Medical Image Anonymization Preserving Body Orientation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Medical image processing techniques that anonymize images by randomizing background areas can inadvertently delete information essential for body orientation, potentially interfering with medical diagnosis.
Innovation Solution
A medical image processing apparatus and method that extracts and deforms surface areas containing identification information, while determining and maintaining body orientation, allowing for the generation of a second medical image that suppresses individuality determination without interfering with diagnosis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If randomization processing is applied to the background area to delete identification information, then individuality determination is prevented, but body orientation information is also deleted interfering with diagnosis
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the medical image into two distinct regions: the background area containing identification information (face, appearance) and the internal organ area containing diagnostic information. By applying randomization processing only to the background area while preserving the internal organ area, the patent successfully removes identification information while maintaining body orientation and diagnostic accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different processing qualities to different regions of the image. The background area undergoes randomization processing to eliminate identification information, while the internal organ area maintains its original quality and characteristics. This local differentiation ensures that diagnostic information and body orientation are preserved while achieving anonymization.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the surface area is deformed to delete identification information, then privacy protection is improved, but body orientation information may be lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the surface area (background region containing face and appearance) as a separate component from the medical image. By isolating and processing only this extracted surface area through deformation and randomization, the patent eliminates privacy leakage while preserving the internal organ information and body orientation data that remain in the processed image.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a medical image processing apparatus including: an image acquisition unit that obtains a medical image of a subject; and an image processing unit that generates a second medical image by applying predetermined image processing on the medical image. The image processing unit includes: a surface area extraction unit that extracts a surface area including information that can lead to individuality determination or identification of the subject, from the medical image; a body orientation determination unit that determines body orientation on the basis of the surface area; a surface area deformation unit that deforms the surface area of the medical image; and an object assignment unit that assigns an object indicating the body orientation to the medical image in which the surface area has been deformed and that generates the second medical image.