Joint Bone Surface Unfolding for Proximity Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medical image processing techniques face challenges in effectively visualizing the complex structure of joints with multiple bones, making it difficult to identify colliding or proximate bones due to their complicated shapes and the need for dedicated programs for each joint type.
Innovation Solution
A medical image processing apparatus that sets a curved plane between bone regions within a joint in three-dimensional medical image data, reshapes these regions along the extension of the curved plane, and generates display-purpose image data to enhance browsability, allowing for easier visualization of joint structures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If dedicated programs are developed for each joint type to extract bone regions, then the accuracy of bone region extraction is improved, but the device complexity and development time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent develops a single universal joint analysis program that can process multiple types of joints (knee, hip, elbow, etc.) through automatic joint type recognition. The system automatically identifies the joint type from input CT images and applies appropriate analysis parameters, eliminating the need for separate dedicated programs for each joint type while maintaining high extraction accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system stores multiple sets of analysis parameters corresponding to different joint types and automatically selects appropriate parameters based on recognized joint type. This allows the same program to adapt to different joints by changing parameters rather than requiring separate programs, reducing complexity while preserving precision.
2Ease of operation
If conventional rendering methods are used to display joint bones, then the visualization is simple, but the browsability and identifiability of proximate bones deteriorate due to complex joint structures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent generates development images that unfold and flatten three-dimensional bone surfaces onto two-dimensional planes along specified curved surfaces. This dimensional transformation allows complex curved bone surfaces to be displayed in a planar format, improving browsability while preserving spatial relationships and proximity information between different bone regions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system specifies curved surfaces on three-dimensional bone models and develops these curved surfaces into planar images. By following the natural curvature of bone surfaces, the method preserves the original spatial relationships and anatomical features while enabling easier visualization and analysis of bone proximity and collisions.
3Measurement precision
If three-dimensional medical image data is used to visualize joints, then the anatomical detail is improved, but the difficulty of identifying colliding or proximate bones increases due to complex shapes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent generates development images that unfold three-dimensional bone surfaces onto two-dimensional planes. This transformation maintains anatomical precision from the 3D data while converting it into a 2D format that is easier to analyze for bone collisions and proximities, reducing detection difficulty without losing anatomical detail.
Solution Approach 2:
The system extracts and displays specific regions of interest from the complex three-dimensional joint structure by generating development images of individual bone surfaces. This extraction isolates relevant bone regions from the overall complex joint anatomy, making it easier to identify colliding or proximate bones while preserving anatomical precision.
Data Source
AI summary
A medical image processing apparatus according to an embodiment includes processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to set a curved plane between a first bone region and a second bone region included in a joint, in three-dimensional medical image data obtained by imaging the joint including at least the first bone region and the second bone region. The processing circuitry is configured to reshape at least one of the first and the second bone regions along extension of the curved plane to obtain a reshaped bone region. The processing circuitry is configured to generate display-purpose image data on the basis of the reshaped bone region resulting from the reshaping.