Vertebral Level Coordinate System for Medical Image Indexing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Medical image scans, such as CT scans, lack uniformity due to varying patient sizes and medical need-based imaging, making computer-aided analysis challenging across different patients.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method for anatomically indexing image scans by identifying vertebral markers to define a vertebral level coordinate system, allowing for uniform referencing and measurement across diverse scans.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If image scans are performed on a medical need basis for different body areas, then the radiation exposure is minimized and scans are only performed when necessary, but the uniformity of image scan distribution across patients deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the coordinate system parameters from scanner-specific coordinates to vertebral-level-based coordinates. By defining a new coordinate reference system based on anatomical landmarks (vertebral bodies) rather than fixed scanner coordinates, the system adapts to varying scan ranges and patient anatomies while maintaining consistent measurement capabilities across all scans.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the vertebral column into individual vertebral bodies as discrete anatomical units. Each vertebral body serves as an independent landmark for defining coordinate systems, allowing the overall spinal structure to be analyzed through composition of these segmented units. This segmentation enables flexible coordinate transformation regardless of which portion of the spine is imaged.
2Ease of operation
If image scans capture only relevant portions of the subject's body based on medical need, then the scan focus is optimized for clinical purposes, but the completeness of anatomical data for research analysis deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces vertebral-level coordinate systems as an intermediary layer between the scanner-specific image data and the research analysis requirements. This intermediary coordinate system, defined by anatomical landmarks (vertebral bodies), translates partial anatomical coverage into a standardized framework that enables research-grade analysis even when complete anatomical structures are not imaged.
3Adaptability or versatility
If subjects come in varying shapes and sizes, then the natural anatomical diversity is preserved, but the uniformity of image scan representation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic coordinate transformation system that adapts to each patient's unique anatomy. Rather than using fixed scanner coordinates, the system dynamically defines coordinate systems based on individually identified vertebral bodies in each scan. This dynamic approach allows the coordinate framework to flexibly accommodate varying patient shapes and sizes while maintaining uniform analysis capabilities.
Data Source
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AI summary
A computer-implemented method is provided for anatomically indexing a subject. The method includes: receiving image scan data representing a volume of a subject, where the image scan data is comprised of a plurality of image slices of the subject and includes at least a portion of a vertebral column of the subject; identifying the vertebral canal of the vertebral column of the subject in the image scan data; determining a plurality of markers for the vertebral column, where each marker is indicative of a different vertebral body of the vertebral column and includes its location in the image scan data defined in a coordinate system, such that the plurality of markers define a vertebral level coordinate system; and storing each marker along with its location in a database. The markers can subsequently be used to reference other anatomical components of the subject across different image scans.