Method and system for hierarchical parsing and semantic navigation of full body computed tomography data

US9785858B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Siemens Healthcare Limited · DE

Inventors

• Sascha Seifert · Remchingen, DE
• Adrian Barbu · Tallahassee, US
• Shaohua Kevin Zhou · Plainsboro, US
• David Liu · San Francisco, US
• Johannes Feulner · Erlangen, DE
• Martin Huber · Uttenreuth, DE
• Michael Suehling · Erlangen, DE
• Alexander Cavallaro · Fairview Avenue, DE
• Dorin Comaniciu · Princeton Junction, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 25, 2009
• Grant date: Oct 10, 2017
• Expiry date: May 5, 2036

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06V2201/03
• WIPO field: Computer technology
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A method and apparatus for hierarchical parsing and semantic navigation of a full or partial body computed tomography CT scan is disclosed. In particular, organs are segmented and anatomic landmarks are detected in a full or partial body CT volume. One or more predetermined slices of the CT volume are detected. A plurality of anatomic landmarks and organ centers are then detected in the CT volume using a discriminative anatomical network, each detected in a portion of the CT volume constrained by at least one of the detected slices. A plurality of organs, such as heart, liver, kidneys, spleen, bladder, and prostate, are detected in a sense of a bounding box and segmented in the CT volume, detection of each organ bounding box constrained by the detected organ centers and anatomic landmarks. Organ segmentation is via a database-guided segmentation method.