Morphology-based methods and devices for treating catheter artifacts

Abstract

This application relates to a morphology-based method, apparatus, and electronic device for processing catheter artifacts. The morphology-based catheter artifact processing method includes: acquiring an A-Line image obtained through OCT imaging technology; cropping a straight-line highlighted region of a predetermined width range from the A-Line image to obtain a catheter artifact image to be processed; segmenting the vessel wall and catheter artifact images from the catheter artifact image to be processed using a predetermined threshold segmentation algorithm; and processing the vessel wall and catheter artifact images based on the morphological features of the catheter artifacts to obtain a catheter artifact image. In this way, an appropriate computational boundary can be selected according to the distribution of catheter artifacts, and catheter artifacts can be processed based on the morphological features of the catheter, thereby accurately processing the catheter artifact image.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of image processing technology, and more specifically, to a morphology-based method, apparatus, and electronic device for processing duct artifacts. Background Technology

[0002] Due to catheter manufacturing issues or certain reflection conditions during optical coherence tomography (OCT), catheter artifacts may occur in OCT imaging. These artifacts are primarily characterized by bright halos in the image. Although most of these optical artifacts have a distinct, uniform halo feature and are easily identifiable by the human eye, they can still interfere with the operator's assessment of lesions / stents.

[0003] Furthermore, when using software to remove artifacts and enhance images, careful consideration is needed because there is a concern that useful lesion / stent information may be lost during the artifact removal process. Moreover, the location and shape of artifacts can vary greatly, requiring the operator to define artifact areas based on the images of the specific case.

[0004] Therefore, it is desirable to provide an improved catheter artifact handling solution. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a morphology-based catheter artifact processing method, apparatus, and electronic device. It can select an appropriate calculation boundary based on the distribution of catheter artifacts and process catheter artifacts based on the morphological features of the catheter, thereby accurately processing catheter artifact images.

[0006] According to one aspect of this application, a morphology-based catheter artifact processing method is provided, comprising: acquiring an A-Line image obtained by OCT imaging technology; cropping a straight line highlight region of a predetermined width range on the A-Line image to obtain a catheter artifact image to be processed; segmenting the vessel wall and catheter artifact images from the catheter artifact image to be processed using a predetermined threshold segmentation algorithm; and processing the vessel wall and catheter artifact images based on the morphological features of the catheter artifacts to obtain a catheter artifact image.

[0007] In the above-mentioned morphology-based catheter artifact processing method, the predetermined width range is 0.86mm to Nmm, and N is a value set by the user according to the actual situation.

[0008] In the above-mentioned morphology-based catheter artifact processing method, the predetermined width range is 0.86 mm to 2 mm.

[0009] In the above-mentioned morphology-based catheter artifact processing method, after obtaining the catheter artifact image to be processed, it further includes: performing image preprocessing on the catheter artifact image to be processed, wherein the image preprocessing includes smoothing the catheter artifact image to be processed.

[0010] In the above-mentioned morphology-based catheter artifact processing method, the smoothing process of the catheter artifact image to be processed includes: determining a processing direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the catheter; and taking the average value of a predetermined range of pixel regions in the processing direction to smooth the grayscale in the smoothing direction.

[0011] In the above-described morphology-based catheter artifact processing method, segmenting the vessel wall and catheter artifact images from the catheter artifact image to be processed using a predetermined threshold segmentation algorithm includes: segmenting the background portion and vessel wall portion of the catheter artifact image to be processed using the OTUS threshold segmentation algorithm; and segmenting the catheter artifacts and a portion of the vessel wall in the catheter artifact image to be processed along a processing direction perpendicular to the extension direction using a dynamic thresholding method along the extension direction of the catheter.

[0012] In the above-described morphology-based catheter artifact processing method, processing the vessel wall and catheter artifact images based on the morphological features of the catheter artifacts to obtain a catheter artifact image includes: performing an opening operation on the vessel wall and catheter artifact images in a processing direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the catheter to remove protruding portions along the processing direction to obtain a first sub-image; performing an opening operation on the vessel wall and catheter artifact images in the extension direction to remove artifacts to obtain a second sub-image; and calculating the difference image between the first sub-image and the second sub-image to obtain the catheter artifact image.

