Method, system, and computer software product for feature-based correlation of lesions from multiple images

1. A computer-implemented method for correlating medical images, comprising:

obtaining first image data representative of a first medical image including a first abnormality;

obtaining second image data representative of a second medical image including a second abnormality;

determining at least one feature value for each of the first and second abnormalities using the first and second image data;

calculating, based on the determined feature values, a likelihood value indicative of a likelihood that the first and second abnormalities are a same abnormality; and

outputting the determined likelihood value,

wherein the step of obtaining the first image data comprises obtaining first image data representative of the first medical image derived using a first modality, the first modality being one of mammography, sonography, and magnetic resonance imaging; and

the step of obtaining the second image data comprises obtaining second image data representative of the second medical image derived using a second modality different from the first modality.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of obtaining the first image data comprises obtaining first image data representative of the first medical image using a first modality, in a given view; and

the step of obtaining the second image data comprises obtaining second image data representative of the second medical image derived using a second modality, in a view different from the given view.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of obtaining the first image data comprises obtaining first image data representative of the first medical image using a first modality, in a given time; and

the step of obtaining the second image data comprises obtaining second image data representative of the second medical image using the first modality, at a time different from the given time.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of obtaining the first image data comprises obtaining first image data representative of the first medical image using a first protocol of a first modality; and

the step of obtaining the second image data comprises obtaining second image data representative of the second medical image using a second protocol of the first modality, the second protocol being different from the first protocol.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining step comprises: automatically segmenting the first and second abnormalities.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining step comprises:

identifying at least one maximally correlated feature using a canonical correlation analysis; and

determining a value for each of the at least one maximally correlated feature for each of the first and second abnormalities.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the identifying step comprises:

selecting the at least one maximally correlated feature from a list of candidate features including filtered ARD, filtered margin sharpness, posterior acoustic behavior, texture, NRG, average gray value, contrast, and diameter.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining step comprises:

evaluating a measure of similarity between maximally correlated features to determine feature-conditioned likelihoods that the first and second abnormalities are the same abnormality.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the calculating step comprises:

using a likelihood ratio test based on the feature-conditioned likelihoods that the first and second abnormalities are the same abnormality.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the calculating step comprises:

applying the determined feature values to a classifier to obtain the likelihood value.

11. A system for correlating medical images, comprising:

a mechanism configured to obtain first image data representative of a first medical image including a first abnormality;

a mechanism configured to obtain second image data representative of a second medical image including a second abnormality;

a mechanism configured to determine at least one feature value for each of the first and second abnormalities using the first and second image data;

a mechanism configured to calculate, based on the determined feature values, a likelihood value indicative of a likelihood that the first and second abnormalities are a same abnormality; and

a mechanism configured to output the determined likelihood value,

wherein the mechanism configured to obtain the first image data comprises a mechanism configured to obtain first image data representative of the first medical image using a first modality, the first modality being one of mammography, sonography, and magnetic resonance imaging; and

the mechanism configured to obtain the second image data comprises a mechanism configured to obtain second image data representative of the second medical image using a second modality different from the first modality.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the mechanism configured to obtain the first image data comprises a mechanism configured to obtain first image data representative of the first medical image using a first modality, in a given view; and

the mechanism configured to obtain the second image data comprises a mechanism configured to obtain second image data representative of the second medical image using the first modality, in a view different from the given view.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the mechanism configured to obtain the first image data comprises a mechanism configured to obtain first image data representative of the first medical image using a first modality, at a given time; and

the mechanism configured to obtain the second image data comprises a mechanism configured to obtain second image data representative of the second medical image using the first modality, at a time different from the given time.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the mechanism configured to obtain the first image data comprises a mechanism configured to obtain first image data representative of the first medical image using a first protocol of a first modality; and

the mechanism configured to obtain the second image data comprises a mechanism configured to obtain second image data representative of the second medical image using a second protocol of the first modality, the second protocol being different from the first protocol.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the mechanism configured to determine comprises:

