Devices, systems and methods for assessing periodontal health using magnetic resonance imaging

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to devices, systems, and methods for assessing periodontal health using magnetic resonance imaging. Devices, systems, and methods are provided for assessing aspects of periodontal health of an individual using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The MRI data is obtained from a scan of an oral region of an individual. The analyzed MRI data is generated from the MRI data, wherein anatomical structures, anatomical anomalies, and transition regions between anatomical structures / anomalies are identified in the analyzed MRI data. An assessment related to periodontal health is made based on the analyzed MRI data. The evaluation may be a determination of the depth of the pocket, inflammation of the gingival tissue, and / or the distance at which the teeth are embedded in the bone. An evaluation criticality score may be determined from the evaluation. The evaluation, evaluation criticality score, and images rendered from the MRI data may be displayed on a display device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to devices, systems, and methods for using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to evaluate various aspects of periodontal health in an individual. Background Art

[0002] Periodontal health is a crucial part of maintaining overall oral health and well-being. Periodontal health refers to the health of the periodontal tissues, which are specialized tissues that surround and support the teeth, maintaining the teeth in the alveolar processes of the upper and lower jaws. Generally, periodontal professionals assess the gums, connective tissue, and alveolar bone.

[0003] A dental pocket, also known as a periodontal pocket or gum pocket, is the space formed between the gingival tissue and the tooth. Periodontal charting, or the measurement of the dental pocket, describes a method of measuring the space between the tooth and the gingival tissue. This is a standard diagnostic procedure used in the evaluation of periodontal health. Pocket measurements are typically performed by a periodontal professional (e.g., a general dentist or a dental hygienist), who inserts the tip of a probe between the gum and the tooth to the bottom of the pocket. The probe has measurement markings that allow the periodontal professional to determine the depth of the space between the gum and the tooth. This procedure is usually long and painful for the patient. However, the procedure provides important periodontal information. For example, periodontitis, a group of inflammatory conditions that affect the gingival tissue, can typically be diagnosed based on an increased probe depth and bleeding upon probing. When the charting is complete, the individual's periodontal disease classification is calculated based on the amount of bone loss according to national guidelines. This calculation provides the patient with their periodontal disease grade, which can be used as a basis for future monitoring of their condition. Jack G. Canton et al., A new classification scheme for periodontal and peri‐implant diseases and conditions – Introduction and key changes from the 1999 classification , 45 J. of Clinical Periodontology (Supp. 20) S1 (2018).

[0004] Imaging techniques are commonly used for periodontal diagnosis and dental impression (DI) scanning. For example, X-ray techniques such as cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) are used to evaluate tooth-supporting bone defects, as are 2D intraoral or 2D extraoral X-ray techniques. Although these standard periodontal imaging techniques can provide important diagnostic information, the imaging techniques are not very suitable for providing pocket depth and other periodontal diagnostic information. This is because standard periodontal imaging techniques cannot provide detailed information about the area beneath the gingival surface. For example, X-ray techniques cannot visualize soft tissue processes associated with water retention in bone, such as inflammatory changes. Therefore, the X-ray modality does not show early changes within the bone structure prior to inflammation-induced bone loss and cannot determine this at an early stage.

[0005] MRI is a non-invasive imaging technique that produces detailed images of anatomical structures and physiological processes. MRI is commonly used for disease detection, diagnosis, and treatment monitoring. The technique uses a powerful magnet to generate a strong magnetic field that forces the protons in the patient's body to align with the magnetic field. Then, radiofrequency current pulses are passed through the patient to stimulate the protons, causing them to become unbalanced and resist the pull of the magnetic field. After the radiofrequency current is turned off, sensors can detect the energy released when the protons realign with the magnetic field. The time it takes for the protons to realign with the magnetic field and the amount of energy released vary depending on the environment and the chemical properties of the molecules. Professionals can evaluate anatomical structures and physiological processes based on the obtained MRI data.

[0006] Compared with standard periodontal imaging techniques such as 2D radiography techniques (intraoral periapical (PA) radiographs, bitewings, or extraoral panoramic X-rays) and three-dimensional cone beam computed tomography (CBCT), MRI provides better contrast in images of soft tissues. The possible use of MRI as a periodontal tool has been recognized. See Monika Probst et al., Magnetic Resonance Imaging as a Diagnostic Tool for Periodontal Disease: A Prospective Study with Correlation to Standard Clinical Findings-Is there added value? , 48 J. Clin. Periodontology 929 (2021); Maurice Ruetters et al., Dental magnetic resonance imaging for periodontal indication - a new approach of imaging residual periodontal bone support, 77 Acta Odontol Scand. 49(2018). Summary of the Invention