[0013] In the above-mentioned morphology-based catheter artifact processing method, processing the vessel wall and catheter artifact images based on the morphological features of the catheter artifacts to obtain catheter artifact images includes: screening the catheter artifact images based on the morphological features of the catheter artifacts, wherein the morphological features include the length and / or aspect ratio of the catheter artifacts.

[0014] In the above-described morphology-based catheter artifact processing method, after obtaining the catheter artifact image, the method further includes: determining the catheter artifact region in the A-line image corresponding to the catheter artifact image; determining a first region and a second region of the same size adjacent to the catheter artifact region in the extension direction of the catheter; and calculating the average grayscale value of the first region and the second region to fill the catheter artifact region, thereby obtaining a catheter artifact removed image.

[0015] In the above-described morphology-based catheter artifact removal method, after obtaining the catheter artifact removal image, the method further includes: in response to a display switching command, switching the display of the A-Line image and the catheter artifact removal image.

[0016] According to another aspect of this application, a morphology-based catheter artifact processing apparatus is provided, comprising: an acquisition unit for acquiring an A-Line image obtained by OCT imaging technology; a cropping unit for cropping a straight line highlight region of a predetermined width range on the A-Line image to obtain a catheter artifact image to be processed; a segmentation unit for segmenting a vessel wall and a catheter artifact image from the catheter artifact image to be processed using a predetermined threshold segmentation algorithm; and a processing unit for processing the vessel wall and catheter artifact images based on the morphological features of the catheter artifacts to obtain a catheter artifact image.

[0017] According to another aspect of this application, an electronic device is provided, comprising: a processor; and a memory storing computer program instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the morphology-based duct artifact processing method as described above.

[0018] According to another aspect of this application, a computer-readable medium is provided having computer program instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the morphology-based duct artifact processing method as described above.

[0019] The morphology-based catheter artifact processing method, apparatus, and electronic device provided in this application can select an appropriate calculation boundary according to the distribution of catheter artifacts and process catheter artifacts based on the morphological features of the catheter, thereby accurately processing catheter artifact images. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Various other advantages and benefits of this application will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the detailed description of the preferred embodiments below. The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this application. It is obvious that the drawings described below are merely some embodiments of this application, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these drawings without any inventive effort. Furthermore, the same reference numerals denote the same parts throughout the drawings.

[0021] Figure 1 The illustration shows a flowchart of a morphology-based catheter artifact processing method according to an embodiment of this application.

[0022] Figure 2The illustration shows a schematic diagram of an A-line image of a catheter obtained using an OCT system.

[0023] Figure 3 The illustration shows a block diagram of a morphology-based catheter artifact processing apparatus according to an embodiment of this application.

[0024] Figure 4 The figure illustrates a block diagram of an electronic device according to an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0025] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments according to this application will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are merely some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments of this application. It should be understood that this application is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described herein.

[0026] Exemplary methods

[0027] For catheter images obtained by OCT imaging, when removing artifacts, the range of catheter artifacts is uncertain, and detecting the entire image may increase the algorithm's time consumption. Furthermore, after obtaining catheter artifacts in the catheter image, filling the artifact areas may cause unnatural grayscale transitions with adjacent positions.

[0028] Based on this, embodiments of this application provide a morphology-based method for processing catheter artifacts, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the steps include the following. Here, Figure 1 The illustration shows a flowchart of a morphology-based catheter artifact processing method according to an embodiment of this application.

[0029] Step S110: Acquire an A-Line image using OCT imaging technology. Here, the A-Line image is an image obtained by using an OCT system to perform a back-scan scan of a medium with different axial scanning depths.

[0030] Step S120: Cropping a straight, highlighted area of ​​a predetermined width from the A-Line image to obtain the catheter artifact image to be processed. Specifically, the applicant of this application considers that catheter artifacts typically appear as straight, highlighted areas on an A-Line image, generally distributed within a predetermined width range, for example, between 0.86mm and 2mm. Therefore, in this embodiment, the ROI (Region of Interest) corresponding to the catheter artifact is determined on the A-Line image and set within a predetermined range, for example, between 0.86mm and Nmm, where N is an optional value. Specifically, because the occurrence of artifacts varies in actual clinical images, the artifact boundary N can be set by the user according to the actual situation. Here, cropping the ROI area image for separate processing can more efficiently solve the catheter artifact problem.

