Patent Application
20110142306
At least one embodiment of the present invention generally relates to medical imaging, particularly a method and/or system for generating a medical image of a heart.
Today, the medical imaging community widely accepts Volume Rendering Technique (VRT) as a common way to visualize a volume. The Volume Rendering Technique renders a volume from the 2-dimensional (2D) tomographic slices. In a typical 3-dimensional (3D) rendering of the heart tissue using VRT, the cardiologist has to rotate the 3D VRT model of the heart to view the surface from all angles. The volume might have to be windowed using basic windowing techniques to view the right heart tissues. To get a generic or rather complete picture, the cardiologist will have to visualize the internal heart muscle using a cut plane.
The shape of the heart is somewhat similar to a spherical or oval shaped-object but not entirely. The heart has uneven surfaces. During 3D visualization, the heart also needs to be rotated in 3D space to view the complete surface. To add to the complexity, not all of the heart muscle is visible from outside. We are able to see only the epicardium, which is the outside surface of the heart muscle. For diagnostic purpose the cardiologist needs to visualize the epicardium, myocardium and the endocardium together to evaluate the condition of the heart muscle.
Another problem with the current approach of cardiac visualization is that the intra-ventricular septum, which is also part of the heart muscle, cannot be viewed, as it is located inside the heart chamber. To view all the walls together, the cardiologist has to perform a cross section of the 3D model of the heart using standard cardiac visualizations. The heart muscle can only be displayed using manual windowing of the heart as well as by defining manual cut planes. But still the entire details of the heart are not displayed during the said methodologies.
In view of the foregoing, an embodiment herein includes a method of displaying a medical image, comprising providing a 3D dataset of a heart; generating a 2D representation of a curved surface of the 3D dataset by flattening out the curved surface of the heart, such that the 2D representation corresponds to a surface area of the heart covering more than 180 degrees around a circumference of the heart.
In view of the foregoing, another embodiment herein includes a system for displaying a medical image, comprising: a dataset module for providing a 3D dataset of a heart; and a generating module for generating a 2D representation of a curved surface of the 3D dataset by flattening out the curved surface of the heart, such that the 2D representation corresponds to a surface area of the heart covering more than 180 degrees around a circumference of the heart.
In view of the foregoing, an alternate embodiment herein includes a computer program product including a computer readable medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions that, when executed on a computer, configure the computer to perform a method comprising the steps of: providing a 3D dataset of a heart; and generating a 2D representation of a curved surface of the 3D dataset by flattening out the curved surface of the heart, such that the 2D representation corresponds to a surface area of the heart covering more than 180 degrees around a circumference of the heart.
The present invention is further described hereinafter with reference to illustrated embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:
Various example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings in which only some example embodiments are shown. Specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are merely representative for purposes of describing example embodiments. The present invention, however, may be embodied in many alternate forms and should not be construed as limited to only the example embodiments set forth herein.
Accordingly, while example embodiments of the invention are capable of various modifications and alternative forms, embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intent to limit example embodiments of the present invention to the particular forms disclosed. On the contrary, example embodiments are to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the invention. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout the description of the figures.
It will be understood that, although the terms first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another. For example, a first element could be termed a second element, and, similarly, a second element could be termed a first element, without departing from the scope of example embodiments of the present invention. As used herein, the term “and/or,” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being “connected,” or “coupled,” to another element, it can be directly connected or coupled to the other element or intervening elements may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly connected,” or “directly coupled,” to another element, there are no intervening elements present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “between,” versus “directly between,” “adjacent,” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.).
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of example embodiments of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the,” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. As used herein, the terms “and/or” and “at least one of” include any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” and/or “including,” when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions/acts noted may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two figures shown in succession may in fact be executed substantially concurrently or may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality/acts involved.
Spatially relative terms, such as “beneath”, “below”, “lower”, “above”, “upper”, and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. It will be understood that the spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements described as “below” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features. Thus, term such as “below” can encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein are interpreted accordingly.
Although the terms first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, it should be understood that these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one element, component, region, layer, or section from another region, layer, or section. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer, or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer, or section without departing from the teachings of the present invention.
The muscular walls of the heart include three major layers. The bulk of the walls is made up of a layer of cardiac muscle and is called the myocardium 108. The muscle is enclosed on the outside by the epicardium 110 and on the inside by the endocardium 112. Each layer should maintain its appropriate thickness levels to be tagged as healthy. Because of different medical conditions and environment, the thickness levels may reduce or increase from the prescribed healthy threshold levels. The present invention enables the visualization of the whole heart to the cardiologist so that fast and effective conclusions could be made.
The embodiments mentioned in the present invention, basically converts the 3-dimensional dataset image of the heart to a 2-dimensional representation. To enable the method first a 3D dataset of the heart is required. The source of the 3D dataset of the heart could be a live image or could also be a stored image captured previously using any imaging modality. Also this could again be an isolated image of the heart or even could be an image which needs to be isolated for the 3D dataset.
