System and method for 3D visualization of lung perfusion or density and statistical analysis thereof

1. A method for 3D visualization of a pair of lungs, comprising:

segmenting image data of the pair of lungs and lung parenchyma;

generating a 3D map as a function of the segmented image data; and

rendering the 3D map to produce a visualization of a color-coded semi-transparent 3D volume in its entirety,

wherein areas of low, average and high perfusion are represented by different degrees of opacity in the visualization of the 3D volume at the same time so that they can be differentiated from each other, and

wherein the opacity is varied according to perfusion or density values in the 3D map overlaying a 2D slice of the image data with the color-coded semi-transparent 3D volume.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the 3D map is one of a perfusion map or a density map.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the 3D map is generated by one of adaptive smoothing or texture filtering.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the area of low perfusion is an area that has a lack of blood flow, the area of average perfusion is an area that has healthy or normal perfusion, and the area of high perfusion is an area that has increased density or abnormally high perfusion.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the area of low perfusion is due to an embolus.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

generating a histogram of the rendered 3D map; and

determining whether the histogram indicates a positive or negative presence of embolus.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

classifying the embolus as one of acute or chronic.

8. A method for 3D visualization of lung perfusion, comprising:

segmenting image data of lung parenchyma;

generating a perfusion map of the segmented image data; and

rendering the perfusion map to produce a visualization of a color-coded semi-transparent 3D volume in its entirety,

wherein areas of low, average and high perfusion are represented by different degrees of opacity in the visualization of the 3D volume at the same time so that they can be differentiated from each other, and

wherein the opacity is varied according to perfusion values in the perfusion map overlaying a 2D slice of the image data with the color-coded semi-transparent 3D volume.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the step of generating a perfusion map of the segmented image data comprises:

segmenting the lung parenchyma;

performing a local smoothing; and

determining local-neighborhood mean densities of the lung parenchyma.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the step of segmenting the lung parenchyma comprises:

segmenting a volume of the pair of lungs from a thoracic volume;

identifying airways and blood vessels in the segmented lung volume; and

generating a mask of the lung parenchyma by removing the airways and vascular structures from the segmented lung volume.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the step of performing a local smoothing comprises:

shifting unsegmented image data;

masking the shifted image data with the parenchyma mask to obtain a shifted parenchyma image;

performing a Gaussian smoothing on the parenchyma mask and the shifted parenchyma image to obtain a smoothed parenchyma mask and image;

masking the smoothed parenchyma image with the smoothed parenchyma mask;

equalizing the masked smoothed parenchyma image; and

shifting the equalized image to generate the perfusion map.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the areas of low and high perfusion are an indication of one of pulmonary embolus or diffuse lung disease.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the image data is acquired using one of a CT, helical CT or MR imaging technique.

14. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

adjusting a color map to observe high density areas.

15. The method of claim 8 , wherein the areas of low, average and high perfusion are further represented by different colors in the 3D volume.

16. A system for 3D visualization of a pair of lungs, comprising:

a memory device for storing a program;

a processor in communication with the memory device, the processor operative with the program to:

segment image data of the pair of lungs and lung parenchyma;

generate a 3D map as a function of the segmented image data; and

render the 3D map to produce a visualization of a color-coded semi-transparent 3D volume in its entirety,

wherein areas of low, average and high perfusion are represented by different degrees of opacity in the visualization of the 3D volume at the same time so that they can be differentiated from each other, and

wherein the opacity is varied according to perfusion or density values in the 3D map overlaying a 2D slice of the image data with the color-coded semi-transparent 3D volume.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the 3D map is one of a perfusion map or a density map.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the area of low perfusion is an area that has a lack of blood flow, the area of average perfusion is an area that has healthy or normal perfusion, and the area of high perfusion is an area that has increased density or abnormally high perfusion.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the area of low perfusion is due to an embolus.

20. The system of claim 16 , wherein the processor is further operative with the program to:

generate a histogram of the rendered 3D map; and

determine whether the histogram indicates a positive or negative presence of embolus.

21. The system of claim 20 , wherein the processor is further operative with the program to:

classify the embolus as one of acute or chronic.

22. A system for 3D visualization of lung perfusion, comprising:

a memory device for storing a program;

a processor in communication with the memory device, the processor operative with the program to:

segment image data of lung parenchyma;

generate a perfusion map of the segmented image data; and

render the perfusion map to produce a visualization of a color-coded semi-transparent 3D volume in its entirety,

wherein areas of low, average and high perfusion are represented by different degrees of opacity in the visualization of the 3D volume at the same time so that they can be differentiated from each other, and

wherein the opacity is varied according to perfusion values in the perfusion map overlaying a 2D slice of the image data with the color-coded semi-transparent 3D volume.

23. The system of claim 22 , wherein when generating a perfusion map of the segmented image data the processor is further operative with the program to:

segment the lung parenchyma;

perform a local smoothing; and

determine local-neighborhood mean densities of the lung parenchyma.

24. The system of claim 23 , wherein when segmenting the lung parenchyma the processor is further operative with the program to:

segment a volume of the pair of lungs from a thoracic volume;

identify airways and blood vessels in the segmented lung volume; and

generate a mask of the lung parenchyma by removing the airways and vascular structures from the segmented lung volume.

25. The system of claim 24 , wherein when performing a local smoothing the processor is further operative with the program to:

shift unsegmented image data;

mask the shifted image data with the parenchyma mask to obtain a shifted parenchyma image;

perform a Gaussian smoothing on the parenchyma mask and the shifted parenchyma image to obtain a smoothed parenchyma mask and image;

mask the smoothed parenchyma image with the smoothed parenchyma mask;

equalize the masked smoothed parenchyma image; and

shift the equalized image to generate the perfusion map.

26. The system of claim 22 , wherein the areas of low and high perfusion are an indication of one of pulmonary embolus or diffuse lung disease.

27. The system of claim 22 , wherein the image data is acquired using one of a CT, helical CT or MR imaging device.

28. The system of claim 22 , the processor is further operative with the program to:

adjust a color map to observe high density areas.

29. The system of claim 22 , wherein the areas of low, average and high perfusion are further represented by different colors in the 3D volume.