Organ wall analysis with ray-casting
View Patent ↗A system and corresponding method for organ wall analysis are provided, the system including a processor, an imaging adapter in signal communication with the processor for receiving organ scan data indicative of an organ, a distance mapping unit in signal communication with the processor for providing a three-dimensional distance map of a segmented outer surface of an organ, and a ray-casting unit in signal communication with the processor for providing a maximum intensity projection substantially normal to the segmented outer surface for each of a plurality of rays, and for forming a ray collection by casting each of the plurality of rays from a center of the organ through the respective maximum intensity projection to the segmented outer surface; and the corresponding method including providing a three-dimensional distance map of a segmented outer surface of an organ, providing a maximum intensity projection substantially normal to the segmented outer surface for each of a plurality of rays, and forming a ray collection by casting each of the plurality of rays from a center of the organ through the respective MIP to the segmented outer surface.
1. A method of organ wall analysis comprising:
providing a three-dimensional (3D) distance map of a segmented outer surface of an organ;
providing a maximum intensity projection (MIP) substantially normal to the segmented outer surface for each of a plurality of rays; and
forming a ray collection by casting each of the plurality of rays from a center of the organ through the respective MIP to the segmented outer surface.
2. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein:
the organ is a beating heart; and
the substantially normal MIPs are indicative of features comprising coronary valves.
3. A method as defined in claim 1 , further comprising:
segmenting the outer surface of the organ; and
providing a 3D mask precursor to the 3D distance map.
4. A method as defined in claim 1 , further comprising unfolding a 3D model of the organ into a two-dimensional (2D) image in correspondence with the substantially normal MIPs.
5. A method as defined in claim 1 , further comprising:
providing a profile for each ray;
filtering each profile to extract an exact organ wall location; and
computing the thickness of the wall at each location.
6. A method as defined in claim 2 wherein the 3D model is selected from the group of 3D shapes consisting of a sphere, a cylinder and an ellipsoid.
7. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein user interaction is not required.
8. An apparatus for organ wall analysis comprising:
distance mapping means for providing a three-dimensional (3D) distance map of a segmented outer surface of an organ;
projecting means for providing a maximum intensity projection (MIP) substantially normal to the segmented outer surface for each of a plurality of rays; and
collecting means for forming a ray collection by casting each of the plurality of rays from a center of the organ through the respective MIP to the segmented outer surface.
9. An apparatus as defined in claim 8 , further comprising scanning means for receiving organ scan data.
10. An apparatus as defined in claim 8 , further comprising display means for displaying organ scan data.
11. A system for organ wall analysis, comprising:
a processor;
an imaging adapter in signal communication with the processor for receiving organ scan data indicative of an organ;
a distance mapping unit in signal communication with the processor for providing a three-dimensional (3D) distance map of a segmented outer surface of an organ; and
a ray-casting unit in signal communication with the processor for providing a maximum intensity projection (MIP) substantially normal to the segmented outer surface for each of a plurality of rays, and for forming a ray collection by casting each of the plurality of rays from a center of the organ through the respective MIP to the segmented outer surface.
12. A system as defined in claim 11 wherein the processor renders the organ scan data as a 3D image about a region of interest.
13. A system as defined in claim 12 , further comprising a display adapter in signal communication with the processor for displaying the rendered 3D image.
14. A system as defined in claim 13 , further comprising a user interface adapter for checking the scan quality.
15. A system as defined in claim 11 wherein the processor provides a profile for each ray and recognizes known patterns.
16. A program storage device readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform program steps for organ wall analysis, the program steps comprising:
providing a three-dimensional (3D) distance map of a segmented outer surface of an organ;
providing a maximum intensity projection (MIP) substantially normal to the segmented outer surface for each of a plurality of rays; and
forming a ray collection by casting each of the plurality of rays from a center of the organ through the respective MIP to the segmented outer surface.
17. A device as defined in claim 16 wherein:
the organ is a beating heart; and
the substantially normal MIPs are indicative of features comprising coronary valves.
18. A device as defined in claim 16 , the program steps further comprising unfolding a 3D model of the organ into a two-dimensional (2D) image in correspondence with the substantially normal MIPs.
19. A device as defined in claim 16 , the program steps further comprising:
providing a profile for each ray;
filtering each profile to extract an exact organ wall location; and
computing the thickness of the wall at each location.
20. A device as defined in claim 16 , the program steps further comprising:
segmenting the outer surface of the organ; and
providing a 3D mask precursor to the 3D distance map.