Whole Slide Image Skeleton Path Analysis for Biopsy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for analyzing whole slide images from core needle biopsies and vacuum assisted biopsies are hindered by the cluttered two-dimensional representation of tissue samples, which obscures the original image and does not align with medical protocols that focus on one-dimensional length and coverage information, making it inconvenient for pathologists to extract relevant diagnostic data.
Innovation Solution
A system that processes whole slide images by detecting tissue, creating a skeleton path, determining tissue pathologies, and generating a one-dimensional line representation with varying thickness and color to convey pathology information, allowing for a clear display of pathology summaries alongside the original image.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If two-dimensional representation (polygon or point markers) is used to display detected tissue areas, then more information is provided about the detected affected tissue area, but the original clinical image becomes cluttered and harder to view
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the two-dimensional polygon representation into a one-dimensional line representation that follows the skeleton path of the tissue. This dimensionality change allows the pathology information to be conveyed along a single path rather than occupying two-dimensional space, thereby reducing clutter while preserving essential diagnostic information about the extent and distribution of affected tissue areas.
2Loss of information
If two-dimensional polygon representation is used to show detected tissue areas, then the visual coverage of affected areas is displayed, but the representation does not correspond to the one-dimensional length and coverage information required by medical protocols
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different line representations along the skeleton path to indicate different tissue pathologies. By varying the line properties (such as color, thickness, or pattern) at different locations along the one-dimensional path, the system provides localized information about pathology types while maintaining the one-dimensional format required by medical protocols for reporting length and coverage.
3Measurement precision
If automated analysis uses two-dimensional representations, then comprehensive tissue area detection is achieved, but the workflow efficiency is reduced due to cluttered displays and mismatched protocol requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential one-dimensional pathology information from the two-dimensional tissue area detection. By taking only the relevant path-following measurements along the skeleton and discarding the unnecessary two-dimensional polygon overlays, the system maintains accurate pathology detection while producing a streamlined one-dimensional representation that aligns with protocol requirements and improves workflow efficiency.
Data Source
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AI summary
A system and method is provided for processing a whole slide image, WSI, of a biopsy such as a core needle biopsy or a vacuum assisted biopsy. A skeleton of the shape of the detected tissue is created and a skeleton path is determined. An image is generated comprising a line representing the skeleton path with different line representations along the line representing different tissue pathologies. A pathology summary for the overall line is also prepared. This provides the information desired by a pathologist in a most convenient format and representation.