For providing the 2D representation, a cone or cylinder is used to first project the 3D dataset information onto them and then unfold the cone or the cylinder to get the 2D representation. Because cones and cylinder has got zero Gaussian curvature, it is possible to unroll them and analyze their geodesics on the equivalent flat surface. The cones and the cylinder identified for the projection are those which are hollow inside but have only the outer surface. Also in embodiments of the present invention, the word “heart” is understood to cover the whole heart or even a portion of the heart, for example the left ventricle or right ventricle.
One embodiment of the invention involves generating a 2D representation of a curved surface of the 3D dataset of the heart by flattening out the curved surface of the heart, projected on the said cone or the cylinder such that the 2D representation corresponds to a surface area of the heart covering the whole circumference of the heart. This would enable the visualization of the heart covering more than 180 degrees around a circumference of the heart, in a display screen or a common display region at a point in time. By flattening out the projection, the arteries also get displayed with the 2D representation of the curved surface.
For the cardiologist, to do proper diagnostics the thickness of the wall of the heart is very important. Along with the 2D representation of the curved surface of the heart, if the cardiologist could see the thickness information also, then it would be very useful.
If we consider that
The 2D representation of the curved surface of the heart and the cross sectional representation of the wall is simultaneously displayed in a common display region as shown in
Finally all the 2D matrices captured for that slice 806 are combined to form the 2D representation 810, to form the cross section of the wall of the heart. The point at which the thickness information needs to be shown can also be based similar to that discussed in
The said method in an embodiment of the invention could also be implemented using a computer program product. It includes a computer readable medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions that, when executed on a computer, configure the computer to perform the said method of providing a 3D dataset of a heart; and generating a 2D representation of a curved surface of the 3D dataset by flattening out the curved surface of the heart, such that the 2D representation corresponds to a surface area of the heart covering more than 180 degrees around a circumference of the heart.
Although the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, this description is not meant to be construed in a limiting sense. Various modifications of the disclosed embodiments, as well as alternate embodiments of the invention, will become apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to the description of the invention. It is therefore contemplated that such modifications can be made without departing from the embodiments of the present invention as defined.
The patent claims filed with the application are formulation proposals without prejudice for obtaining more extensive patent protection. The applicant reserves the right to claim even further combinations of features previously disclosed only in the description and/or drawings.
The example embodiment or each example embodiment should not be understood as a restriction of the invention. Rather, numerous variations and modifications are possible in the context of the present disclosure, in particular those variants and combinations which can be inferred by the person skilled in the art with regard to achieving the object for example by combination or modification of individual features or elements or method steps that are described in connection with the general or specific part of the description and are contained in the claims and/or the drawings, and, by way of combinable features, lead to a new subject matter or to new method steps or sequences of method steps, including insofar as they concern production, testing and operating methods.
References back that are used in dependent claims indicate the further embodiment of the subject matter of the main claim by way of the features of the respective dependent claim; they should not be understood as dispensing with obtaining independent protection of the subject matter for the combinations of features in the referred-back dependent claims. Furthermore, with regard to interpreting the claims, where a feature is concretized in more specific detail in a subordinate claim, it should be assumed that such a restriction is not present in the respective preceding claims.
Since the subject matter of the dependent claims in relation to the prior art on the priority date may form separate and independent inventions, the applicant reserves the right to make them the subject matter of independent claims or divisional declarations. They may furthermore also contain independent inventions which have a configuration that is independent of the subject matters of the preceding dependent claims.
Further, elements and/or features of different example embodiments may be combined with each other and/or substituted for each other within the scope of this disclosure and appended claims.
Still further, any one of the above-described and other example features of the present invention may be embodied in the form of an apparatus, method, system, computer program, computer readable medium and computer program product. For example, of the aforementioned methods may be embodied in the form of a system or device, including, but not limited to, any of the structure for performing the methodology illustrated in the drawings.
Even further, any of the aforementioned methods may be embodied in the form of a program. The program may be stored on a computer readable medium and is adapted to perform any one of the aforementioned methods when run on a computer device (a device including a processor). Thus, the storage medium or computer readable medium, is adapted to store information and is adapted to interact with a data processing facility or computer device to execute the program of any of the above mentioned embodiments and/or to perform the method of any of the above mentioned embodiments.
The computer readable medium or storage medium may be a built-in medium installed inside a computer device main body or a removable medium arranged so that it can be separated from the computer device main body. Examples of the built-in medium include, but are not limited to, rewriteable non-volatile memories, such as ROMs and flash memories, and hard disks. Examples of the removable medium include, but are not limited to, optical storage media such as CD-ROMs and DVDs; magneto-optical storage media, such as MOs; magnetism storage media, including but not limited to floppy disks (trademark), cassette tapes, and removable hard disks; media with a built-in rewriteable non-volatile memory, including but not limited to memory cards; and media with a built-in ROM, including but not limited to ROM cassettes; etc. Furthermore, various information regarding stored images, for example, property information, may be stored in any other form, or it may be provided in other ways.
Example embodiments being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.
