Medical Image Processing Apparatus Skew Line Diameter Calculation

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing medical image processing methods lack objectivity and accuracy in calculating long and short diameters of tissues, leading to distorted shape recognition due to ellipsoidal approximation, which is not representative of actual tissue shapes.

Innovation Solution

A medical image processing apparatus and method that calculates and displays long and short diameters as skew lines, allowing for precise determination of tissue shape by acquiring volume data, calculating these diameters using various methods, and displaying them on a user interface.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If ellipsoidal approximation is used to calculate long and short diameters, then calculation is simplified, but measurement precision deteriorates due to shape distortion

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecalculation simplicityVSAvoiddiameter measurement accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of approximating the tissue shape as an ellipsoid and calculating diameters from the approximation, the invention inverts the approach by directly calculating the long and short diameters from the actual three-dimensional image data without shape assumption. This is achieved by identifying the maximum distance between any two points on the tissue surface for the long diameter, and the maximum distance in the cross-sectional plane perpendicular to the long diameter for the short diameter.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention transitions from two-dimensional cross-sectional approximation to three-dimensional direct measurement. By utilizing the full three-dimensional volume data, the system calculates diameters based on actual spatial relationships in 3D space rather than projecting onto 2D planes, thereby capturing the true geometry without ellipsoidal constraints.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Ease of manufacture

If orthogonal cross-section method is used to determine long and short diameters, then calculation method is established, but objectivity deteriorates due to cross-section selection variability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecalculation method establishmentVSAvoiddiameter calculation objectivity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the essential geometric properties (longest distance and perpendicular cross-sectional distance) directly from the three-dimensional data without requiring selection of specific cross-sectional planes. By taking out only the necessary measurement criteria from the complex 3D structure, the method eliminates subjectivity associated with cross-section selection while maintaining calculation feasibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the measurement parameters from cross-sectional plane-based measurements to direct three-dimensional distance measurements. By defining the long diameter as the maximum distance between any two points on the tissue surface and the short diameter as the maximum distance in the perpendicular direction, the method transforms the measurement approach to achieve objectivity independent of cross-section selection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If ellipsoid approximation is applied to distorted tissues, then diameter calculation is performed, but shape recognition accuracy deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvediameter calculation efficiencyVSAvoidtissue shape recognition accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

Rather than forcing distorted tissue shapes into an ellipsoidal model, the invention inverts the approach by allowing the measurement method to adapt to the actual tissue geometry. By calculating diameters directly from the three-dimensional surface points without imposing an ellipsoidal framework, the method preserves the true shape characteristics even for highly distorted tissues.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention embraces asymmetric and irregular tissue shapes by not assuming any symmetric model. The calculation method naturally handles asymmetric geometries by identifying the actual maximum distances in three-dimensional space, thereby accurately representing distorted tissues without requiring them to conform to symmetric ellipsoidal patterns.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

Data Source

PatentUS10438368B2Apparatus, method, and system for calculating diameters of three-dimensional medical imaging subject

Publication Date: 2019.10.08 ZIOSOFT

AI summary

A medical image processing apparatus includes a port, a processor and a display. The port acquires volume data including a subject. The processor calculates long and short diameters of the subject. The display shows the long and short diameters. A line segment presenting the long diameter and a line segment presenting the short diameter is a pair of skew lines.