[0007] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a device provides an assessment related to aspects of an individual's periodontal health. The device includes at least one processor configured to read and execute instructions stored in at least one memory so as to cause the device to function as a plurality of units. One of the units is an MRI data receiving unit for receiving MRI data generated using an MRI scanning machine, the MRI data having been generated based on a scan of an individual's oral region, where the oral region includes at least a portion of the individual's teeth, gingival tissue, and bone. Another of the units is an MRI analysis unit for generating analyzed MRI data in which at least one of hard tissue, soft tissue, an anatomical abnormality, a transition region between two tissues, and a transition region between a tissue and an anatomical abnormality is identified. It includes at least one assessment unit for generating an assessment of the analyzed MRI data. And it includes an output unit for outputting the assessment generated by the at least one assessment unit.

[0008] According to another embodiment of the present invention, a method is provided for assessing aspects of an individual's periodontal health. The method includes scanning an individual's oral region using an MRI scanning machine so as to generate MRI data. Analyzing the MRI data so as to generate analyzed MRI data in which at least one of hard tissue, soft tissue, an anatomical abnormality, a transition region between two tissues, and a transition region between a tissue and an anatomical abnormality is identified, where the analysis is performed by a computer. Providing an assessment of the individual's periodontal health based on an assessment of the analyzed MRI data, where the assessment is provided by a computer.

[0009] According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs is provided, the one or more programs being configured to be executed by a computer having one or more processors and one or more memories. When the programs are executed by the computer, the computer functions as follows: an MRI data receiving unit for receiving MRI data generated using an MRI scanning machine, the MRI data having been generated based on a scan of an individual's oral region, and the oral region including at least a portion of the individual's teeth, gingival tissue, and bone; an MRI analysis unit for generating analyzed MRI data in which at least one of hard tissue, soft tissue, a transition region between two tissues, and a transition region between a tissue and an anatomical abnormality is identified; at least one assessment unit for generating an assessment related to aspects of periodontal health based on the analyzed MRI data; and an output unit for outputting the assessment generated by the at least one assessment unit. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] 图1 is a block diagram showing the software components and hardware components of a system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0011] 图2 shows the analysis of an MRI image according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0012] 图3 is a flowchart of a method according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Description

[0013] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described. The embodiments include devices, systems, and methods for using MRI to evaluate various aspects of an individual's periodontal health.

[0014] 图1 System 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown in. System 100 includes a computer 102 and an MRI machine 104. As will be described below, the MRI machine 104 scans an individual and transmits MRI data to the computer 102. The computer 102 analyzes the MRI data and provides an evaluation of the analyzed MRI data to a user of the system 100.

[0015] The MRI machine 104 is configurable to scan the oral region of an individual. As used herein, the oral region refers to the area around the mouth of a human or other animal. The oral region can include teeth, gum tissue, and surrounding nerves and bone structures related to periodontal health. As used herein, "anatomical structure" includes hard tissues (such as teeth and bone) and soft tissues (such as gum tissue). Further, an "anatomical anomaly" is an abnormal anatomical structure, e.g., inflamed tissue or a gap where an anatomical structure is normally present. The MRI machine 104 includes well-known structures for performing MRI sequences, which are settings of pulse sequences and pulse field gradients that produce a specific image appearance. As will be described below, those skilled in the art will recognize how the MRI sequences can be optimized to generate MRI data that is useful for analysis and evaluation. Those skilled in the art will also recognize that the MRI machine 104 can take many forms, and the MRI scanning process can include a variety of techniques to produce results suitable for different applications. For example, an MRI contrast agent (such as a gadolinium-based contrast agent (GBCA)) can be used to improve the visibility of target structures in the scan. As another example, when the system is used to evaluate various aspects of periodontal health, the radiofrequency coil used in the system can be an intraoral coil. Further, the data generated from the scans performed by the MRI machine includes pixels and / or voxels, which can be rendered to produce two-dimensional and / or three-dimensional images.

[0016] A computer 102 that receives MRI data from an MRI machine 104 can be a general-purpose or a special-purpose computer. Such a computer will typically include a central processing unit (CPU) that includes at least one processor. Such a computer may also include additional processing structures, such as a graphics processing unit (GPU) for graphics processing. One or more processors are coupled to one or more memory structures, which may be random access memory (RAM) devices, cache memories, non-volatile or backup memories, read-only memories, etc. In addition, the memory can be considered to include memory storage devices physically located elsewhere in the computer, such as any cache memory in the processor, and any storage capacity used as virtual memory, such as that stored on a mass storage device (such as the data storage device 116 described below) or on another computer coupled to the computer 102. It should be noted that a cloud-based architecture can also be used for the system 100. As will be recognized by those skilled in the art, cloud computing provides services—such as servers, storage, databases, networking, software, analytics, and intelligence—over the Internet (the “cloud”). As an example of a cloud computing embodiment of the present invention, a server computer can receive MRI data from the MRI machine 104, and the computer 102 can be a client that accesses the MRI data from the server.