[0031] Therefore, in the morphology-based catheter artifact processing method according to the embodiments of this application, the predetermined width range is 0.86mm to Nmm, where N is a value set by the user according to the actual situation.

[0032] Furthermore, in the aforementioned morphology-based catheter artifact processing method, the predetermined width range is 0.86 mm to 2 mm.

[0033] Additionally, the cropped image can undergo preprocessing, such as smoothing (e.g., noise removal). Specifically, when the conduit extends along the X-direction, since the focus is on artifacts distributed in the Y-direction, mean filtering can be used for smoothing. This involves averaging over a 5*25 pixel area to primarily smooth the grayscale in the Y-direction. Figure 2 As shown. Here, Figure 2 The illustration shows a schematic diagram of an A-line image of a catheter obtained using an OCT system.

[0034] Therefore, in the morphology-based catheter artifact processing method according to the embodiments of this application, after cropping the straight line highlight area of ​​a predetermined width range on the A-Line image to obtain the catheter artifact image to be processed, it further includes: performing image preprocessing on the catheter artifact image to be processed, the image preprocessing including smoothing the catheter artifact image to be processed.

[0035] Furthermore, in the above-mentioned morphology-based catheter artifact processing method, the smoothing process of the catheter artifact image to be processed includes: determining a processing direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the catheter; and taking the average value of a predetermined range of pixel regions in the processing direction to smooth the grayscale in the smoothing direction.

[0036] Step S130: A predetermined threshold segmentation algorithm is used to segment the vessel wall and catheter artifact images from the catheter artifact image to be processed. Here, in this embodiment, considering that the A-line images obtained by each OCT imaging technique may have different average brightness, directly extracting the artifact region through global threshold segmentation does not yield ideal segmentation results. Therefore, in this embodiment, an OTUS threshold segmentation algorithm combining dynamic thresholding is used to extract the vessel wall and catheter artifact images.

[0037] Specifically, the OTUS thresholding algorithm mainly segments the background and vessel wall, but its segmentation effect on artifacts with low brightness is poor. Therefore, in this embodiment, a dynamic thresholding method in the X direction is combined to segment catheter artifacts distributed in the Y direction and a small portion of the vessel wall distributed vertically. Furthermore, by combining the two, better segmentation and extraction of vessel wall and catheter artifact images can be achieved.

[0038] Here, the OTSU algorithm, also known as the maximum inter-class difference method, is widely used in digital image processing due to its simple calculation and insensitivity to image brightness and contrast. It divides the image into background and foreground based on its grayscale characteristics. Since variance is a measure of the uniformity of grayscale distribution, a larger inter-class variance between the background and foreground indicates a greater difference between the two parts of the image. Misclassifying part of the foreground as background or vice versa will reduce the difference between the two parts. Therefore, segmentation that maximizes the inter-class variance means minimizing the probability of misclassification. The dynamic thresholding algorithm calculates the difference between the original image and the processed image, identifying bright or dark areas in the difference image. It has strong anti-interference capabilities and is insensitive to changes in overall image brightness.

[0039] Therefore, in the morphology-based catheter artifact processing method according to the embodiments of this application, segmenting the vessel wall and catheter artifact image from the catheter artifact image to be processed using a predetermined threshold segmentation algorithm includes: segmenting the background portion and vessel wall portion of the catheter artifact image to be processed using the OTUS threshold segmentation algorithm; and segmenting the catheter artifacts and part of the vessel wall in the catheter artifact image to be processed along a processing direction perpendicular to the extension direction using a dynamic thresholding method along the extension direction of the catheter.

[0040] Step S140: Process the vessel wall and catheter artifact images based on the morphological features of the catheter artifacts to obtain a catheter artifact image. For example, an opening operation can be performed in the Y direction to remove protruding parts in straight areas; the same opening operation can be performed in the X direction to remove artifacts. Then, the two images are subtracted to obtain a pure catheter artifact image. Specifically, the opening operation refers to eroding and then dilating the image, which can eliminate small, high-brightness protrusions, break delicate connections, and smooth the object contours.

