Ultrasonic Tumor Diagnosis via Ring Level Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current ultrasonic diagnostic methods for tumor type decision are subjective and dependent on human interpretation, leading to inconsistent results due to difficulties in accurately evaluating ring patterns and luminance variations within tumor regions.
Innovation Solution
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that calculates a ring level by classifying pixel regions within a tumor into low-luminance and high-luminance areas based on variance differences, allowing for objective decision-making on tumor type based on the ring level and luminance differences between tumor and parenchyma regions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If subjective decision by operator is used for tumor type decision, then diagnostic flexibility is maintained, but diagnostic consistency and accuracy deteriorate due to human interpretation variability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical system of human visual interpretation with an automated image processing system that calculates objective feature values (average luminance, standard deviation, ring pattern degree) from ultrasonic images. This substitution eliminates human interpretation variability while maintaining diagnostic capability through quantitative analysis of tumor region characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms subjective diagnostic parameters into objective measurable parameters by defining specific quantitative features: average luminance of tumor region, standard deviation of luminance values, and ring pattern degree. These parameter changes enable consistent automated comparison across different tumors and operators.
2Measurement precision
If complex image analysis is performed to improve tumor type decision accuracy, then diagnostic precision improves, but device complexity and calculation load increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the tumor region analysis into distinct quantitative components: average luminance calculation, standard deviation computation, and ring pattern degree measurement. This segmentation allows each feature to be calculated independently using straightforward mathematical operations, reducing overall system complexity while improving measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent focuses on extracting only the most relevant partial features (luminance characteristics and ring pattern) rather than performing exhaustive image analysis. This selective approach achieves high diagnostic accuracy without requiring complex processing of all possible image parameters.
3Loss of information
If detailed feature extraction is performed to evaluate ring patterns and luminance variations, then diagnostic information quality improves, but processing time and computational resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential diagnostic information from ultrasonic images: average luminance, standard deviation, and ring pattern degree of the tumor region. By taking out only these critical features rather than analyzing all image data, the system maintains high diagnostic information quality while minimizing processing time and computational requirements.
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
The apparatus achieves high accuracy in tumor type decision by objectively evaluating ring patterns and luminance differences, reducing reliance on human interpretation and improving diagnostic consistency.
Implementation Method 1
an ultrasonic wave transmitting and receiving unit that transmits ultrasonic waves to a specimen and receives echo signals
Implementation Method 2
ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that decides a type of a tumor contained in a specimen
Data Source
AI summary
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus (100) that decides a type of a tumor contained in a specimen includes: an image forming unit (103) that forms an ultrasonic image corresponding to an echo signal received from the specimen after administration of a contrast medium; a feature value calculating unit (106) that classifies each of a plurality of pixel regions contained in a tumor region including the tumor in the ultrasonic image into a low-luminance region, or a high-luminance region having higher luminance than the luminance of the low-luminance region, and calculates, based on a difference between a variance at a position of the low-luminance region and a variance at a position of the high-luminance region, a ring level indicating a degree of a ring shape of an image of the tumor region, the ring shape in which a luminance value of a central portion is lower than a luminance value of a peripheral portion surrounding the central portion; and a type deciding unit (107) that decides the type of the tumor based on the ring level.