Double Subtraction Angiography Motion Isolation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for visualizing motion in angiographic images, such as digital subtraction angiography, face challenges in accurately assessing fast, irregular, or small object motion, especially when surrounded by moving structures, leading to difficulties in data interpretation.

Innovation Solution

The method involves performing a double subtraction technique on angiographic images, where a mask image is subtracted from a sequence of images to generate enhanced subtraction images, and then further subtracting these images to isolate the object's motion, facilitating the visualization of even small displacements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If digital subtraction angiography is performed to enhance object visualization, then the object of interest is enhanced, but motion assessment becomes difficult when motion is fast, irregular, or small

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveobject enhancementVSAvoidmotion assessment difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the motion assessment into multiple temporal phases. A mask image representing a first phase is subtracted from angiographic images of subsequent phases, isolating motion-specific changes from static background structures. This phase-based segmentation enables accurate measurement of fast, irregular, or small motions that would be indistinguishable in conventional single-subtraction methods.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements preliminary action by acquiring a mask image at a defined reference phase before performing subtraction operations. This pre-acquired reference image establishes a baseline that removes static anatomical structures from subsequent motion analysis, allowing the system to focus computational resources on detecting and measuring actual motion artifacts in the angiographic sequence.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Device complexity

If conventional subtraction methods are used, then processing is simple, but small object motion compared to image dimensions or surrounding object motion cannot be detected

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing simplicityVSAvoidsmall motion detection precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extends the conventional two-dimensional subtraction approach by introducing a temporal dimension through phase-based processing. By comparing angiographic images across multiple phases against a mask image, the system creates a temporal dimension in the subtraction process that amplifies small motions. This dimensional extension transforms subtle spatial displacements into detectable temporal variations without significantly increasing processing complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP2545528B1Motion visualisation in angiographic images
Publication Date: 2021.01.06 PHILIPS INTPROP & STANDARDS GMBH
  • EP2545528B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2545528B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~4B
  • EP2545528B1 patent drawingFigure 5A~5B

AI summary

A method and an apparatus for motion visualization of a moving object in angiographic images are described. In a preferred embodiment of the method, first a mask image of the object of interest is acquired and a sequence of angiographic images of the object in different phases of motion of the object is acquired. Then, a first angiographic subtraction image and at least a second angiographic subtraction image are generated by subtracting the angiographic images from the mask image. Subsequently, a twice subtracted image is generated by subtracting the first angiographic subtraction image from the second angiographic subtraction image. In this way a double subtraction, i.e. a twice subtracted angiography is performed, to facilitate the assessment of the motion.