[0041] Furthermore, considering that the desired catheter artifact images are typically linear regions with long lengths and large aspect ratios, the applicant of this application can filter the length and / or aspect ratio based on the morphological characteristics of the catheter artifacts to obtain more accurate catheter artifact images. In the embodiments of this application, the length range is generally set to 90–500 pixels (i.e., based on the image pixel distance), and the length / width ratio is set to 1–2.5 to meet the filtering requirements.

[0042] Therefore, in the morphology-based catheter artifact processing method according to the embodiments of this application, processing the vessel wall and catheter artifact image based on the morphological features of the catheter artifact to obtain a catheter artifact image includes: performing an opening operation on the vessel wall and catheter artifact image in a processing direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the catheter to remove protruding portions along the processing direction on the vessel wall and catheter artifact image to obtain a first sub-image; performing an opening operation on the vessel wall and catheter artifact image in the extension direction to remove artifacts to obtain a second sub-image; and calculating the difference image between the first sub-image and the second sub-image to obtain the catheter artifact image.

[0043] Furthermore, in the morphology-based catheter artifact processing method according to the embodiments of this application, processing the vessel wall and catheter artifact images based on the morphological features of the catheter artifacts to obtain catheter artifact images includes: filtering the catheter artifact images based on the morphological features of the catheter artifacts, wherein the morphological features include the length and / or aspect ratio of the catheter artifacts.

[0044] Therefore, by using the morphology-based catheter artifact processing method according to the embodiments of this application, users can select an appropriate calculation boundary based on the distribution of catheter artifacts to achieve the function of removing catheter artifacts. Furthermore, based on the morphological features of the catheter, catheter artifact images can be obtained more accurately.

[0045] Furthermore, after obtaining the catheter artifact image, if the corresponding area is directly filled with a grayscale value of 0 (i.e., black) onto the A-line image obtained through OCT imaging, the black artifact area will contrast sharply with the lumen of residual blood, failing to improve image quality. Therefore, in the morphology-based catheter artifact processing method according to the embodiments of this application, the average grayscale value of two adjacent regions of equal size on the left and right sides of the catheter artifact in the X direction is calculated to fill the middle artifact area. This makes the display effect of the artifact area smoother, meaning that after artifact removal, the A-line image will not show abrupt removal marks.

[0046] Therefore, in the morphology-based catheter artifact processing method according to the embodiments of this application, after obtaining the catheter artifact image, the method further includes: determining the catheter artifact region in the A-line image corresponding to the catheter artifact image; determining a first region and a second region of the same size adjacent to the catheter artifact region in the extension direction of the catheter; and calculating the average grayscale value of the first region and the second region to fill the catheter artifact region, so as to obtain a catheter artifact removal image.

[0047] In addition, in this embodiment of the application, to facilitate users in comparing the display effects before and after catheter artifact removal, the display of the A-Line image and the catheter artifact removal image can be switched in response to a display switching command. For example, the display switching command can be defined as a shortcut button in the software to turn the catheter artifact processing method on / off, so as to realize the function of comparing the catheter artifact removal effect by turning it on / off.

[0048] Therefore, in the morphology-based catheter artifact removal method according to the embodiments of this application, after obtaining the catheter artifact removal image, it further includes: switching the display of the A-Line image and the catheter artifact removal image in response to a display switching command.

[0049] Exemplary device

[0050] Figure 2 The illustration shows a block diagram of a morphology-based catheter artifact processing apparatus according to an embodiment of this application.

[0051] like Figure 2 As shown, the morphology-based catheter artifact processing apparatus 200 according to an embodiment of this application includes: an acquisition unit 210 for acquiring an A-Line image obtained by OCT imaging technology; a cropping unit 220 for cropping a straight highlight region of a predetermined width range on the A-Line image to obtain a catheter artifact image to be processed; a segmentation unit 230 for segmenting a vessel wall and a catheter artifact image from the catheter artifact image to be processed using a predetermined threshold segmentation algorithm; and a processing unit 240 for processing the vessel wall and catheter artifact images based on the morphological features of the catheter artifact to obtain a catheter artifact image.

[0052] In one example, in the aforementioned morphology-based catheter artifact processing device 200, the predetermined width range is 0.86 mm to N mm, where N is a value set by the user according to the actual situation.

