3D Image Annotation via Representative Slice Selection
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Solution Overview
Problem
The annotation process for 3D images is time-consuming and labor-intensive, as annotators need to manually review multiple slices to identify and annotate target items such as lesions.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that provide annotation information for 3D images by outputting a representative image, selecting pixels associated with a target item, and automatically identifying and displaying the most relevant slice(s) based on prediction scores from a target item detection model.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If annotators manually review all slices to identify target items, then annotation accuracy is improved, but annotation time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary processing by generating a representative image that aggregates information from all slices and pre-identifying potential target item locations. This preliminary action allows annotators to start annotation from pre-identified locations rather than reviewing all slices sequentially, thus maintaining accuracy while reducing time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system extracts and highlights only the relevant portions (slices containing target items) from the complete set of slices by analyzing the representative image. Annotators are directed to specific slices and locations where target items are likely present, rather than examining every slice, thereby reducing annotation time while preserving accuracy.
2Reliability
If annotators review multiple slices to ensure complete annotation, then annotation completeness is improved, but workload increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides feedback to annotators by displaying the representative image with predicted target item locations and automatically identifying which slices contain these items. This feedback mechanism guides annotators to focus on specific slices, ensuring completeness while reducing the overall workload by eliminating unnecessary review of slices without target items.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary analysis to identify all slices containing target items before annotation begins. This preliminary action ensures that annotators will review all necessary slices for completeness while avoiding unnecessary review of slices without target items, thus reducing workload.
3Ease of operation
If a simple representative image is displayed, then ease of operation is improved, but information about target item locations is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The representative image is enhanced with local quality variations by overlaying visual indicators (such as heatmaps or markers) at specific pixel locations where target items are predicted to exist. This allows the image to remain simple and easy to operate with, while simultaneously preserving and highlighting critical location information through localized enhancements.
4Loss of information
If all slices are processed and displayed, then completeness of information is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the essential information needed for annotation by generating a representative image that synthesizes data from all slices and automatically identifying which specific slices contain target items. This extraction approach maintains information completeness for annotation purposes while avoiding the complexity of displaying and managing all individual slices simultaneously.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a method for providing annotation information for a 3D image, which may include outputting a representative image for the 3D image including a plurality of slices, selecting at least one pixel associated with a target item from among a plurality of pixels included in the representative image, outputting, among the plurality of slices, a slice associated with the selected at least one pixel, and receiving an annotation for a partial region of the output slice.