[0017] The computer 102 will typically also include at least one communication interface that includes a plurality of input and output components for communicating with external devices. Such a communication interface can be provided with a variety of technologies. For example, the communication interface components can operably couple the computer 102 to a network or a device. For example, the communication interface can include wired communication components, wireless communication components, cellular communication components, near field communication (NFC) components, BLUETOOTH® components, WIFI® components, and other communication components to provide communication via other modes. In an embodiment of the present invention, the input and / or output components of the communication interface provide communication to the MRI machine 104 via an operating link 103, as will be described below.

[0018] The computer 102 also includes a data storage device 116. The data storage device 116 is configured to persistently record data, where "persistently" or "persist" refers to the ability of the device to maintain the recorded data after a power outage. In some embodiments, the data storage device 116 may correspond to a non-disk storage medium. For example, the data storage device 116 may be one or more solid-state drives (SSDs), flash-based storage devices, any type of solid-state non-volatile memory, or any other type of non-mechanical storage device. In other embodiments, the data storage device 116 may include a mechanical or rotating hard disk, such as a hard disk drive (HDD). As described above, the computer 102 may also be used in a cloud-based system to access stored data from a remote computer.

[0019] As an alternative to, or in addition to, including the data storage device 116, in an embodiment, the computer 102 is operably linked to a data storage device that is physically separate from the structure of the computer 102. For example, the input / output components of the communication interface of the computer 102 may be connected to a network through which the computer 102 receives data from an external data storage device.

[0020] The computer 102 includes a user interface 101 that integrates one or more user input devices (e.g., keyboard, mouse, trackball, joystick, touchpad, and / or microphone, etc.) and a display device (e.g., an LCD display panel). The user interface 101 allows the user to control the operation of the computer and view the analysis and evaluation of MRI data, as described herein. In other embodiments, the computer 102 is operably linked to another device that provides such a user interface. For example, the computer 102 may be connected to a network that provides it with a remote workstation having a user interface.

[0021] It should be recognized that, as is well known in the art, the computer 102 generally includes a processor and appropriate analog and / or digital interfaces between components. Other hardware environments may be envisioned within the context of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0022] The computer 102 operates under the control of an operating system and executes or otherwise depends on a variety of computer software applications, components, programs, objects, units, data structures, etc., as will be described in more detail below. In addition, a variety of applications, components, programs, objects, units, etc. may also be executed on one or more processors in another computer coupled to the computer 102 via a network, such as in a distributed or client-server computing environment, whereby the processing required to implement the functions of a computer program may be distributed to multiple computers through the network.

[0023] The computer 102 may include a computer-aided diagnosis program to perform one or more of the steps of the processes described herein. To implement these steps, an image database storing medical image scans may be implemented in the computer 102, in the data storage device 116, or in another data storage device operably linked to the computer 102, as described above. However, it will be recognized that some of the steps of the processes described herein may be performed manually and may or may not use the computer 102.

[0024] The operational link 103 provided between the computer 102 and the MRI machine 104 allows the computer 102 to receive MRI data from the MRI machine 104. In a further embodiment, the computer 102 includes one or more software units that enable a user to control the operation of the MRI machine 104 via the operational link 103. The MRI machine 104 and the computer 102 may be formed with a direct physical connection such that the operational link 103 is in the form of a wire structure for transmitting MRI image data and / or control commands between the computer 102 and the MRI machine 104. In other embodiments, the MRI machine 104 and the computer 102 are connected via a network (such as a local area network (LAN), a wireless local area network (WLAN)), or via the Internet. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the MRI machine 104 and the computer 102 may be operably linked in a variety of ways.

[0025] In still other embodiments, the MRI machine 104 and the computer 102 are provided as a single hardware structure. That is, the computer 102 is directly built into the MRI machine 104. Thus, the operational link between the computer 102 and the MRI machine 104 is formed by components of a single structure.

[0026] It should be noted that in a still further embodiment of the present invention, the MRI data to be analyzed by the computer 102 is not received directly from the MRI scanning machine. For example, an MRI scanning machine may be used to generate MRI data, and then the MRI data may be saved in an external storage device linked to the computer 102 (e.g., via a network, as described above) or in the data storage device 116. Thus, at any time after the MRI scan that generates the MRI data, the computer 102 may receive the previously generated MRI data from the external storage device or from the data storage device 116.

[0027] As 图1 shown, embodiments of the present invention include functional units. The functional units are located in the (one or more) memory devices of the computer 102. Each of the units is computer-executable code that, when executed by the processor of the computer, imparts the functionality of the unit to the computer 102. Those skilled in the art will readily recognize the code languages and techniques that may be used to create the units.

