Medical Image Processing for Dynamic Joint Visualization
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Interpreting and visualizing the motion of complex joints, such as the wrist, is challenging due to the difficulty in navigating through 4D medical imaging data without bone locking, which can obscure relative bone movements and require manual adjustment of viewing planes to find optimal viewing angles across multiple frames.
Innovation Solution
A medical image processing apparatus and method that automatically determines a viewing surface for rendering 4D medical imaging data by identifying articular surfaces and locking bones in place, allowing for the optimization of a single or multiple planar sections to provide clear visualization of joint motion across all frames.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If bone locking is applied to visualize joint motion, then relative bone movement becomes easier to interpret, but the complexity of navigating through 4D imaging data increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the complex wrist joint into multiple bones (radius, ulna, carpal bones, metacarpal bones) and locks them individually or in groups. This segmentation allows the system to maintain relative positions of specific bones while rendering motion, making the complex 4D data more manageable and easier to interpret by focusing on specific bone interactions rather than the entire joint complex.
2Measurement precision
If manual adjustment of viewing planes is performed to find optimal angles, then visualization quality improves, but time consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically determines optimal viewing planes and angles based on the locked bone positions and 4D imaging data. The processing circuitry autonomously selects viewing parameters that provide the best visualization of joint motion, eliminating the need for manual adjustment by the user. This self-service approach maintains high visualization quality while significantly reducing the time required to navigate through the data.
3Adaptability or versatility
If all bones are rendered in motion without locking, then the complete joint movement is captured, but relative bone movement becomes difficult to assess
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic bone locking where the system can lock specific bones or groups of bones (such as the carpal bones or metacarpal bones) while allowing others to move. This dynamic approach enables the complete joint movement to be captured while simultaneously providing stable reference points for assessing relative bone movement. The system adapts the locking configuration based on the specific clinical question being investigated.
Data Source
AI summary
A medical image processing apparatus comprises processing circuitry configured to: acquire a series of medical imaging data sets acquired across multiple time phases, wherein the medical imaging data sets are representative of a first body part and a second body part in the vicinity of the first body part, and wherein the first body part and second body part undergo relative motion across the multiple time phases; and automatically determine a viewing surface for rendering a series of images from the medical imaging data sets, wherein the determining of the viewing surface is based on respective positions of the first body part and second body part in each of the series of medical imaging data sets.