Automated CT Scan Compliance Verification via Organ Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manual examination of cross-sectional imaging scans, such as CT scans, is time-consuming and impractical for ensuring compliance with protocols, particularly in clinical trials where multiple scans need to be evaluated for accurate body coverage and contrast enhancement.
Innovation Solution
A computer-aided method using one or more computer processors to determine body volumes and locate internal organs within these scans, verifying compliance with predetermined criteria for body coverage and contrast enhancement by analyzing image series and pixel densities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual examination of every scan is performed, then compliance verification accuracy is improved, but time consumption and operational efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical examination with an automated computer-based system that uses image processing algorithms to detect body parts and verify protocol compliance. The system automatically analyzes scan images, identifies anatomical structures, and determines whether the scan covers the required body regions, eliminating the need for time-consuming manual review while maintaining verification accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-verification by having the imaging protocol compliance check performed automatically by the computer system itself rather than requiring external manual inspection. The automated algorithm independently evaluates whether scans meet protocol requirements, providing immediate feedback without human intervention.
2Reliability
If manual examination of every scan is performed, then quality control is improved, but productivity and throughput deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes manual quality control processes with automated image analysis algorithms that rapidly evaluate scan compliance. The system processes multiple scans simultaneously or in rapid succession, maintaining rigorous quality control standards while increasing overall throughput by eliminating the bottleneck of manual review.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary automated compliance checking immediately after scan acquisition, identifying protocol violations before scans are archived or analyzed further. This preliminary verification ensures quality control is embedded in the workflow without delaying subsequent processing steps.
3Productivity
If automated computer-aided technique is implemented, then productivity and efficiency are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a multi-functional automated system that performs multiple tasks: detecting body parts, determining scan coverage, verifying protocol compliance, and generating reports. By consolidating these functions into a single integrated computer-based platform, the system achieves high productivity while managing complexity through unified architecture rather than separate specialized devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces a software-based intermediary layer that sits between scan acquisition and analysis, automatically verifying compliance before data proceeds to further processing. This intermediary automated check simplifies the overall workflow by filtering out non-compliant scans early, reducing the burden on subsequent manual or automated analysis steps.
4Speed
If automated body volume determination and organ location is performed, then compliance verification speed is improved, but computational requirements and processing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the compliance verification process into segmented steps: first determining body volumes covered by the scan, then locating specific organs within those volumes, and finally comparing against protocol requirements. This segmentation allows the system to process scans in manageable stages, improving verification speed by focusing computational resources on relevant regions rather than analyzing entire datasets at once.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs partial analysis by focusing only on critical body parts and organs relevant to the specific imaging protocol being verified. Rather than analyzing every aspect of the scan, the automated technique selectively examines only the necessary anatomical structures, reducing computational requirements while maintaining verification speed and accuracy.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of verifying compliance of a cross sectional imaging scan of a subject is provided, which includes determining one or more body volumes covered by the cross sectional imaging scan, and for each of the determined one or more body volumes, locating a presence of at least a portion of one or more internal organs of the subject encompassed in a corresponding determined volume, thereby verifying whether the cross sectional imaging scan is compliant with predetermined criteria. The predetermined criteria can be body coverage criteria for a scan of one or more body regions of the subject. Additionally, a method for verifying whether an image series of a cross sectional imaging scan is performed with contrast is provided.