IP Library › Granted Patent US 12670584
Granted Patent B2
US 12670584 · App. 18/056,811 · Granted Jun 30, 2026

Medical image processing apparatus, medical image processing method, and storage medium

Inventors: Masami Kawagishi (Kawasaki, JP); Kota Aoyagi (Nasushiobara, JP)
Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
G06T7/0012G06T7/66G06V10/764G06T2207/30061
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12670584
App. No.
18/056,811
Granted
Jun 30, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A medical image processing apparatus includes processing circuitry. The processing circuitry acquires medical image data to be analyzed. The processing circuitry identifies the direction of gravity for the medical image data. The processing circuitry sets the first weight to pixels constituting the medical image data on the basis of the direction of gravity. The processing circuitry analyzes the medical image data on the basis of the first weight.

Claims (46)

1 . A medical image processing apparatus, comprising:

processing circuitry configured to

acquire medical image data to be analyzed,

estimate a posture of a subject from (a) imaging information of the medical image data, or (b) image analysis of the medical image data,

identify a direction of gravity for the medical image data based on the estimated posture,

set a first weight to pixels constituting the medical image data based on the identified direction of gravity, and

analyze the medical image data based on the set first weight.

2 . The medical image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to extract at least one structure of a subject from the medical image data, and set the first weight based on the identified direction of gravity and the at least one structure.

3 . The medical image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to determine whether a gravitational effect occurs in at least one pixel of the medical image data, and set the first weight to the pixel based on a result of the determination.

4 . The medical image processing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to determine whether the gravitational effect occurs in at least one pixel of the medical image data, based on a result of image analysis on the medical image data.

5 . The medical image processing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to determine whether the gravitational effect occurs in at least one pixel of the medical image data, based on a classifier.

6 . The medical image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to set the first weight to the pixel based on the identified direction of gravity and a distance from an edge of a structure extracted from the medical image data.

7 . The medical image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, based on the identified direction of gravity and a structure extracted from the medical image data, the processing circuitry is further configured to calculate an angle at which a portion corresponding to the pixel is supported by the structure and set the first weight to the pixel based on the calculated angle and a distance to the structure.

8 . The medical image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to set a second weight to a pixel of the medical image data based on a structure extracted from the medical image data, and analyze the medical image data based on the first weight and the second weight.

9 . The medical image processing apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to set the second weight to the pixel based on a distance from an edge of the structure.

10 . The medical image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to generate weighted image data based on the first weight, and analyze the medical image data based on the weighted image data.

11 . The medical image processing apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to generate weighted image data based on the first weight and the second weight, and analyze the medical image data based on the weighted image data.

12 . A medical image processing method, comprising:

acquiring medical image data to be analyzed;

estimating a posture of a subject from (a) imaging information of the medical image data, or (b) image analysis on the medical image data;

identifying a direction of gravity for the medical image data based on the estimated posture;

setting a first weight to pixels constituting the medical image data based on the identified direction of gravity; and

analyzing the medical image data based on the set first weight.

13 . A storage medium storing therein, in a non-transitory manner, a program that causes a computer to execute processes of:

acquiring medical image data to be analyzed;

estimating a posture of a subject from (a) imaging information of the medical image data, or (b) image analysis on the medical image data;

identifying a direction of gravity for the medical image data based on the estimated posture;

setting a first weight to pixels constituting the medical image data based on the identified direction of gravity; and

analyzing the medical image data based on the set first weight.

14 . A medical image processing apparatus, comprising:

processing circuitry configured to

acquire medical image data to be analyzed,

identify a direction of gravity for the medical image data,

set a first weight value to each pixel constituting the medical image data based on the identified direction of gravity, and

analyze the medical image data by (a) multiplying the first weight value set based on the identified direction of gravity and each pixel value of the medical image data, or (b) inputting, to a machine learning model, the medical image data and image data in which each pixel value corresponds to the first weight value set based on the identified direction of gravity and set for each pixel of the medical image data.

15 . The medical image processing apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the medical image data is X-ray CT image data.

16 . The medical image processing apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to infer a disease name by analyzing the medical image data.

17 . The medical image processing apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to analyze the medical image data for interstitial lung abnormalities.

18 . A medical image processing apparatus, comprising:

processing circuitry configured to

acquire medical image data of a subject to be analyzed,

identify a direction of gravity for the medical image data,

set a first weight to pixels constituting the medical image data based on the identified direction of gravity and a distance from an edge of a body tissue, of the subject, extracted from the medical image data, and

analyze the medical image data based on the set first weight.

19 . The medical image processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to display, on a display, an analysis result of the analyzing of the medical image data.

20 . The medical image processing apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to determine the edge of the body tissue, which is in the identified direction of gravity in the medical image data.