Patient Depth Mapping for Accurate Scan Center Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical imaging technologies struggle with accurately determining the vertical center and thickness of a patient's region of interest, leading to improper radiation dose distribution and reduced image quality due to manual estimation by medical technology assistants.
Innovation Solution
A method using depth cameras and statistical modeling to create patient depth maps, aligning landmark body positions with a template to determine precise body thickness and vertical center, enabling automated adjustment of patient support for optimal scanning conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual estimation by medical technology assistant is used to determine vertical center and body thickness, then the operation is simple and quick, but the measurement precision is low leading to improper radiation dose distribution and reduced image quality
Solution Approach 1:
A depth camera system serves as an intermediary device between the patient and the scanning system. The depth camera captures depth information and generates depth maps, which are then processed to determine vertical center location and body thickness. This intermediary measurement system provides accurate data without requiring complex manual measurement tools or procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical estimation methods with an optical depth sensing system. Instead of using physical measuring tools or manual gauging, the system uses depth cameras to capture and process depth information, automatically calculating vertical center location and body thickness through image processing algorithms.
2Reliability
If manual estimation method is used, then the ease of operation is high, but the reliability of radiation dose distribution is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-measurement by automatically capturing depth information and calculating vertical center location and body thickness without requiring manual intervention. The depth camera system and processing algorithms work autonomously to provide reliable measurements, eliminating the need for manual estimation while maintaining operational simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides feedback by generating depth maps and calculated measurements that can be displayed to operators. This feedback mechanism allows verification of the automatic measurements and enables adjustment if needed, ensuring reliable radiation dose distribution while maintaining ease of operation through automated processes.
3Manufacturing precision
If accurate body thickness determination is implemented using depth cameras and template mapping, then the image quality and radiation dose optimization are improved, but the device complexity and processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by capturing depth information and generating depth maps before the actual scanning process. The vertical center location and body thickness are determined in advance, allowing the scanning system to be properly configured and positioned before the patient is scanned, ensuring accurate radiation dose distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses template mapping where a standardized anatomical template is overlaid on the patient's depth map. This copying approach allows automatic identification of body landmarks and calculation of body thickness by matching the patient's depth profile to the template, providing accurate measurements without requiring complex custom analysis for each patient.
Data Source
AI summary
A method is provided of obtaining body depth information for a patient who is lying on patient support. A patient support depth map of the upper surface of the patient support is obtained without the patient as well as an image and patient depth map of the patient on the patient support. Landmark body positions of the patient are extracted from the image so that points in a region of interest can be mapped to points of a template, using the identified landmark body positions. A body thickness is obtained for said points using the template, the depth value for the respective point and the patient support depth value for the respective point.