a mechanism configured to automatically segment the first and second abnormalities.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the mechanism configured to determine comprises:

a mechanism configured to identify at least one maximally correlated feature use a canonical correlation analysis; and

a mechanism configured to determine a value for each of the at least one maximally correlated feature for each of the first and second abnormalities.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the mechanism configured to identify the at least one maximally correlated feature comprises:

a mechanism configured to select the at least one maximally correlated feature from a list of candidate features including filtered ARD, filtered margin sharpness, posterior acoustic behavior, texture, NRG, average gray value, contrast, and diameter.

18. The system of claim 11 , wherein the mechanism configured to determine comprises:

a mechanism configured to evaluate a measure of similarity between maximally correlated features to determine feature-conditioned likelihoods that the first and second abnormalities are the same abnormality.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the mechanism configured to calculate comprises:

a mechanism configured to use a likelihood ratio test based on the feature-conditioned likelihoods that the first and second abnormalities are the same abnormality.

20. The system of claim 11 , wherein the mechanism configured to calculate comprises:

a mechanism configured to apply the determined feature values to a classifier to obtain the likelihood value.

21. A computer program product which stores, on a computer-readable medium, instructions for execution on a computer system, which when executed by the computer system, causes the computer system to perform the steps of:

obtaining first image data representative of a first medical image including a first abnormality;

obtaining second image data representative of a second medical image including a second abnormality;

determining at least one feature value for each of the first and second abnormalities using the first and second image data;

calculating, based on the determined feature values, a likelihood value indicative of a likelihood that the first and second abnormalities are a same abnormality; and

outputting the determined likelihood values,

wherein the step of obtaining the first image data comprises obtaining first image data representative of the first medical image using a first modality, the first modality being one of mammography, sonography, and magnetic resonance imaging; and

the step of obtaining the second image data comprises obtaining second image data representative of the second medical image using a second modality different from the first modality.

22. The computer program product of claim 21 , wherein the step of obtaining the first image data comprises obtaining first image data representative of the first medical image using a first modality, in a given view; and

the step of obtaining the second image data comprises obtaining second image data representative of the second medical image using the first modality, in a view different from the given view.

23. The computer program product of claim 21 , wherein the step of obtaining the first image data comprises obtaining first image data representative of the first medical image using a first modality, at a given time; and

the step of obtaining the second image data comprises obtaining second image data representative of the second medical image using the first modality, at a time different from the given time.

24. The computer program product of claim 21 , wherein the step of obtaining the first image data comprises obtaining first image data representative of the first medical image using a first protocol of a first modality; and

the step of obtaining the second image data comprises obtaining second image data representative of the second medical image using a second protocol of the first modality, the second protocol being different from the first protocol.

25. The computer program product of claim 21 , wherein the determining step comprises:

automatically segmenting the first and second abnormalities.

26. The computer program product of claim 21 , wherein the determining step comprises:

identifying at least one maximally correlated feature using a canonical correlation analysis; and

determining a value for each of the at least one maximally correlated feature for each of the first and second abnormalities.

27. The computer program product of claim 26 , wherein the identifying step comprises:

selecting the at least one maximally correlated feature from a list of candidate features including filtered ARD, filtered margin sharpness, posterior acoustic behavior, texture, NRG, average gray value, contrast, and diameter.

28. The computer program product of claim 21 , wherein the determining step comprises:

evaluating a measure of similarity between maximally correlated features to determine feature-conditioned likelihoods that the first and second abnormalities are the same abnormality.

29. The computer program product of claim 28 , wherein the calculating step comprises:

using a likelihood ratio test based on the feature-conditioned likelihoods that the first and second abnormalities are the same abnormality.

30. The computer program product of claim 21 , wherein the calculating step comprises:

applying the determined feature values to a classifier to obtain the likelihood value.