Medical Image Processing Apparatus Tissue Visibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical image processing technologies face challenges in enhancing the visibility of specific tissues, particularly when they are embedded within other tissues, as they often result in insufficient visualization due to simultaneous cutting and visualization at the same location, making it difficult to observe included tissues like blood vessels within internal organs.
Innovation Solution
A medical image processing apparatus and method that includes setting first and second mask regions within volume data, intersecting them with planes to render specific regions, allowing for improved visibility by excluding unnecessary tissue portions from the rendering target and enabling clearer observation of tissues like blood vessels by applying a slab process selectively to mask regions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a slab process is applied to extract a region between front and rear planes, then the region of interest can be isolated, but tissues included within other tissues are cut at the same location making visibility insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the mask region into multiple sub-regions based on spatial relationships with the slab. By dividing the mask region into a first region (intersecting the slab) and a second region (not intersecting the slab), the system can selectively apply different rendering strategies to each segment, allowing included tissues to be visualized without being cut off by the slab plane
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different rendering properties to different regions of the mask. The first region (intersecting the slab) and second region (not intersecting the slab) are rendered with different characteristics, enabling the system to optimize visibility for included tissues in specific locations while maintaining the slab extraction functionality for other areas
2Ease of manufacture
If multiple mask regions are uniformly deleted by the slab, then the region extraction is simplified, but the visibility of included tissues becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of uniformly deleting all mask regions intersecting the slab, the patent segments the deletion operation into selective deletion of only the first region (intersecting the slab) while preserving the second region (not intersecting the slab). This selective approach maintains extraction simplicity for the slab region while preserving visibility of included tissues in the non-intersecting region
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial deletion rather than complete deletion. By deleting only the portion of the mask region that intersects the slab (first region) while retaining the portion that does not intersect (second region), the system achieves sufficient extraction functionality without the excessive deletion that would harm tissue visibility
Data Source
AI summary
A medical image processing apparatus includes: a display unit; and circuitry configured to: acquire volume data including tissues, and set a first mask region and a second mask region which include a voxel to be rendered among a plurality of voxels included in the volume data; set a first plane which intersects both the first mask region and the second mask region; display a first image in which a first region formed by cutting the first mask region by the first plane and the second mask region are rendered; receive through an operation unit a first operation for setting a second plane which is parallel to the first plane and intersects both the first mask region and the second mask region; and display a second image in which a second region formed by cutting the first mask region by the second plane and the second mask region are rendered.