Medical Image Registration for Motion-Corrected Reconstruction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing medical imaging technologies, such as tomosynthesis, face challenges due to patient movement during scanning, leading to image artifacts and reduced diagnostic accuracy.

Innovation Solution

A medical image processing method involving image registration of multiple pieces of image data to align anatomical features, followed by image reconstruction and generation of motion indication information to correct for patient movement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If image registration is performed on multiple pieces of image data to align anatomical features, then image quality and diagnostic accuracy are improved, but processing time and computational complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimage qualityVSAvoidprocessing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by performing image registration on multiple pieces of image data before image reconstruction. The registration process aligns anatomical features across different projections by calculating transformation parameters (rotation, translation, scaling) in advance, ensuring that motion artifacts are corrected before the computationally intensive reconstruction step. This preliminary alignment improves final image quality while managing processing time through optimized registration algorithms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If image registration is performed to correct patient movement, then diagnostic accuracy is improved, but device complexity and processing requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvediagnostic accuracyVSAvoidprocessing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements feedback by using the image registration result to generate motion indication information that reflects patient movement during scanning. The system calculates transformation parameters between multiple image data sets, identifies motion artifacts, and uses this feedback to either correct the images through registration or generate visual indicators of motion for radiologist review. This feedback mechanism improves diagnostic accuracy by accounting for patient movement while managing processing complexity through selective application of correction algorithms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP4679366A1Medical image processing method and medical imaging system
Publication Date: 2026.01.14 GE PRECISION HEALTHCARE LLC
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AI summary

Embodiments of the present application provide a medical image processing method and a medical imaging system. The method comprises: acquiring a plurality of pieces of image data of a subject under examination; performing image registration on the plurality of pieces of image data; and performing at least one of the following processes according to the image registration result: performing image reconstruction, and generating indication information indicating the motion of the subject under examination.