Stereoscopic Medical Image Scale Conversion System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional medical image diagnosis systems fail to accurately display three-dimensional medical image data stereoscopically, as they lack a proper scale representation in the Z-direction, which is essential for understanding the depth and protrusion of images viewed stereoscopically, leading to a limited stereoscopic effect.
Innovation Solution
An image processing system that acquires rendering conditions, determines corresponding information based on parallactic angles and display sizes, and outputs a scale on a stereoscopic display device to convert image lengths in the Z-direction into real-space lengths, incorporating protruding and depth limit values to enhance the stereoscopic effect.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If volume data is converted to two-dimensional images for display on general-purpose monitors, then the images can be displayed using conventional display devices, but the three-dimensional spatial information and depth perception are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dimensionality change by converting two-dimensional display technology into three-dimensional stereoscopic display capability. It generates multiple parallax images from volume data and uses beam control elements (lenticular lenses) to direct different images to different eyes, creating depth perception without requiring special glasses. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining display compatibility while recovering three-dimensional spatial information.
2Measurement precision
If a scale is displayed on the stereoscopic image to represent depth in the Z-direction, then the measurement precision of three-dimensional space is improved, but the stereoscopic effect is degraded when the scale exceeds protruding and depth limit values
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the scale display adaptive rather than static. It dynamically adjusts the display of scale markings in the Z-direction based on calculated protruding and depth limit values. When the scale exceeds these limits, the system modifies how the scale is presented to maintain the stereoscopic effect, ensuring both measurement precision and visual comfort are preserved simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes parameters by introducing protruding and depth limit values as control parameters for scale display. These parameters are calculated based on the stereoscopic image properties and are used to adjust the scale representation in the Z-direction. By modifying the scale display parameters according to these limits, the system maintains measurement precision while preventing degradation of the stereoscopic effect.
3Ease of operation
If multi-parallax images are displayed using beam control elements, then stereoscopic vision with naked eyes is enabled, but the complexity of the display device increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses beam control elements (lenticular lenses) as intermediaries between the display screen and the viewer's eyes. These optical elements redirect light from different parts of the screen to different eyes, enabling stereoscopic vision without requiring special glasses. The intermediary component simplifies the user experience while the system automatically manages the complexity of generating and directing multiple parallax images.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3
AI summary
According to one embodiment, an image processing system (1) includes an acquisition unit (135a, 145a), a determination unit (135b, 145b), and an output unit (135c, 145c). The acquisition unit (135a, 145a) acquires a rendering condition used for generating a parallax image group from volume data. The determination unit (135b, 145b) sets corresponding information for causing a space coordinate of a stereoscopic image viewed stereoscopically by referring to a stereoscopic display device (132, 142) that displays the parallax image group to correspond to a space coordinate of a captured site in the volume data based on the rendering condition and a display size and determines a scale for converting a length in a space of the stereoscopic image into a length in a space of the captured site based on the corresponding information. The output unit (135c, 145c) performs output control such that the scale is displayed.