[0028] The MRI data receiving unit 106 receives the MRI data received from the MRI machine 104. That is, the MRI image data receiving unit communicates and operates with the communication interface of the computer 102, and this communication interface is connected to the operation link 103 between the computer 102 and the MRI machine 104.

[0029] An MRI analysis unit 108 is provided to analyze the received MRI data by the MRI data receiving unit 106 to determine one or more anatomical structures, including hard tissues and soft tissues, anatomical anomalies, one or more transition regions between two tissues, and / or one or more transition regions between a tissue and an anatomical anomaly. The analysis performed by the MRI analysis unit 108 can take many different forms. In an embodiment of the present invention, the MRI analysis unit 108 is configured to analyze pixels or voxels in the MRI image data based on the gray-scale values of the pixels / voxels. This kind of MRI analysis based on the gray-scale values of pixels / voxels is a known technique in the art. To illustrate this analysis process, 图2 A two-dimensional image 200 rendered from the MRI data of the human oral region is shown. In the MRI image 200, the teeth 202 correspond to the black regions, the gingival tissue 204 corresponds to the medium gray regions, and the bone 206 corresponds to the white regions. Since the teeth 202, the gingival tissue 204, and the bone 206 have different gray-scale values, the MRI analysis unit 108 can determine these anatomical structures and the transition regions between the anatomical structures based on the gray-scale values, thereby creating the analyzed MRI data. And the analysis process can cover 图2 the oral region shown in. To further facilitate the analysis, data from more than one MRI image can be used. More specifically, the MRI analysis unit 108 will designate the regions in the MRI data with gray-scale values basically black as teeth, the regions with gray-scale values of medium gray as gingival tissue, and the regions with gray-scale values basically white as bone. Note that ranges of gray-scale values can be specified to correspond to teeth, gingival tissue, and bone.

[0030] After the image 200 is analyzed by the MRI analysis unit 108, the pocket depth evaluation unit 110 is configured to automatically determine the pocket depth of the teeth. As 图2 shown in, the pocket depth evaluation unit 110 can determine a line 208 extending from the region where the teeth 202 emerge from the gingival tissue 204 at the top of the gingival tissue 204 to the region where the roots of the teeth 202 enter the bone 206. Therefore, the line 208 represents the length of the pocket depth adjacent to the teeth 202. Note that although 图2 The mesial pocket depth measurement length 208 is shown along a tooth, but this process can be repeated for all pockets formed between the gingival tissue and the tooth in the oral region of the MRI data. The length of line 208 is calculated based on the known size of the pixels along the line. For example, each pixel can represent 0.5 mm (or other length), where the total length of line 208 is the sum of the lengths of all 0.5 mm pixels along the line.

[0031] It should be noted that, although 图2 in order to facilitate the description, the analysis of the pixel gray values in the two-dimensional image 200 is shown, but in an embodiment of the present invention, the MRI analysis unit implements functions to analyze three-dimensional MRI data. In this case, the gray values of the voxels are analyzed in the same way as the pixel gray values are analyzed in the two-dimensional image to determine the anatomical structures, anatomical abnormal bodies, and transition regions shown in the oral region. A line along the tooth is determined in the three-dimensional space defined by the voxels from the region at the top of the gingival tissue to the bottom region where the tooth enters the bone, and the length of the line is calculated based on the sum of the known lengths of the voxels along the line. The general process of generating the analyzed MRI data and subsequently evaluating the analyzed MRI data (e.g., pocket depth determination) is the same regardless of the number of images used and whether two-dimensional or three-dimensional MRI image data is used for analysis.

[0032] By using the pocket depth evaluation unit 110, a periodontal professional can obtain pocket depth information without performing the traditional pocket depth measurement process. As discussed above, the traditional process is usually long and painful for the patient. Therefore, the ability to obtain pocket depth evaluation according to an embodiment of the present invention is a significant advancement over the prior art.

[0033] In some embodiments of the present invention, a manual measurement unit ( 图1 not shown) provides a manual measurement tool for the user interface 101 of the computer system 100. The manual measurement unit allows the user to draw a line on the image rendered according to the MRI data displayed on the display of the user interface 101, and then the manual measurement unit calculates the length of the line in the same way as the length of the pocket length line automatically determined by the pocket depth evaluation unit according to the known pixel / voxel size. Thus, the user can use the measurement tool to measure distances in any part of the image rendered according to the MRI data.

