Medical Image Corridor Presentation for Radiology
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Solution Overview
Problem
Radiologists face inaccuracies and inter-observer variability when manually searching for corresponding regions in multiple medical images of the same object, such as mammograms, which can lead to misassessment of suspicious regions.
Innovation Solution
A presentation method that uses a starting image and target images to determine a 'corridor' defined by a circular line representing the distance between marked locations, allowing users to focus on potential corresponding regions with low computational effort, even when images are deformed or viewed from different angles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If radiologists manually search for corresponding regions in multiple medical images, then they can identify suspicious regions, but the process is inaccurate and subject to inter-observer variability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an automated image processing system that acts as an intermediary between the radiologist and the multiple medical images. The system automatically identifies corresponding regions across different images by detecting anatomical landmarks and computing transformation matrices, thereby eliminating the need for manual searching while ensuring consistent and accurate results free from inter-observer variability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical process of visual inspection and coordinate estimation with an automated computational system. The system uses image processing algorithms, coordinate transformations, and automated landmark detection to substitute the radiologist's manual searching, thereby improving precision while reducing operational effort.
2Reliability
If radiologists review large numbers of medical images to find corresponding regions, then they can ensure thorough examination, but the time spent is excessive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary automated processing of multiple medical images before the radiologist needs to review them. The system pre-identifies corresponding regions, pre-computes transformation matrices, and pre-highlights suspicious areas across all images, so that when the radiologist reviews the images, the work has already been substantially completed, ensuring thorough examination while minimizing the time the radiologist needs to spend.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates transformed copies of the original medical images with corresponding regions automatically aligned and marked. Instead of requiring the radiologist to manually compare multiple original images, the system generates processed copies where corresponding regions are visually correlated through coordinate transformations, enabling rapid and reliable review without excessive time investment.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple images of the same object are acquired from different angles and with different deformations, then comprehensive diagnostic information is obtained, but finding corresponding regions becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent automatically adjusts for variations in imaging parameters such as angle, deformation, and position by computing transformation matrices that map coordinates between different images. The system detects anatomical landmarks in each image and calculates the geometric transformations required to align corresponding regions, thereby handling diverse imaging conditions without increasing operational complexity for the radiologist.
Data Source
AI summary
A presentation method and a presentation device presents an image of an object, wherein a starting image and at least one target image of the object, a first location within the starting image, and a second location within the starting image and the at least one target image are provided. The second location is the location of a reference feature detectable in the starting image and the at least one target image. A corridor is determined in the at least one target image, wherein the corridor contains a circular line, wherein the circular line defines a circle, whose radius corresponds to a distance between the first location and the second location in the starting image and whose centre position corresponds to said second location. Finally, the corridor and the at least one target image are presented.