[0053] In one example, in the aforementioned morphology-based catheter artifact processing device 200, the predetermined width range is 0.86 mm to 2 mm.

[0054] In one example, in the morphology-based catheter artifact processing apparatus 200 described above, the shearing unit 220, after obtaining the catheter artifact image to be processed, is further configured to: perform image preprocessing on the catheter artifact image to be processed, the image preprocessing including smoothing the catheter artifact image to be processed.

[0055] In one example, in the morphology-based catheter artifact processing apparatus 200 described above, the smoothing process of the catheter artifact image to be processed by the shearing unit 220 includes: determining a processing direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the catheter; and taking the average value of a predetermined range of pixel regions in the processing direction to smooth the grayscale in the smoothing direction.

[0056] In one example, in the morphology-based catheter artifact processing apparatus 200 described above, the segmentation unit 230 is used to: segment the background portion and the vessel wall portion of the catheter artifact image to be processed using the OTUS thresholding algorithm; and to segment the catheter artifacts and a portion of the vessel wall distributed along a processing direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the catheter using a dynamic thresholding method along the extension direction of the catheter.

[0057] In one example, in the morphology-based catheter artifact processing apparatus 200 described above, the processing unit 240 is configured to: perform an opening operation on the vessel wall and catheter artifact image in a processing direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the catheter to remove protrusions along the processing direction on the vessel wall and catheter artifact image to obtain a first sub-image; perform an opening operation on the vessel wall and catheter artifact image in the extension direction to remove artifacts to obtain a second sub-image; and calculate a difference image between the first sub-image and the second sub-image to obtain the catheter artifact image.

[0058] In one example, in the morphology-based catheter artifact processing device 200 described above, the processing unit 240 is used to: filter the catheter artifact image based on the morphological features of the catheter artifact, the morphological features including the length and / or aspect ratio of the catheter artifact.

[0059] In one example, the morphology-based catheter artifact processing apparatus 200 described above further includes: a filling unit, configured to, after obtaining a catheter artifact image, determine a catheter artifact region in the A-line image corresponding to the catheter artifact image; determine a first region and a second region of the same size adjacent to the catheter artifact region in the extension direction of the catheter; and calculate the average grayscale value of the first region and the second region to fill the catheter artifact region to obtain a catheter artifact removal image.

[0060] In one example, the morphology-based catheter artifact removal device 200 described above further includes a switching unit for switching the display of the A-Line image and the catheter artifact removal image in response to a display switching command.

[0061] Here, those skilled in the art will understand that the specific functions and operations of each unit and module in the morphology-based catheter artifact processing device 200 described above have been referenced above. Figure 1 The morphology-based catheter artifact handling method is described in detail in the description, and therefore, its repeated description will be omitted.

[0062] Furthermore, those skilled in the art will understand that the various units in the morphology-based catheter artifact processing device 200 described above can be implemented in various terminal devices in various forms such as software, hardware, or firmware. In one example, the morphology-based catheter artifact processing device 200 according to the embodiments of this application can be integrated into a terminal device as a software module and / or a hardware module. For example, the morphology-based catheter artifact processing device 200 can be a software module in the operating system of the terminal device, or it can be an application developed for the terminal device; of course, the morphology-based catheter artifact processing device 200 can also be one of many hardware modules of the terminal device.

[0063] Alternatively, in another example, the morphology-based catheter artifact processing device 200 and the terminal device can also be separate devices, and the morphology-based catheter artifact processing device 200 can be connected to the terminal device via wired and / or wireless networks and transmit interactive information in accordance with an agreed data format.

[0064] Exemplary electronic devices

[0065] Below, for reference Figure 3 This describes an electronic device according to embodiments of the present application.

[0066] Figure 3 A block diagram of an electronic device according to an embodiment of this application is illustrated.

[0067] like Figure 3 As shown, the electronic device 10 includes one or more processors 11 and memory 12.

[0068] The processor 11 may be a central processing unit (CPU) or other form of processing unit with data processing capabilities and / or instruction execution capabilities, and may control other components in the electronic device 10 to perform desired functions.

