Method for automatically synchronizing the review of two DSA scenes

1. A system for automatically synchronizing display of adjacent different medical image sequences of an anatomical portion derived for use in Angiography or another medical procedure, comprising:

an imaging system for acquiring first and second sets of data at different stages of a treatment procedure representing corresponding first and second image sequences individually comprising a plurality of temporally sequential individual images of vessels of a portion of patient anatomy, said sequential individual images encompassing introduction of a contrast agent into patient vessels;

a display for presenting said first and second image sequences in substantially adjacent display areas to facilitate user comparison;

a contrast agent detector for automatically analyzing said first and second image sequences to identify a first image frame, in both the first image sequence and the second image sequence, indicating presence of a contrast agent; and

a display processor for automatically synchronizing presentation of the first image sequence and the second image sequence in said substantially adjacent display areas in response to identification of said first image frame and relative to introduction of contrast agent by adjacently presenting in a single image a plurality of temporally sequential individual images of vessels of a portion of patient anatomy of both said first image sequence and said second image sequence with corresponding individual images of the sequences being adjacent and synchronized and aligned relative to introduction of contrast agent to support comparison and encompassing introduction of a contrast agent into patient vessels.

2. A system according to claim 1 , wherein

said display processor enables a user to synchronously increment through image frames of both said first image sequence and said second image sequence, one image frame at a time,

said first image sequence and said second image sequence comprise DSA (digital subtraction angiography) images and

said first image sequence is obtained using a first administration of a contrast agent prior to an interventional procedure and said second image sequence is obtained using a second administration of a contrast agent following an interventional procedure and

said substantially adjacent display areas enable a user to synchronously increment and compare before and after procedure medical images.

3. A system according to claim 1 , wherein

said first image sequence is obtained using a first administration of a contrast agent on a first occasion and said second image sequence is obtained using a second administration of a contrast agent on a second occasion after the first image sequence is obtained and

said substantially adjacent display areas enable a user to synchronously increment and compare said first and second image sequences.

4. A system according to claim 1 , wherein

said display processor generates DSA (digital subtraction angiography) images as the first image sequence and the second image sequence after the contrast agent detector automatically analyzes said first and second image sequences to identify said first image frame indicating presence of a contrast agent and

said display processor concurrently presents said first image frame of both said first image sequence and said second image sequence in adjacent respective areas of said substantially adjacent display areas.

5. A system according to claim 1 , wherein

said display processor automatically synchronizes presentation of said first image sequence and said second image sequence in respective areas of said substantially adjacent display areas based on a frame preceding said first image frame.

6. A system according to claim 1 , wherein

said display processor automatically synchronizes presentation of said first image sequence and said second image sequence in respective areas of said substantially adjacent display areas based on a frame succeeding said first image frame.

7. A system according to claim 1 , wherein

said display processor automatically synchronizes presentation of said first image sequence and said second image sequence in respective areas of said substantially adjacent display areas based on an image frame synchronized to a point within a heart cycle signal and closest to time of introduction of contrast agent.

8. A system according to claim 7 , including

a user interface enabling a user to select a point within a heart cycle at which to synchronize said first image sequence and said second image sequence.

9. A system according to claim 8 , wherein

said display processor automatically synchronizes presentation of said first image sequence and said second image sequence in respective areas of said substantially adjacent display areas based on an image frame synchronized with a heart cycle signal and closest to time of introduction of contrast agent.

10. A system according to claim 7 , wherein

said display processor automatically synchronizes presentation of said first image sequence and said second image sequence to a point within a heart cycle.

11. A system according to claim 10 , wherein

said display processor automatically synchronizes presentation of said first image sequence and said second image sequence in respective areas of said substantially adjacent display areas based on an image frame synchronized to a point within a heart cycle signal and closest to time of introduction of contrast agent.

12. A system according to claim 1 , wherein

said contrast agent detector processes data representing said first image sequence and said second image sequence to identify said first image frame indicating presence of said contrast agent and a second image frame substantially immediately preceding said first image frame, said second image frame being substantially exclusive of an indication of presence of said contrast agent, by comparing a difference between measures representative of luminance content of the first and second image frame, with a threshold.

13. A system according to claim 12 , wherein

said display processor derives measures representative of luminance content of said first and second image frame using at least one of a plurality of different processes including one process using a histogram derived from pixel grayscale values.

