Medical Measurement Reconstruction Through Iterative User Feedback

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Solution Overview

Problem

Medical imaging pipelines often fail to account for ideal imaging conditions, leading to degraded utility due to noise and variability in patient anatomy or physiology, which propagates flaws to downstream tasks.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating user feedback into the medical imaging pipeline to iteratively improve reconstruction by adjusting acquisition and reconstruction processes based on prior knowledge and downstream application objectives.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If medical imaging measurements are acquired without accounting for ideal imaging conditions, then acquisition speed and productivity are improved, but image quality and measurement precision deteriorate due to noise and artifacts

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveacquisition speedVSAvoidimage quality

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements an iterative feedback loop where user inputs about image quality issues are fed back into the reconstruction process. The system generates initial reconstructions, receives user feedback about artifacts or quality problems, and uses this feedback to generate improved reconstructions in subsequent iterations, thereby resolving the contradiction between quick acquisition and high quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The reconstruction process is made dynamic and adaptive rather than static. The system allows for multiple reconstruction iterations where parameters can be adjusted based on user feedback, enabling the process to evolve from a quick initial reconstruction to a refined high-quality reconstruction over time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Productivity

If traditional reconstruction algorithms are used without user feedback, then processing time is reduced and productivity is improved, but reliability and measurement precision worsen due to uncorrected artifacts

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing speedVSAvoidreconstruction accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

User feedback serves as a quality control mechanism that identifies artifacts and errors in initial reconstructions. This feedback is then processed to generate corrected reconstructions, ensuring that the final output is reliable and accurate while maintaining overall efficiency through the iterative approach.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs a preliminary reconstruction quickly to establish a baseline, then uses user feedback to identify specific areas needing improvement. This allows the system to focus refinement efforts where they are most needed rather than reprocessing the entire image from scratch.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Measurement precision

If iterative reconstruction with user feedback is implemented, then image quality and measurement precision are improved, but device complexity and processing time increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage qualityVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The feedback processing module serves multiple functions: it receives various types of user inputs, processes different kinds of quality feedback, and generates improved reconstructions. This multi-functional approach consolidates complexity into a single versatile component rather than requiring separate systems for each function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The reconstruction process is segmented into distinct iterative stages, with each stage addressing specific quality issues identified in previous stages. This segmentation allows the system to manage complexity by breaking down the overall process into manageable, focused steps rather than attempting to solve all problems simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

4Reliability

If user feedback is incorporated into the reconstruction process, then reliability and image quality are improved, but loss of time occurs due to additional processing iterations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereconstruction accuracyVSAvoidprocessing time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs partial reconstructions in iterative stages rather than attempting complete reconstruction in a single pass. Each iteration focuses on correcting specific issues identified in previous iterations, performing only the necessary additional processing to achieve the required quality level rather than over-processing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The preliminary reconstruction provides a head start by establishing the basic image structure quickly. Subsequent iterations then focus only on refining and correcting specific areas, reducing the total time required compared to attempting to generate the final high-quality reconstruction from scratch.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS12446839B2Systems and methods for processing electronic images using user inputs

Publication Date: 2025.10.21 HEARTFLOW INC

AI summary

A computer-implemented method for medical measurement reconstruction may comprise obtaining a first reconstruction of at least one representation of at least one set of medical measurements; presenting the first reconstruction or information about the first reconstruction to a reviewer; receiving an input from the reviewer relating to the first reconstruction or the information about the first reconstruction; processing the received input; and generating a second, modified reconstruction based on the received input.