[0069] The memory 12 may include one or more computer program products, which may include various forms of computer-readable storage media, such as volatile memory and / or non-volatile memory. The volatile memory may include, for example, random access memory (RAM) and / or cache memory. The non-volatile memory may include, for example, read-only memory (ROM), hard disk, flash memory, etc. One or more computer program instructions may be stored on the computer-readable storage medium, and the processor 11 may execute the program instructions to implement the morphology-based catheter artifact processing method of the embodiments of this application described above, and / or other desired functions. Various content, such as identification information of various devices and user-related information, may also be stored in the computer-readable storage medium.

[0070] In one example, the electronic device 10 may also include an input device 13 and an output device 14, which are interconnected via a bus system and / or other forms of connection mechanism (not shown).

[0071] For example, the input device 13 can be, for example, a keyboard, a mouse, etc.

[0072] The output device 14 can output various information to the outside, including A-line images and duct artifact removal images. The output device 14 may include, for example, a display, a speaker, a printer, and a communication network and its connected remote output devices, etc.

[0073] Of course, for the sake of simplicity, Figure 3 The illustrations only show some of the components of the electronic device 10 relevant to this application, omitting components such as buses, input / output interfaces, etc. In addition, the electronic device 10 may include any other suitable components depending on the specific application.

[0074] Exemplary computer program products and computer-readable storage media

[0075] In addition to the methods and devices described above, embodiments of this application may also be computer program products, which include computer program instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the steps in the morphology-based catheter artifact processing method according to embodiments of this application as described in the "Exemplary Methods" section of this specification.

[0076] The computer program product can be written in any combination of one or more programming languages ​​to perform the operations of the embodiments of this application. The programming languages ​​include object-oriented programming languages ​​such as Java and C++, as well as conventional procedural programming languages ​​such as C or similar languages. The program code can be executed entirely on the user's computing device, partially on the user's computing device, as a standalone software package, partially on the user's computing device and partially on a remote computing device, or entirely on a remote computing device or server.

[0077] Furthermore, embodiments of this application may also be computer-readable storage media storing computer program instructions thereon, which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the steps in the morphology-based catheter artifact processing method according to embodiments of this application described in the "Exemplary Methods" section of this specification.

[0078] The computer-readable storage medium may be any combination of one or more readable media. A readable medium may be a readable signal medium or a readable storage medium. A readable storage medium may, for example, include, but is not limited to, electrical, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor systems, apparatuses, or devices, or any combination thereof. More specific examples of readable storage media (a non-exhaustive list) include: electrical connections having one or more wires, portable disks, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), optical fibers, portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, or any suitable combination thereof.

[0079] The basic principles of this application have been described above with reference to specific embodiments. However, it should be noted that the advantages, benefits, and effects mentioned in this application are merely examples and not limitations, and should not be considered as essential features of each embodiment of this application. Furthermore, the specific details disclosed above are for illustrative and facilitative purposes only, and are not limitations. These details do not limit the application to the necessity of employing the aforementioned specific details for implementation.

[0080] The block diagrams of devices, apparatuses, devices, and systems involved in this application are merely illustrative examples and are not intended to require or imply that they must be connected, arranged, or configured in the manner shown in the block diagrams. As those skilled in the art will recognize, these devices, apparatuses, devices, and systems can be connected, arranged, and configured in any manner. Words such as “comprising,” “including,” “having,” etc., are open-ended terms meaning “including but not limited to,” and are used interchangeably with them. The terms “or” and “and” as used herein refer to the terms “and / or,” and are used interchangeably with them unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The term “such as” as used herein refers to the phrase “such as but not limited to,” and is used interchangeably with it.

[0081] It should also be noted that in the apparatus, equipment, and methods of this application, the components or steps can be disassembled and / or recombined. These disassemblies and / or recombinations should be considered as equivalent solutions of this application.

[0082] The above description of the disclosed aspects is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use this application. Various modifications to these aspects will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein can be applied to other aspects without departing from the scope of this application. Therefore, this application is not intended to be limited to the aspects shown herein, but rather to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

[0083] The above description has been given for purposes of illustration and description. Furthermore, this description is not intended to limit the embodiments of this application to the forms disclosed herein. Although numerous exemplary aspects and embodiments have been discussed above, those skilled in the art will recognize certain variations, modifications, alterations, additions, and sub-combinations thereof.

