Peak Contrast Frame Generation for X-Ray Vasculature Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
X-ray images of patient vasculature with contrast media do not provide sufficient information on peak contrast values, limiting the visualization of contrast flow over time.
Innovation Solution
A system and method to generate image frames showing peak contrast levels within patient vasculature by identifying and processing x-ray images acquired as a contrast medium passes through the volume, converting each pixel value to represent peak contrast levels and using mask frames to assign values to non-peak pixels, thereby creating peak contrast frames.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If successive x-ray images are acquired and displayed in rapid succession to animate contrast flow, then the visualization of contrast flow over time is improved, but the information on peak contrast values is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the peak contrast pixel values from each image frame to create a composite peak contrast image. This selective extraction isolates the most informative data (peak contrast values) while discarding redundant information (non-peak values), thereby resolving the contradiction by providing sufficient peak contrast information without requiring display of all intermediate frames.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms temporal information (contrast flow over time across multiple frames) into a spatial representation by mapping peak contrast values to their corresponding pixel locations in a composite image. This dimensional transformation allows peak contrast information to be visualized simultaneously rather than requiring temporal sequencing, thus providing complete peak contrast information while maintaining visualization efficiency.
2Loss of information
If all pixel values from successive image frames are displayed, then complete contrast flow information is provided, but the peak contrast values are not sufficiently highlighted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by treating different pixel locations differently: pixels at locations where peak contrast occurs retain their actual contrast values, while other pixels are set to zero or background values. This selective enhancement of specific pixel locations (those with peak contrast) allows precise highlighting of peak contrast values while maintaining the spatial distribution information, thus resolving the contradiction between providing complete information and highlighting peak values.
3Measurement precision
If multiple image frames are processed to identify peak contrast values, then accurate peak contrast information is obtained, but the processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the image processing task by evaluating each pixel location independently across all frames. For each pixel location, the system identifies the maximum contrast value and its corresponding frame number separately. This segmentation of the processing task into independent pixel-wise operations simplifies the overall complexity while maintaining accurate peak contrast measurement, as each pixel can be processed without requiring complex inter-pixel correlations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary actions by first identifying all pixel locations that contain peak contrast values across the sequence of frames, then constructing the composite peak contrast image based on these pre-identified locations. This preliminary identification step organizes the data structure efficiently, allowing the final image construction to proceed systematically without requiring repeated complex comparisons, thus reducing processing complexity while maintaining measurement precision.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances visualization of peak contrast levels within patient vasculature, providing clearer images of contrast flow over time by isolating and highlighting peak contrast values in the generated image frames.
Implementation Method 1
an x-ray image of the volume is acquired while the medium is located within the volume
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method includes reception of a plurality of fill frames of a patient volume, each of the plurality of fill frames depicting a contrast medium within the patient volume at a respective time, identification, for each pixel location of the fill frames, of a fill frame whose pixel at the pixel location is associated with a pixel value which represents a greater level of contrast medium than the pixel values of pixels at the pixel location within the others of the plurality of fill frames, generation of a peak contrast fill frame corresponding to each fill frame, the peak contrast fill frame corresponding to a given fill frame including, at pixel locations for which the given fill frame was identified, pixels associated with pixel values of the given fill frame, and storage of the plurality of peak contrast fill frames.