Image Processing Apparatus Matching Degree Feedback for Medical Image Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current image processing techniques for associating medical images captured in different modalities or at various times and orientations lack effective evaluation of user-input corresponding points, leading to variability in position adjustment accuracy.
Innovation Solution
An image processing apparatus that acquires correspondence information between images, calculates the matching degree of user-specified corresponding point candidate pairs, and displays the results, allowing users to assess and improve the accuracy of their input by determining mismatches and suggesting more appropriate positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If users manually input corresponding points for position adjustment, then the operation is simple and fast, but the accuracy of position adjustment varies depending on user skill
Solution Approach 1:
The system calculates and displays a matching degree value that provides feedback to the user about the quality of their corresponding point selection. This feedback mechanism allows users to assess whether their manually selected points are appropriate and to adjust their selections accordingly, thereby improving position adjustment accuracy while maintaining operational simplicity
2Productivity
If automated image processing is used to associate target points, then the process is efficient, but it cannot easily handle differences in modality or subject deformation
Solution Approach 1:
The matching degree calculation acts as an intermediary between automated processing and manual input. It evaluates the quality of user-selected corresponding points by comparing image features, thereby bridging the gap between automated efficiency and manual adaptability to modality differences and subject deformation
Data Source
AI summary
First, a displacement field (first displacement field) for deforming a first image so as to associate the first image with a second image is calculated based on information on an input corresponding point group. Then, upon a corresponding point candidate pair being input, a displacement field (second displacement field) for deforming the first image so as to associate the first image with the second image is calculated with the corresponding point candidate pair taken into consideration as well. Thereafter, a matching degree is calculated based on a difference between the two displacement fields, and a determination result indicating a match or a mismatch is displayed on a display unit.