Claims

1. A method for morphological based catheter artifact processing, the method comprising: The method comprises: obtaining an A-Line image obtained by an OCT imaging technique; cutting a straight line highlight region of a predetermined width range on the A-Line image to obtain a to-be-processed catheter artifact image; segmenting a blood vessel wall and catheter artifact image from the to-be-processed catheter artifact image using a predetermined threshold segmentation algorithm; and processing the blood vessel wall and catheter artifact image based on morphological features of the catheter artifact to obtain a catheter artifact image; comprising: performing an opening operation on the blood vessel wall and catheter artifact image in a processing direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the catheter to remove protruding parts of the blood vessel wall and catheter artifact image along the processing direction to obtain a first sub-image; performing an opening operation on the blood vessel wall and catheter artifact image in the extension direction to remove artifacts to obtain a second sub-image; and calculating a difference image of the first sub-image and the second sub-image to obtain the catheter artifact image. The predetermined width range is 0.86mm~Nmm, and N is a value set by a user according to actual conditions.

2. The morphological based catheter artifact processing method of claim 1, wherein, The predetermined width range is 0.86mm~2mm.

3. The morphological based catheter artifact processing method of claim 2, wherein, Further comprising, after obtaining the to-be-processed catheter artifact image:

4. The morphological based catheter artifact processing method of claim 1, wherein, performing image preprocessing on the to-be-processed catheter artifact image, the image preprocessing comprising smoothing processing of the to-be-processed catheter artifact image. The smoothing processing of the to-be-processed catheter artifact image comprises:

5. The morphological based catheter artifact processing method of claim 4, wherein, determining a processing direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the catheter; and taking the average value of a pixel region of a predetermined range in the processing direction to smooth the gray scale in the processing direction. Segmenting a blood vessel wall and catheter artifact image from the to-be-processed catheter artifact image using a predetermined threshold segmentation algorithm comprises:

6. The morphological based catheter artifact processing method of claim 1, wherein, performing image segmentation of the background part and the blood vessel wall part of the to-be-processed catheter artifact image using an OTUS threshold segmentation algorithm; and performing image segmentation of the catheter artifact and part of the blood vessel wall distributed along the processing direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the catheter in the to-be-processed catheter artifact image using a dynamic threshold method along the extension direction of the catheter. Processing the blood vessel wall and catheter artifact image based on morphological features of the catheter artifact to obtain a catheter artifact image comprises:

7. The morphological based catheter artifact processing method of claim 1, wherein, screening the catheter artifact image based on morphological features of the catheter artifact, the morphological features comprising the length and / or aspect ratio of the catheter artifact. After obtaining the catheter artifact image, further comprising:

8. The morphological based catheter artifact processing method of claim 1, wherein, determining a catheter artifact region in the A-Line image corresponding to the catheter artifact image; determining a first region and a second region of the same size adjacent to the catheter artifact region in the extension direction of the catheter; and calculating the average gray scale of the first region and the second region to fill the catheter artifact region to obtain a catheter artifact removal image. After obtaining the catheter artifact removal image, further comprising:

9. The morphological based catheter artifact processing method of claim 1, wherein, in response to a display switching instruction, switching the display of the A-Line image and the catheter artifact removal image. The method comprises:

10. A morphological based catheter artifact processing apparatus, characterized by, an obtaining unit, configured to obtain an A-Line image obtained by an OCT imaging technique; ​ a shearing unit configured to shear a straight line highlight region of a predetermined width range on the A-Line image to obtain a to-be-processed catheter artifact image; a segmentation unit configured to segment a blood vessel wall and a catheter artifact image from the to-be-processed catheter artifact image using a predetermined threshold segmentation algorithm; and a processing unit configured to process the blood vessel wall and catheter artifact image based on morphological features of the catheter artifact to obtain a catheter artifact image, including: performing an opening operation on the blood vessel wall and catheter artifact image in a processing direction perpendicular to an extension direction of the catheter to remove protruding parts of the blood vessel wall and catheter artifact image along the processing direction to obtain a first sub-image; performing an opening operation on the blood vessel wall and catheter artifact image in the extension direction to remove artifacts to obtain a second sub-image; and calculating a difference image of the first sub-image and the second sub-image to obtain the catheter artifact image.

Images