Methods for visualizing dynamic anatomical structures

Abstract

To provide a method for visualizing a dynamic anatomical structure, a program and an interface for minimizing the risk of misinterpreting image data, and in particular the risk of misinterpreting or incorrectly measuring relative spatial relationship between anatomical features.SOLUTION: A method comprises: providing a sequence of three-dimensional medical images of a dynamic anatomical structure 1 spanning a time period (T); providing a dynamic model 14; determining a volume of interest 40 containing a volume of interest 3 within each of three-dimensional images, the volume of interest 40 following the position and / or the shape of an anatomical feature of interest 3 across the time period, the volume of interest 40 being smaller than the complete field of view of three-dimensional medical images; and providing three-dimensional visualization environments 50, 70. A visualization 45 corresponding to a particular point in time comprises a volume rendering of the volume of interest 40 of the three-dimensional image, and a visualization of the dynamic model.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Claims

1. A method for visualizing dynamic anatomical structures, wherein the method is: a) A step of providing a sequence of three-dimensional medical images over a certain period of time, wherein each three-dimensional medical image in the sequence shows the dynamic anatomical structure at a point in time during the period, b) A step of providing a dynamic model of at least a portion of the anatomical structure, wherein the dynamic model is derived from the sequence of three-dimensional medical images and registered. c) A step of determining a volume of interest that includes an anatomical feature of interest in each of the three-dimensional medical images, wherein the volume of interest is determined according to the position and / or shape of the anatomical feature of interest during the period, and the volume of interest is smaller than the entire field of view of the three-dimensional medical image. d) A step of providing a three-dimensional visualization environment for displaying the dynamic anatomical structure during the period, wherein the visualization corresponding to a specific point in time within the period is (i) Volume rendering of only the volume of interest of the three-dimensional medical image corresponding to the specific point in time, (ii) Visualization of the dynamic model in the same coordinate system as the volume rendering of the volume of interest at the specific point in time and Steps and It has, The aforementioned volume of interest is A step of identifying a set of landmark points of the anatomical feature in the dynamic model or the three-dimensional medical image, wherein the landmark points correspond to the position and / or shape of the anatomical feature of interest over the period of time. The steps include defining an approximate surface over the set of landmark points for each three-dimensional medical image, The steps include determining the volume of interest as a volume extending above and / or below and / or to the side of the approximate surface, Determined by performing the following: method.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the three-dimensional visualization environment is a virtual reality environment.

3. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the dynamic anatomical structure is a human or animal heart, and the anatomical feature of interest is a part of the heart.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the dynamic model is a dynamic surface model of one or more cardiac chambers, and the anatomical feature is a cardiac valve.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the dynamic model is a dynamic surface model derived from a sequence of three-dimensional medical images by segmentation across all three-dimensional medical images, or by segmentation in speckle or feature tracking in one three-dimensional medical image and subsequent images.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the position and / or orientation of the volume of interest is determined during the period by identifying the corresponding position and / or orientation of the feature of interest in the dynamic model.

7. The step of providing the three-dimensional visualization environment is: A step of displaying a computer graphics object corresponding to a medical device in the same coordinate system as the volume rendering, wherein when the dynamic model and the volume-rendered VOI are displayed in cine mode, the computer graphics object is locked to a position within the dynamic model. A step of providing an input tool to a user, the input tool enabling the user to move and tilt the computer graphics object in relation to the medical device with respect to the volume rendering and the visualization of the dynamic model; The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the method is provided by the same person.

8. The step of providing the three-dimensional visualization environment is: A step of providing a user with an input tool, the input tool enabling the user to select a point within the anatomical structure and to take measurements on the anatomical structure. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the method is comprising the following:

9. The method according to claim 2, wherein the virtual reality environment has at least one input tool, the input tool being implemented by a virtual reality controller, which enables a user to grasp and move objects within the virtual reality environment using hand gestures.

10. The method according to claim 2 or 9, wherein the virtual reality environment has at least one input tool, the input tool is implemented by a virtual reality controller, and the user is able to adjust the parameters used for the visualization by gesture control.

11. A computer program having program code instructions that, when executed by a processor, enable the processor to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

12. A user interface configured to visualize a dynamic anatomical structure, wherein the dynamic anatomical structure is captured on a sequence of three-dimensional medical images over a period of time, and each three-dimensional medical image in the sequence shows the dynamic anatomical structure at a point in time during the period. The aforementioned user interface is a) A three-dimensional visualization environment configured to provide three-dimensional visualization of the dynamic anatomical structure during a period of time, A processor configured to generate a visualization corresponding to a specific point in time within the aforementioned period, wherein the visualization is: (i) A volume rendering display of only the volume of interest in the three-dimensional medical image corresponding to the specific point in time, wherein in each three-dimensional medical image the volume of interest includes the anatomical features of interest, (ii) A display of the dynamic model of at least a portion of the dynamic anatomical structure at a particular time in the same coordinate system as the volume rendering of the volume of interest, wherein the volume of interest is displayed in accordance with the position and / or shape of the anatomical feature of interest during the period, and the volume of interest is displayed in a manner smaller than the full field of view of the three-dimensional medical image. A processor having It has, The aforementioned volume of interest is A step of identifying a set of landmark points of the anatomical feature in the dynamic model or the three-dimensional medical image, wherein the landmark points correspond to the position and / or shape of the anatomical feature of interest over the period of time. The steps include defining an approximate surface over the set of landmark points for each three-dimensional medical image, The steps include determining the volume of interest as a volume extending above and / or below and / or to the side of the approximate surface, Determined by performing the following: User interface.

13. The user interface according to claim 12, wherein the three-dimensional visualization environment is a virtual reality environment, and the volume rendering and the display of the dynamic model are virtual reality displays.

14. The virtual reality environment has at least one input tool, and the input tool allows the user to, The actions of grasping and moving an object displayed in the virtual reality environment, The action of measuring the aforementioned anatomical structure, The operation of adjusting the parameters used for the visualization by gesture control, and An operation to annotate the anatomical structure, wherein the annotation is locked to a position within the dynamic model when the dynamic model and the volume of interest to be rendered are displayed in cine mode. A virtual reality controller that enables the user interface of claim 13 to perform one or more of the following actions.

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