14. A system for automatically synchronizing display of adjacent different medical image sequences of an anatomical portion derived for use in Angiography or another medical procedure, comprising:

an imaging system for acquiring first and second sets of data, on corresponding first and second different occasions, representing corresponding first and second image sequences individually comprising a plurality of temporally sequential individual images of vessels of a portion of patient anatomy, said first image sequence encompassing a first administration of a contrast agent on the first occasion and said second image sequence encompassing a second administration of a contrast agent on the second occasion after the first image sequence is obtained;

a display for presenting said first and second image sequences in substantially adjacent display areas to facilitate user comparison;

a contrast agent detector for automatically analyzing said first and second image sequences to identify a first image frame, in both the first image sequence and the second image sequence, indicating presence of a contrast agent; and

a display processor for automatically synchronizing presentation of said first image sequence and said second image sequence in said substantially adjacent display areas in response to identification of said first image frame by adjacently presenting in a single image a plurality of temporally sequential individual images of vessels of a portion of patient anatomy of both said first image sequence and said second image sequence with corresponding individual images of the sequences being adjacent and synchronized and aligned relative to said first image frame to support comparison and enabling a user to synchronously increment through image frames of both said first image sequence and said second image sequence, one image frame at a time.

15. A system according to claim 14 , wherein

said imaging system stores in a repository the first image sequence acquired on the first occasion comprising prior to an interventional procedure and said imaging system stores in said repository the second image sequence acquired on the second occasion comprising following an interventional procedure.

16. A system according to claim 14 , wherein

said imaging system stores in a repository the first image sequence acquired on the first occasion comprising a first patient visit and said imaging system stores in said repository the second image sequence acquired on the second occasion comprising a different second patient visit one or more days after the first visit.

17. A method for automatically synchronizing display of adjacent different medical image sequences of an anatomical portion derived for use in Angiography or another medical procedure, comprising the activities of:

acquiring first and second sets of data, on corresponding first and second different occasions, representing corresponding first and second image sequences individually comprising a plurality of temporally sequential individual images of vessels of a portion of patient anatomy, said first image sequence encompassing a first administration of a contrast agent on the first occasion and said second image sequence encompassing a second administration of a contrast agent on the second occasion after the first image sequence is obtained;

displaying said first and second image sequences in substantially adjacent display areas to facilitate user comparison;

automatically analyzing said first and second image sequences to identify a first image frame, in both the first image sequence and the second image sequence, indicating presence of a contrast agent; and

automatically synchronizing presentation of said first image sequence and said second image sequence in said substantially adjacent display areas in response to identification of said first image frame by adjacently presenting in a single image a plurality of temporally sequential individual images of vessels of a portion of patient anatomy of both said first image sequence and said second image sequence with corresponding individual images of the sequences being adjacent and synchronized and aligned relative to said first image frame to support comparison.

18. A system for automatically synchronizing display of adjacent different medical image sequences of an anatomical portion derived for use in Angiography or another medical procedure, comprising:

an imaging system for acquiring first and second sets of data, on corresponding first and second different occasions, representing corresponding first and second image sequences individually comprising a plurality of temporally sequential individual images of vessels of a portion of patient anatomy, said first image sequence encompassing a first administration of a contrast agent on the first occasion and said second image sequence encompassing a second administration of a contrast agent on the second occasion after the first image sequence is obtained;

a display for presenting said first and second image sequences in substantially adjacent display areas to facilitate user comparison;

a contrast agent detector for automatically analyzing said first and second image sequences to identify a first image frame, in both the first image sequence and the second image sequence, indicating presence of a contrast agent; and

a display processor for automatically synchronizing said first image sequence and said second image sequence to a point within a heart cycle and in response to identification of said first image frame by adjacently presenting in a single image a plurality of temporally sequential individual images of vessels of a portion of patient anatomy of both said first image sequence and said second image sequence with corresponding individual images of the sequences being adjacent and synchronized and aligned relative to said first image frame to support comparison and enabling a user to synchronously increment through image frames of both said first image sequence and said second image sequence in the substantially adjacent display areas, one frame at a time.

19. A system according to claim 18 , wherein

said display processor automatically synchronizes presentation of said first image sequence and said second image sequence in respective areas of said substantially adjacent display areas based on an image frame synchronized to a point within a heart cycle signal and closest to time of introduction of contrast agent.