in image registration may be computationally complex and may require up to several hours. Hardware architectures are presented that apply the mathematical techniques in an accelerated manner, thereby providing near-realtime image registration that may be of particular use for the short timeframe requirements of surgical environments. The composite image generated thereby may be used to target anatomic features of interest during various medical procedures, including surgical procedures. Moreover, such techniques may be applied to computationally difficult image processing techniques, such as the display of a composite image based at least in pa…

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