[0034] The computer system 100 also includes an inflammation assessment unit 112, which is configured to determine the inflammation of the gingival tissue based on the MRI data. The inflammation assessment unit 112 uses the gray-scale values of the pixels / voxels in the gingival region of the analyzed MRI data to determine the inflammation region. The change in the gray-scale value in the gingival region can be associated with an assessment criterion. For example, a brighter gray-scale value can indicate water retention and thus significant inflammation. Therefore, the inflammation assessment unit 112 can be configured to indicate that a gingival region with a gray-scale value of a certain higher brightness has significant inflammation, a gingival region with an intermediate gray-scale value has moderate inflammation, and a gingival region with a darker gray-scale value has little or no inflammation. Similarly, using the brightness / darkness of the gray-scale value, the inflammation assessment unit 112 can measure the size of the inflammation region and provide a relative assessment of the amount of inflammation (e.g., by comparing the size of the region with significant inflammation to the total area of the gingiva). The inflammation assessment unit 112 can provide a further assessment of the gingiva based on the brightness / darkness of the gray-scale value, such as the degree of scarring.

[0035] Furthermore, the inflammation assessment unit 112 can determine whether the inflammation is acute or chronic based on the contrast combination from T1-weighted and T2-weighted MRI sequences. As those skilled in the art will recognize, T1-weighted and T2-weighted MRI sequences are commonly used in MRI scans. For example, in the case of a spin-echo pulse sequence, T1-weighted images are typically generated by using short echo (TE) and repetition (TR) times, where the contrast and brightness of the image are thus mainly determined by T1 characteristics. T2-weighted images are typically generated by using longer TE and TR times, where the contrast and brightness of the image are thus mainly determined by T2 characteristics. For example, it can be determined whether the inflammation is acute or chronic, where acute changes are highlighted as an increase in signal in T2-weighted images, while remodeled or scar tissue in the chronic state may show only signal changes in T1-weighted images due to remaining structural changes. In one embodiment, the classification of pixels representing the inflammatory condition can be identified based on quantitative methods that have been established for other applications (e.g., MP2Rage-based T1 mapping or "GRAPPATINI"-based T2 mapping in neuroimaging, MyoMaps in cardiac imaging, MR fingerprinting). Quantifying MRI parameters such as T1 and T2 enables more accurate and reproducible tissue classification compared to measuring contrast or signal changes in conventional single-contrast image MRI sequences. For example, by measuring pixel values at multiple appropriate echo times, the apparent T2 relaxation curve of the pixel can be quantified. Then, this T2 time is ideally independent of any specific sequence or scanner characteristics. Normal ranges for T1-weighted and T2-weighted scans can be established to define thresholds for classifying pixels as, for example, inflammatory. As has been done for other MR indications, quantification of T1 and / or T2 enables differential diagnosis of tissue states, e.g., classification as scar, fat, inflammation, and / or distal (healthy) tissue, even at the cost of longer scans due to the need to sample the same pixel using different scan parameters. Tissue classification based on such quantitative mapping is also less user-dependent.

[0036] The computer 102 also includes a tooth impaction assessment unit 118 for measuring the distance that a tooth is impacted into the corresponding alveolar bone prominence. That is, the tooth impaction distance unit 118 measures 图2 the distance 210 shown in, which extends from the area where the tooth 210 enters the bone 206 to the bottom of the root of the tooth 210 in the cortical bone 206. The tooth impaction assessment unit 118 can provide such measurements for all teeth in the analyzed MRI data. The measurement of the tooth impaction distance cannot be determined by any standard mechanical techniques known in the art. Thus, the tooth impaction assessment unit 118 represents a significant advancement over the prior art.

[0037] It should be noted that one or more evaluation units provided with embodiments of the present invention may be configured to provide both a "local" evaluation of a group or subset of anatomical structures, anatomical anomalies, and transitional regions in the oral cavity and a "global" evaluation in which the evaluation pervades the anatomical structures, anatomical anomalies, and transitional regions of the oral cavity. Further, embodiments of the present invention may use anatomical information derived from the analysis of MRI data. For example, a landmark detection algorithm may first detect the long axes of teeth (such as by identifying the roots and crowns of different teeth), and use axis detection to characterize the tooth-implantation distance by estimating signal changes around the tooth based on the position along the long axis of the tooth.

[0038] An evaluation scoring unit 120 is included in embodiments of the present invention for providing a score for an evaluation determined by an evaluation unit.

