Depth Map Creation for Accurate Tomographic Image Display
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current techniques for displaying medical images, such as radiation images, struggle to accurately show tomographic images corresponding to specific structures in two-dimensional radiation images, especially when structures overlap, making it difficult for users to perform detailed observations during image diagnosis.
Innovation Solution
An image display apparatus that creates multiple depth maps for each object in a two-dimensional radiation image, associating each position with depth information from corresponding tomographic planes, allowing for precise display of tomographic images based on designated positions using a depth map creation and display control unit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cross reference is performed between two-dimensional radiation images and tomographic images by displaying multiple images simultaneously or by switching tomographic planes, then image diagnosis accuracy is improved, but operation complexity increases and diagnosis time is extended
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a depth map as an intermediary element that visually encodes depth information from tomographic images onto the two-dimensional radiation image. This depth map serves as a mediator that conveys three-dimensional structural information without requiring users to manually switch between multiple tomographic planes, thereby maintaining diagnostic accuracy while simplifying the operational process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a depth map that is a visual copy or representation of depth information derived from tomographic images. This depth map is superimposed on the two-dimensional radiation image, allowing users to perceive depth relationships without accessing the original tomographic images directly, thus reducing operational complexity while preserving diagnostic information.
2Reliability
If multiple tomographic images are displayed simultaneously or by switching planes to identify lesions, then diagnostic accuracy is improved, but diagnosis time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments depth information from multiple tomographic images and represents it in a single integrated depth map overlay on the two-dimensional image. This segmentation allows depth data from different planes to be processed and displayed simultaneously rather than requiring sequential viewing of multiple images, thereby reducing diagnosis time while maintaining the ability to identify lesions accurately.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a visual dimension (depth encoding) to the two-dimensional radiation image through the depth map. By encoding depth information from three-dimensional tomographic data into a two-dimensional visual representation, users can perceive depth relationships and identify lesions without switching between multiple tomographic planes, thus reducing diagnosis time while preserving diagnostic accuracy.
3Loss of information
If depth information is added to two-dimensional radiation images to show corresponding tomographic planes, then understanding of spatial relationships is improved, but image processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses color or grayscale variations in the depth map to encode depth information from tomographic images onto the two-dimensional radiation image. By mapping depth values to visual intensity or color differences, the system preserves spatial relationship information in an intuitive visual format without requiring complex processing during display, as the depth encoding can be pre-computed and stored.
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided are an image display apparatus, a radiation imaging display system, an image display method, and an image display program capable of accurately displaying, in performing image diagnosis by performing cross reference between a two-dimensional radiation image and tomographic images, a tomographic image corresponding to a designated position on the two-dimensional radiation image. An image display apparatus includes a depth map creating unit that creates, on the basis of a two-dimensional radiation image and a plurality of tomographic images for the same subject, a plurality of depth maps in which each position on the two-dimensional radiation image and depth information indicating a depth directional position of a tomographic plane corresponding to each position are associated with each other while changing a correspondence relationship between each position on the two-dimensional radiation image and the depth information.