Dynamic Tracheal Diameter Measurement Using Intrathoracic Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current image analysis methods for determining tracheobronchomalacia accuracy are reduced due to incorrect identification of the tracheal region, leading to potential misclassification of stenosis in trachea and bronchi.
Innovation Solution
An image analysis apparatus and method that dynamically radiographs the expiratory state of a subject, sets the chest cavity as an intrathoracic region, extracts tracheal walls, and gauges the tracheal diameter within this region to accurately assess stenosis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the vocal cord position and bronchial branching positions are used to identify the tracheal region, then the tracheal region can be identified from images, but the extrathoracic region is incorrectly identified as tracheal region, reducing accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the tracheal region identification into two distinct segments: extrathoracic region (above carina) and intrathoracic region (below carina). By segmenting the trachea at the carina level, the system can accurately identify only the intrathoracic portion as the target region for stenosis analysis, preventing misidentification of the extrathoracic region.
Solution Approach 2:
The carina is introduced as an intermediary landmark to distinguish between the extrathoracic and intrathoracic regions. The system uses the carina position as a reference point to automatically define the boundary of the intrathoracic tracheal region, ensuring accurate segmentation without requiring manual intervention.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the entire trachea including extrathoracic region is analyzed, then the tracheal structure can be visualized, but the stenosis assessment becomes inaccurate due to inclusion of non-stenotic regions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by focusing the analysis specifically on the intrathoracic region where tracheobronchomalacia stenosis occurs, while excluding the extrathoracic region from measurements. The system maintains the ability to visualize the entire trachea but applies stenosis assessment metrics only to the relevant intrathoracic segment, ensuring measurement precision.
3Reliability
If dynamic imaging is performed to capture expiratory state, then the respiratory movement can be observed, but the image processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by automatically detecting the carina position and defining the intrathoracic region boundary before conducting the stenosis analysis. This pre-processing step simplifies subsequent image processing by establishing clear regional boundaries, reducing the complexity of analyzing dynamic respiratory movements.
Data Source
AI summary
An image analysis apparatus includes a hardware processor that: receives a dynamic image that includes a plurality of frame images taken by dynamically radiographing an expiratory state of a subject including a trachea; sets an inside of a chest cavity in each of the plurality of frame images, as an intrathoracic region; extracts tracheal walls from the plurality of frame images; and gauges a tracheal diameter from the tracheal walls in the intrathoracic region.