Patent Application
20080089584
In general, the invention provides a method for the simultaneous and registered display of selected components of a multi-component image. The invention provides additional information about the characteristic of imaged objects by allowing the user to rapidly overlay a small part of one image-component in registration with the full-size display of another image-component from the same multi-component image. The viewing-glass can be a window that is a fraction of the size of the original image that can be moved over the entire area of the full-size display. When the viewing-glass is activated, the full-size image is occluded in the area covered by the viewing-glass. Within the area covered by the viewing-glass, an alternate component from the multi-component image is displayed.
Referring now to
An image 30A (Image #1) is selected for display on display 22. Only a region 32 of image 30A is displayed. A movable viewing glass 34 is formed on image region 32 and is movable by input device 24, such as a pointing device (mouse). Viewing glass 34 defines a region of interest 36 on image component 30A.
A method for activating the viewing glass 34 can include one or more of the following:
1. A menu selection from an area of the display containing the full set of user selectable image display tools.
2. A hot-key combination. For example, simultaneously pressing the alt-key and the m-key on the keyboard of the display workstation.
3. Using the mouse to right-click on an image whence a drop down menu would appear allowing the user to select the Viewing Glass.
The region of interest (ROI) 36 can be selected on a digital display apparatus 20 by means of a pointing device such as a mouse or trackball. The center of the region of interest is selected 38. A predetermined ROI shape and size—box 40 are selected. For example, a circle can be specified by selecting a circle icon from a menu by clicking the mouse while over that icon. The mouse is then moved to the point intended as the center of the circle where a button is depressed. The mouse is then dragged to the point that is intended to be on the circumference of the circle and the button released. The rectangle can be formed in a similar way. A rectangle icon is selected from a menu by clicking the mouse while over that icon. The mouse is then moved to one corner of the rectangle where a button is depressed. The mouse is then dragged to the point intended for the opposite corner of the rectangle and the button is released. An arbitrary polygon can be selected by first clicking the mouse over an appropriate icon on the menu. The mouse is then moved to the first intended vertex and clicked. This process is repeated for each vertex of the polygon. After each successive mouse click a line segment is shown which defines the boundary of that portion of the polygon. Double clicking at a vertex causes the polygon to be closed by connecting the last vertex point to the first.
Alternatively, the characteristics of the region of interest may be pre-defined as any geometrical shape and size. In this case, a mouse click is used to select a location on the image to which the region of interest will be applied. The location at which the mouse click occurs can be taken for example as the location for applying the center of the region of interest.
Multi-component images allow the selection of alternate image component for display in the region of interest defined by the “looking glass”. This selection can be done prior to selecting the looking glass tool. A default, preselected alternate image component—box 42 (Image #2) can be prescribed by the display program. This selection will in general depend on the type of image being displayed. For example, when viewing the “standard” image component of a dual-energy multi-component image, the default alternate image component may be the “bone” image component. However, when viewing the “bone” image component, the default alternative image component may be the soft tissue image component. The alternative image component for the looking glass can be changed by the user. For example, by right clicking on the looking glass a menu would be presented from which a new alternative image component would be selected. This selection would remain in effect until changed again by the user.
Within the region of interest defined by the viewing glass, the corresponding part of an alternate image-component is displayed in registration with the full-size display of the original image-component from the same multi-component image. (This is effected by extracting the ROI image data from Image # 2—box 44, modifying the ROI display—box 46, and overlaying the corresponding location of the Image # 1 display—box 48). The viewing-glass appears as a window that is a fraction of the size of the original image that can be moved over the entire area of the full-size display. When the viewing-glass is activated, the full-size image is occluded in the area covered by the viewing-glass. Within the area covered by the viewing-glass, an alternate component from the multi-component image is displayed.
After a region of interest has been selected and the viewing-glass display is activated, the alternate image component is displayed within the region of interest and the original image component is displayed outside the region of interest. The region of interest may be moved by “dragging” it to a new location on the original image component. In one embodiment, dragging may be accomplished by moving the cursor over the region of interest, depressing a mouse button and while depressed moving the cursor to the new location. An alternative embodiment is to move the cursor to a new location on the original image and click the mouse button. In any case, when the region of interest is re-located, the image content of the region of interest is updated to display the area of the alternative image component corresponding to the new location of the original image. The original image is now occluded in the new region of interest and is restored in the previous region of interest.
A suitable means of de-activating the looking glass is employed. This can include one or more of the following:
1. A menu selection from an area of the display containing the full set of user selectable image display tools.
2. A hot-key combination. For example, simultaneously pressing the alt-key and the m-key on the keyboard of the display workstation.
3. A single keystroke. For example, pressing the esc-key on the keyboard of the workstation.
4. Using the mouse to right-click on an image whence a drop down menu would appear allowing the user to de-select the Viewing Glass.
The method of the invention and the purpose and advantage of the Viewing Glass can be appreciated by considering some examples of its use.
Dual-Energy subtraction is a well known method for using high- and low-energy x-ray images of a subject to produce display-ready images in different anatomical structures, such as bone and soft-tissue, in which either the bone or the soft-tissue contrast is selectively eliminated. The dual-energy acquisition can also produce a standard radiographic display-ready image similar in appearance to a conventional radiographic image. A standard radiographic image produced from a dual-energy acquisition is shown in
Many applications of multispectral imaging exist.
It is noted that a multi-component image refers to an image having a set of values associated with each pixel, such that the respective value at each pixel represent different image of the same object. The multiple values can derive either from a single image acquisition or from multiple acquisitions. It is notes that image components derived from different acquisitions can require manipulation (for example, geometric warping) prior to being included as a component of a multi-component image.
An image component is one set of pixel values of a multi-component image.
An original image component is the component of a multi-component image that is being displayed and that continues to be displayed in the areas except those included in the viewing glass.
An alternate image component is the component of a multi-component image, different than the original image component, that is displayed within the area of the viewing glass.
The term mouse or computer mouse is intended to represent a suitable pointing/selecting device used in the context of a computer display for selecting locations and initiating predefined action.
The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention.
