3D Medical Imaging Foreign Object Segmentation and Adaptive Windowing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current medical imaging methods fail to effectively assist users in identifying and representing introduced foreign objects within 3D volume data, as they are not specifically highlighted or segmented from surrounding tissue, leading to suboptimal representation and user intervention requirements.

Innovation Solution

A method that identifies and segments voxels of foreign objects from surrounding tissue using processing rules, generates a synthetic volume, and applies adaptive windowing and highlighting techniques for improved visualization on a display device, allowing for automatic recognition and display of foreign objects in 3D views.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If foreign objects are represented like all other contents of the MPR without specific highlighting, then the 3D volume can be fully visualized, but the user cannot easily identify and refer to the introduced foreign objects

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of foreign object identificationVSAvoidcomplexity of imaging system

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies color coding to differentiate foreign objects from surrounding tissue in the 3D volume rendering. Foreign objects are assigned distinct colors or color ranges that contrast with the natural tissue appearance, enabling users to quickly identify and locate foreign objects without increasing the fundamental complexity of the imaging system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #32Color changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the 3D volume data into different components: foreign objects and surrounding tissue. This segmentation is achieved through processing rules that identify and separate foreign object voxels from tissue voxels, allowing selective visualization and highlighting of foreign objects while maintaining the complete 3D volume context.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Extent of automation

If automatic windowing is used to create a scale based on minimum and maximum gray scale values, then the scale is created automatically, but the selected scale may not be optimal for representing foreign objects

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautomation of windowing scale selectionVSAvoidprecision of foreign object representation

Core Design Contradiction:

Extent of automationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies different windowing scales to different regions or components of the 3D volume. Specifically, it creates optimized windowing parameters for foreign objects separate from those for surrounding tissue, allowing each to be represented with optimal contrast and visibility. This local optimization ensures foreign objects are clearly visible while maintaining overall image quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Measurement precision

If manual setting of brightness and contrast scale is used, then optimal representation can be achieved, but it is time-consuming and constantly requires user input and editing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvequality of foreign object representationVSAvoidtime for scale adjustment

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements self-service automation where the system automatically determines optimal windowing scales for foreign objects based on the segmented data. The processing rules automatically analyze the gray scale distribution of identified foreign objects and set appropriate brightness and contrast parameters without requiring manual user intervention, thus achieving both optimal representation and time efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

4Ease of operation

If foreign objects are not segmented from surrounding tissue, then the complete 3D volume is maintained, but foreign objects cannot be specifically highlighted or characterized

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of foreign object recognitionVSAvoidcomplexity of processing system

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the 3D volume data into foreign object voxels and tissue voxels using processing rules that analyze gray scale values and spatial characteristics. This segmentation enables subsequent highlighting and characterization of foreign objects while preserving the complete 3D volume structure for contextual reference.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediate processing stage that identifies and tags foreign object voxels based on their gray scale characteristics. This intermediary step creates a metadata layer that distinguishes foreign objects from tissue, enabling selective visualization and highlighting without fundamentally altering the underlying 3D volume data structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS11776154B2Method and device for medical imaging for representing a 3D volume containing at least one introduced foreign object

Publication Date: 2023.10.03 ZIEHM IMAGING GMBH

AI summary

Medical imaging systems and methods for representing a 3D volume containing at least one foreign object introduced into a tissue. Imaging methods may include provision of a 3D volume containing voxels of at least one foreign object and voxels of tissue surrounding the at least one foreign object, identification of the voxels of the at least one foreign object by application of a processing rule, segmentation of the voxels of the at least one foreign object from the voxels of the tissue surrounding the at least one foreign object while maintaining the 3D volume, generation of a synthetic volume from a residual volume and the volume of the at least one foreign object, and representation of the synthetic volume on a display device using a windowing system.