[0039] In the case of pocket depth determination, the evaluation scoring unit 120 determines one or more scores based on a comparison of the patient's current pocket depth evaluation with a previous pocket depth evaluation of the same patient. In such an embodiment, the evaluation scoring unit 120 may access the patient's previous pocket depth evaluation from the data storage device 116 or via a connection to a remote storage device provided separately from the computer 102 as described above. The pocket depth evaluation score may be output as a numerical value on a defined scale, such as 1 to 10, where a score of 1 indicates little or no change in the patient's pocket depth, and a score of 10 indicates a large increase in pocket depth. Additionally, or alternatively, the pocket depth evaluation score may be provided as a color associated with a color scale. For example, green may be used based on the pocket depth evaluation to indicate a low probability of a periodontal problem, yellow may be used based on the pocket depth evaluation to indicate a medium probability of a periodontal problem, and red may be used based on the pocket depth evaluation to indicate a high probability of a periodontal problem. The pocket depth evaluation score and / or color may be output by the output unit 114 (described below) for display on the user interface 101.

[0040] In the case of inflammation assessment, the assessment scoring unit 120 determines one or more scores based on a comparison of the patient's current inflammation assessment with a previous inflammation assessment of the same patient. In this regard, the assessment scoring unit 120 can access the patient's previous inflammation assessment in the same manner as it accesses the patient's previous pocket depth assessment. Alternatively, the inflammation assessment score can be based on a quantitative assessment of the analyzed MRI data. For example, the inflammation assessment score can be determined by the size or brightness of the inflamed area in the analyzed MRI data. As with the pocket depth assessment score, the inflammation assessment score can be provided as a number or color associated with a defined scale. For example, green can be used to indicate a low probability of a periodontal problem based on the inflammation assessment, yellow can be used to indicate a medium probability of a periodontal problem based on the inflammation assessment, and red can be used to indicate a high probability of a periodontal problem based on the inflammation assessment. The inflammation assessment score and / or color can be output by the output unit 114 for display by the user interface 101.

[0041] In the case of tooth intrusion assessment, the score can be based on a comparison of the patient's current tooth intrusion assessment with a previous tooth intrusion assessment of the same patient. In this regard, the assessment scoring unit 120 can access the patient's previous inflammation assessment in the same manner as it accesses the patient's previous pocket depth assessment and / or inflammation assessment. The tooth intrusion determination score can be output as a numerical value on a defined scale, such as 1 to 10, where a score of 1 indicates little or no change in the patient's tooth intrusion, and a score of 10 indicates a significant reduction in tooth intrusion. Additionally, or alternatively, the score can be provided as a color associated with a defined scale. For example, green can be used to indicate a low probability of a periodontal problem based on finding that the tooth intrusion distance has remained relatively constant over a period of time; yellow can be used to indicate a medium probability of a periodontal problem based on finding that the tooth intrusion distance has changed moderately over a period of time; and red can be used to indicate a high probability of a periodontal problem based on the tooth intrusion distance deteriorating over a period of time. The tooth intrusion assessment score and / or color can be output by the output unit 114 for display by the user interface 101.

[0042] In some embodiments, information from the longitudinal assessment of the inflammation score or pocket depth determination can be visualized in an advantageous manner to inform the patient of the success of the periodontitis treatment plan. In particular, the visualization can be used as an incentive to carefully follow the dental care procedures recommended by the dentist, or can even be fed into a reward system in which the patient is compensated for improvements in the inflammation or pocket depth scores.

[0043] The evaluation scoring unit 120 can provide further evaluation scores and other information. For example, the evaluation scoring unit 120 can provide a total score indicating periodontal health, where the score takes into account a combination of pocket depth evaluation, inflammation evaluation, and tooth impaction evaluation. Such a total score can also consider other factors determined by or provided to the system 100. In this regard, the total score can consider factors such as the patient's age, lifestyle, periodontal hygiene, etc. These additional factors can be input by the user into the system and / or provided to the system from a data storage device (e.g., a patient management system). Further, the evaluation scoring unit 120 can be configured to provide treatment recommendations based on the evaluations made by the unit. For example, the evaluation scoring unit 120 can provide recommendations for a certain amount of time until the patient's follow-up based on current and past evaluations.

[0044] Evaluations from the evaluation scoring unit 120 can be saved locally (e.g., saved in the data storage device 116) or in a remote storage device (e.g., as part of a patient management system).

[0045] The output unit 114 is provided to output the pocket depth evaluation made by the pocket depth evaluation unit 110, the inflammation evaluation made by the inflammation evaluation unit 112, the tooth impaction distance determined by the tooth impaction evaluation unit 116, and other evaluations, determinations, calculations, analyses, etc. made by various parts of the system 100. In 图1 the configuration shown, the output unit 114 sends its output to the user interface 101. Additionally, or alternatively, the output unit can provide its output to the data storage device 116 of the computer 102.

[0046] The output unit 114 can also output MRI data received from an MRI scanning machine to allow images from the MRI data to be rendered on the display device of the user interface 101 or stored in the data storage device 116. In a further embodiment, the output unit 114 can be configured to provide its output to other systems external to the computer 102 for display and / or storage. For example, the output unit 114 can be configured to send its output to a patient management system.

