Circular Caliper for Accurate Medical Image Measurement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medical imaging techniques require excessive user interaction and inaccuracies when measuring structures like blood vessels due to difficulties in selecting perpendicular points and aligning measurement tools, which obstructs the view and complicates the measurement process.
Innovation Solution
A user interface with a caliper that comprises a knot, allowing for easy placement and adjustment in the image data space without changing the view, reducing manual interactions and providing accurate measurements by using a circle or disc with a rotation axis for scaling and translation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a line segment caliper is used to measure objects in medical images, then the measurement tool provides a simple distance calculation between two points, but the measurement accuracy deteriorates when the surface is perpendicular to the viewing plane and the line segment may not be aligned perpendicularly to the vessel axis
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional straight line segment caliper with a circular caliper that has curvature. This circular shape allows the caliper to naturally conform to and measure curved structures like blood vessels more accurately, while maintaining ease of operation through simple placement and automatic alignment features.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a one-dimensional line segment measurement to a two-dimensional circular measurement tool. This dimensional change enables the caliper to capture measurements in multiple directions simultaneously and provides better alignment with structures that have depth perpendicular to the viewing plane, thereby improving measurement precision without complicating the operation.
2Measurement precision
If the user repositions or zooms the vessel to make edges visible for measurement, then the measurement accuracy improves, but the user interaction complexity and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The circular caliper is designed with automatic alignment capabilities that allow it to self-adjust to the measured structure without requiring the user to manually reposition or zoom the vessel. The caliper automatically orients itself perpendicular to the vessel axis and aligns with the edges, enabling accurate measurements while minimizing user interaction and maintaining operational simplicity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If an on-screen caliper is used to measure objects in two-dimensional images, then the measurement capability is provided, but the view of structures visualized in the image is obstructed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements the caliper as a thin, transparent circular overlay that can be positioned on the image without significantly blocking the view. The transparent or semi-transparent design allows the underlying anatomical structures to remain visible while providing measurement functionality, thus maintaining both measurement capability and clear visualization of the measured objects.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a user interface (300) for measuring an object viewed in an image computed from image data, the user interface comprising an image unit (310) for visualizing the image data in the image, a deployment unit (320) for deploying a caliper (21) in an image data space, a scaling unit (330) for scaling the caliper (21) by a scaling factor in a direction in the image data space, a translation unit (340) for translating the caliper (21) in the image data space, and a caliper unit (350) for visualizing the caliper (21) in the image, wherein the caliper (21) comprises a knot for measuring the object, and wherein the object is measured based on the scaling factor. The caliper (21) comprising the knot, which determines the shape of the caliper (21), is a simple reference object of known geometry and size. Looking at the image data and the caliper (21) visualized in the image, the user may easily place the caliper (21) in the image data space and adjust its size to match the size of the measured object. Unlike the prior art methods, which are based on selecting two points and measuring the distance between them, there is no need to change the view of the image data in order to place and/or adjust the size of the caliper (21). Therefore, the caliper (21) of the invention typically reduces the amount of manual interactions needed to measure the object. Advantageously, the caliper (21) of the invention also enhances the visual experience of the user. The size of the caliper (21) may be isotropically or anisotropically adjusted, i.e. in one or more directions, by rotating a mouse wheel, while the mouse translations may determine the location of the caliper (21) in the viewing plane.