System to characterize topology and morphology of fistulae from medical imaging data
Systems and methods for generating annotations associated with medical imaging data are disclosed. A method described herein includes receiving volumetric medical imaging data including a structure, displaying a first node of a branching annotation on top of the medical imaging data responsive to input from a user, and extending the branching annotation through the structure by displaying a continuous path between the first node and at least a second node of the branching annotation.
1 . A method of generating a virtual model, the method comprising:
receiving, at a virtual examination system, a plurality of images of a patient collected using magnetic resonance (MR) imaging;
receiving, at the virtual examination system, a first input identifying a first structure shown in the plurality of images of the patient;
receiving, at the virtual examination system, a second input identifying a second structure shown in the plurality of images of the patient; and
generating, using the first input and the second input, a virtual model of the first structure and the second structure of the patient for use in treating a disease state of the patient, wherein the disease state is a perianal fistula, and wherein the first structure is an anal canal of the patient and the second structure is a levator plate of the patient.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a third input identifying a third structure shown in the plurality of images of the patient, the third structure comprising a skin surface of the patient; and
receiving a fourth input identifying a fourth structure shown in the plurality of images of the patient, the fourth structure comprising a fistula tract.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first input includes a centerline drawn through at least a portion of the anal canal of the patient on at least one of the plurality of the images.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second input includes a polyline drawn from the top of an external sphincter along the levator plate of the patient on at least one of the plurality of the images.
5 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the third input includes a line drawn on at least one of the plurality of the images to identify the skin surface of the patient.
6 . The method of claim 1 wherein the first input and the second input are received from a first user device, the method further comprising:
accessing, at a second user device, the virtual model; and
generating a visualization using the virtual model of one or more forks in the perianal fistula, wherein the visualization is generated to provide context for a user to perform a procedure to treat the perianal fistula.
7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
evaluating a treatment of the disease state of the patient by:
determining at least one initial measurement using the virtual model, wherein the virtual model is generated before the treatment; and
comparing the at least one initial measurement to at least one additional measurement, wherein the at least one additional measurement is determined using a second virtual model generated subsequent to the treatment.
8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
causing display of the virtual model in a user interface, wherein the user interface allows a user to manipulate the virtual model to view the first structure and the second structure from a plurality of angles.
9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a markup of the virtual model at a first user device, the markup including an indication of at least one feature of interest; and
causing display of the markup of the virtual model at a second user device.