[0047] A display device provided with a user interface 101 may be configured to display all outputs from the output unit 114. That is, the evaluations made by the evaluation unit, the scores made by the evaluation scoring unit, and other evaluations, determinations, calculations, analyses, etc. made by the various parts of the system 100 may all be displayed on the display device. The display device may also be configured to display 2D or 3D images rendered based on the MRI data received from the MRI machine 104. The displayed images will provide details of the dental pulp, nerves, gums, bone structures, and other useful periodontal information for professionals. Professionals can thereby estimate various aspects of the periodontal health of an individual, such as bone shape, bone loss, degree of periodontal attachment, risk of tooth loss, etc.

[0048] The display may also be configured to display a composite image that includes one or more images rendered based on MRI data and images rendered based on other imaging techniques. For example, the display may provide a composite image that includes one or more MRI images and one or more images obtained from a dental impression (DI) scanner. The composite image may be provided by the output unit 114 to the display of the user interface, where the output unit 114 generates MRI images based on the MRI data received by the MRI receiving unit 106, and the output unit 114 obtains DI images from the data storage device 116 or another device operably linked to the computer 102. Those skilled in the art will recognize many techniques that can be used to form such composite images.

[0049] 图3 is a flowchart of a method for using MRI data to evaluate periodontal health according to an embodiment of the present invention. The method may be performed using the system according to the above embodiments or other systems according to embodiments of the present invention.

[0050] The method starts with step 310 of performing an MRI scan of an individual's oral region. The oral region may include teeth, gum tissue, and the surrounding nerves and bone structures related to periodontal health. In many cases, the oral region includes all of the teeth, the gum area, and the cortical bone in which the teeth are embedded. The MRI scan thereby generates MRI data, which can be used to render images of the scanned oral region and can be used to provide an evaluation of the individual's periodontal health.

[0051] In step 320, the MRI data is analyzed to determine anatomical structures, anatomical anomalies, and / or transitional regions. As discussed above, the analyzed MRI data is generated using the different gray scale values of the pixels / voxels that make up the MRI data from an individual scan. In step 330, an assessment related to the periodontal health of the individual is generated based on the analyzed MRI data. The assessment can be, for example, a calculated pocket depth determination, a determination of inflammation of the gingival tissue, and / or a calculated distance of the tooth embedded into the cortical bone, as described above. In step 340, one or more assessment scores are determined as described above. In a further step 350, the assessment and / or the assessment scores are displayed on a display device. The displayed assessment and / or assessment scores can be presented in the form of numbers (e.g., the calculated distance), relative numbers (e.g., a scale from 1 to 10), or colors, as described above. In step 360, which can be performed before, together with, or after step 350, at least one MRI image and / or a synthetic image is rendered on the display device, the synthetic image including an MRI image component based on the MRI data.

[0052] Other aspects of the systems and methods described above can be implemented as a manufacture, such as a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium can be read by a computer and can include instructions for causing the computer to perform the functions described herein. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium can be implemented by volatile computer memory, non-volatile computer memory / storage devices, hard drives, solid state memories, flash drives, removable disks, and / or other media.

[0053] The terms used in the description of the present invention in this text are for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and are not intended to limit the present invention. As used in the description of the present invention and the appended claims, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. It should also be understood that the term "and / or" as used herein refers to and encompasses any and all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. It should be further understood that when the terms "comprises" and / or "comprising" are used in this specification, they specify the presence of the stated features, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof.

[0054] For purposes of explanation, the above description has been described with reference to specific embodiments. However, the above illustrative discussion is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiments described herein were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the embodiments of the invention and their practical application, to thereby enable those skilled in the art to best utilize the embodiments of the invention and various embodiments with various modifications suited to the particular use contemplated.

