Radiological Image Guide Wire Removal via Layer Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
During vascular interventional radiology procedures, the guide wire superimposed over the stent in radiological images hampers visualization, as it has higher contrast and masks parts of the stent, leading to a loss of information incompatible with medical diagnosis when traditional inpainting techniques are used to remove it.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that partition radiological images into layers using a parametric model to isolate and remove the guide wire from the image, allowing for clear visualization of the stent without data loss, by modeling the image as a superimposition of layers and using techniques like Maximum a Posteriori estimation to determine and subtract the guide wire layer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the guide wire is removed from the image using traditional inpainting techniques, then the visualization of the stent is improved, but diagnostic information is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The radiological image is segmented into multiple layers, where each layer represents a specific structure (guide wire, stent, background). This segmentation allows selective removal of the guide wire layer while preserving other layers containing diagnostic information, thus improving visualization without losing data.
Solution Approach 2:
The image processing transitions from a single 2D image to a multi-layered structure. By representing the image as a superimposition of layers, the system can independently manipulate each layer (remove guide wire) while maintaining the integrity of other layers (stent and background information).
2Loss of information
If the guide wire remains in the image, then all diagnostic information is preserved, but the visualization of the stent is hampered
Solution Approach 1:
The image is divided into separate layers for the guide wire and stent. This allows the guide wire to be visually removed from the stent region while maintaining its presence in the overall image data, thus improving stent visualization without compromising diagnostic information完整性.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide wire layer is extracted and removed from the final displayed image, while the stent layer and other diagnostic layers remain intact. This extraction allows clear visualization of the stent without the interfering guide wire, while preserving all diagnostic information in the remaining layers.
3Ease of manufacture
If inpainting techniques are used to remove the guide wire, then the image appearance is improved, but information loss occurs
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using inpainting to fill in missing areas, the system segments the image into layers and removes only the guide wire layer. This avoids the information loss inherent in inpainting while maintaining image appearance quality through the layered structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transforms the 2D image into a multi-layered structure, allowing selective removal of the guide wire without needing to interpolate or fill in missing areas. This dimensional transformation eliminates the need for inpainting and its associated information loss.
Data Source
AI summary
A method to process radiological images is provided. The method comprises partitioning a radiological image of a region to be treated into a superimposition of layers, the region to be treated comprising at least one first structure and a second structure, wherein one layer solely comprises part of the first structure to be isolated from the remainder of the image, the layer solely comprising that part of the first structure to be isolated from the remainder of the image being determined by means of a parametric model of the first structure. The method further comprises determining an image of the region to be treated from the layering thus obtained, in which the isolated part of the first structure is omitted.