Claims

1. A device for providing an assessment related to an aspect of periodontal health of an individual, the device comprising: at least one processor configured to read and execute instructions stored in at least one memory, thereby causing the apparatus to function as: An MRI data receiving unit for receiving MRI data generated using an MRI scanning machine, wherein the MRI data has been generated based on a scan of an oral region of an individual, and the oral region includes at least a portion of teeth, gum tissue, and bones of the individual; an MRI analysis unit for generating analyzed MRI data in which at least one of hard tissue, soft tissue, anatomical anomalies, a transition region between two tissues, and a transition region between tissue and anatomical anomalies is identified; as well as at least one assessment unit for generating an assessment related to an aspect of the individual's periodontal health based on the analyzed MRI data; as well as An output unit is configured to output the evaluation generated by the at least one evaluation unit.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one evaluation unit comprises a pocket depth evaluation unit which determines the depth of the dental pocket extending from the area at the top of the gum tissue to the area where the tooth enters the bone based on the analyzed MRI data. 3 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one evaluation unit comprises an inflammation evaluation unit which determines inflammation of the gingival tissue based on the analyzed MRI data.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one evaluation unit comprises (i) a pocket depth evaluation unit that determines the depth of a dental pocket extending from an area at the top of the gum tissue to an area where the tooth enters the bone based on the analyzed MRI data, and (ii) an inflammation evaluation unit that determines inflammation of the gum tissue based on the analyzed MRI data. 5 . The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the at least one evaluation unit comprises an inflammation evaluation unit that determines inflammation of the gingival tissue and determines whether the inflammation is acute or chronic based on the analyzed MRI data.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the MRI data comprises data from a T1-weighted scan and a T2-weighted scan, and the MRI analysis data comprises T1-weighted and T2-weighted analysis data derived from the MRI data from the T1-weighted scan and the T2-weighted scan, and The inflammation assessment unit determines whether the inflammation of the gingival tissue is acute or chronic based on the T1-weighted analysis data and the T2-weighted analysis data.

7. The device according to claim 4, wherein the at least one evaluation unit further comprises a tooth embedment evaluation unit which determines the distance from the area where the tooth enters the bone to the bottom of the tooth root in the bone based on the analyzed MRI data. 8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a user interface including a display device configured to display the evaluation output by the output unit.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the display device is configured to render an image generated from the MRI data.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an evaluation scoring unit that determines a score indicative of an aspect of the individual's periodontal health based on an evaluation of the analyzed MRI data by the at least one evaluation unit.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the score is determined based on a comparison of the assessment performed by the at least one assessment unit with previous assessments of the individual.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the score is in the form of at least one of a number relative to a given numerical scale and a color relative to a given color scale.

13. A system comprising: The device according to claim 1; as well as An MRI scanning machine is operably linked to the apparatus such that MRI data from the MRI scanning machine is transmitted to the apparatus.

14. A method of assessing an aspect of periodontal health of an individual, the method comprising: using an MRI scanning machine to scan an oral region of the individual to thereby generate MRI data, the oral region including at least a portion of the individual's teeth, gum tissue, and bone; analyzing the MRI data to thereby generate analyzed MRI data in which at least one of hard tissue, soft tissue, an anatomical anomaly, a transition region between two tissues, or a transition region between a tissue and an anatomical anomaly is identified, the analyzing being performed by a computer; as well as An assessment of the periodontal health of the individual is provided based on the analyzed MRI data, the assessment being provided by the computer.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the assessment is at least one of: (i) the depth of a dental pocket extending from an area at the top of the gum tissue to an area where the tooth enters the bone, (ii) inflammation of the gum tissue, and (iii) the distance from the area where the tooth enters the bone to the bottom of the root of the tooth in the bone.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising determining an assessment score indicative of an aspect of periodontal health based on an assessment of the analyzed MRI data.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the score is determined based on a comparison of the assessment to previous assessments of the individual.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the score is in the form of at least one of a number relative to a given numerical scale and a color relative to a given color scale.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the MRI data is analyzed using quantitative mapping to thereby provide an assessment of gingival tissue inflammation.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising displaying an image rendered from the MRI data on a display device.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein an MRI contrast agent is used in conjunction with the scanning.

22. The method of claim 14, wherein an intraoral radio frequency coil is used in conjunction with the scanning.

23. The method of claim 14, wherein a longitudinal assessment of inflammation score or pocket depth determination is provided.

24. A method according to claim 14, wherein anatomical information is obtained from analyzed MRI data, the anatomical information identifying the long axis of different teeth, and wherein the distance from the area where the different teeth enter the bone to the bottom of the root of the different teeth is evaluated by estimating the signal change around the different teeth based on the position along the long axis of the different teeth.

25. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs, which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to function as: An MRI data receiving unit for receiving MRI data generated using an MRI scanning machine, wherein the MRI data has been generated based on a scan of an oral region of an individual, and the oral region includes at least a portion of teeth, gum tissue, and bones of the individual; an MRI analysis unit for generating analyzed MRI data in which at least one of hard tissue, soft tissue, anatomical anomalies, a transition between two tissues, and a transition region between tissue and anatomical anomalies is identified; as well as at least one assessment unit for generating an assessment related to an aspect of the individual's periodontal health based on the analyzed MRI data; as well as An output unit is configured to output the evaluation generated by the at least one evaluation unit.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 25, wherein the at least one assessment unit comprises (i) a pocket depth assessment unit that determines, based on the analyzed MRI data, a depth of a dental pocket extending from an area at the top of the gum tissue to an area where the tooth enters the bone, and (ii) an inflammation assessment unit that determines inflammation of the gum tissue based on the analyzed MRI data.

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