Method of visualization of contrast intensity change over time in a DSA image

1. A system and user interface enabling user interaction with a medical vessel structure image to determine individual vessel blood flow characteristics, comprising:

a user interface cursor control device; and

a display processor for generating data representing a single composite display image including,

a first image area showing a patient vessel structure and contrast agent flow through said patient vessel structure over a first period of time and

a second image area showing a dynamic curve graph of contrast agent concentration in a particular portion of said vessel structure over a second period of time, said particular portion of said vessel structure comprising one or a group of pixels corresponding to a dynamically movable cursor hovering over said first image area in said vessel structure shown in said first image area and being moved in response to a user using said cursor control device, said first image area showing a visual marker identifying location in said vessel structure of said dynamically movable cursor of said vessel structure in said first image area, wherein the dynamic curve graph changes with the location of said dynamically movable cursor.

2. A system according to claim 1 , wherein

said image in said first image area comprises a DSA (digitally subtracted angiography) image derived by subtracting a mask image acquired in the absence of contrast agent, from subsequent images acquired when a contrast agent is in patient blood to remove static background detail.

3. A system according to claim 1 , wherein

said visual marker also includes data indicating a time substantially representing time of peak contrast agent concentration in said particular portion of said vessel structure from introduction of contrast agent into a patient vessel structure and including a data processor for deriving said graph by examining luminance intensity of said one or said group of pixels comprising a selected point for each image frame in an acquired image sequence and by plotting luminance intensity of the individual pixel (or group of pixels) against time derived from a timestamp of the corresponding image frame containing the individual pixel.

4. A system according to claim 1 , wherein

said visual marker also includes data indicating a maximum or minimum rate of change of concentration of contrast agent in said particular portion of said vessel structure from introduction of contrast agent into a patient vessel structure.

5. A system according to claim 1 , wherein

said visual marker also includes data indicating a time period comprising substantially half way between time of peak contrast agent concentration in said particular portion of said vessel structure from at least one of (a) time of introduction of contrast agent into a patient vessel structure and (b) time of end of contrast agent flow in said patient vessel structure.

6. A system according to claim 1 , wherein

said second image area shows a visual marker indicating a time substantially representing time of peak contrast agent concentration in said particular portion of said vessel structure from introduction of contrast agent into a patient vessel structure.

7. A system according to claim 1 , wherein

said second image area shows a visual marker indicating a maximum or minimum rate of change of concentration of contrast agent in said particular portion of said vessel structure from introduction of contrast agent into a patient vessel structure.

8. A system according to claim 1 , wherein

said second image area shows a visual marker indicating a time period comprising substantially half way between time of peak contrast agent concentration in said particular portion of said vessel structure from at least one of, (a) time of introduction of contrast agent into a patient vessel structure and (b) time of end of contrast agent flow in said patient vessel structure.

9. A system according to claim 1 , wherein

said second image area shows a plurality of graphs of contrast agent concentration over said second period of time in a corresponding plurality of different particular portions of said vessel structure individually selected in said first image area in response to the user using said cursor control device and

said first image area shows a plurality of visual markers corresponding to said plurality of graphs identifying locations in said vessel structure of said plurality of different particular portions of said vessel structure.

10. A system according to claim 9 , wherein

said plurality of graphs have individually distinguishing visual attributes comprising at least one of, (a) color, (b) line pattern, (c) shade, (d) hue and (e) brightness.

11. A system according to claim 10 , wherein

an individual marker of said plurality of visual markers shares a visual attribute with a corresponding graph of said plurality of graphs enabling unique matching of a graph with a corresponding marker and particular portion of said vessel structure.

12. A system according to claim 1 , wherein

said second image area shows the dynamic curve graph and at least one static curve graph of contrast agent concentration in a corresponding plurality of different particular portions of said vessel structure, the corresponding plurality of different portions comprising a first portion selected in said first image area corresponding to the dynamically movable cursor and a second portion selected in said first image area corresponding to a static user selected point, the dynamic curve graph and the static curve graph enabling the user to compare contrast agent flow at one dynamically movable cursor in said vessel structure with that of another static user selected point in said vessel structure and

said first image area shows a plurality of visual markers corresponding to the dynamic curve graph and the static graph identifying locations in said vessel structure of said plurality of different particular portions of said vessel structure.

13. A system according to claim 12 , wherein

in response to said first portion and said second portion comprising the same location in said vessel structure, said first display image displays a unique single marker.

14. A system according to claim 1 , wherein

said first image area showing contrast agent flow through a patient vessel structure over a first period of time is derived by,

associating different individual images of a plurality of digitally subtracted images with different corresponding visual attributes and

combining data representing said digitally subtracted images to form an image in said first image area.

15. A system according to claim 1 , wherein

said first period of time and said second period of time are the same.

16. A method enabling user interaction with a medical vessel structure image to determine individual vessel blood flow characteristics, comprising the activities of:

generating data representing a single composite display image including,

a first image area showing a patient vessel structure and contrast agent flow through said patient vessel structure over a first period of time and showing a visual marker identifying location in said vessel structure of a particular portion of said vessel structure comprising one or a group of pixels corresponding to a dynamically movable cursor hovering over said first image area and in said vessel structure and

a second image area showing a dynamic curve graph of contrast agent concentration of said one or said group of pixels of said particular portion of said vessel structure over a second period of time, wherein the dynamic curve graph changes with the location of the dynamically movable cursor; and

identifying said particular portion of said vessel structure in said second image in response to a user using a cursor control.

17. A method according to claim 16 , wherein

said visual marker also includes data indicating a time substantially representing time of peak contrast agent concentration in said particular portion of said vessel structure from introduction of contrast agent into a patient vessel structure.

18. A method enabling user interaction with a medical vessel structure image to determine individual vessel blood flow characteristics, comprising the activities of:

generating data representing a single composite display image including,

a first image area showing a patient vessel structure and contrast agent flow through said patient vessel structure over a first period of time and showing a plurality of visual markers identifying locations in said vessel structure of a plurality of different particular portions of said vessel structure and

a second image area showing at least one dynamic curve graph and at least one static curve graph of contrast agent concentration over a second period of time in a corresponding plurality of different particular portions of said vessel structure, the corresponding plurality of different portions are individually selected in said first image area in response to a user using a cursor control device and correspond to a dynamically movable cursor hovering over said first image area and a static user selected point, said plurality of visual markers corresponding to said curve graphs, said curve graphs enabling the user to compare contrast agent flow at one dynamically movable cursor in said vessel structure with that of one or more other static user selected points in said vessel structure, said dynamic curve graph changes with location of the dynamically movable cursor; and

identifying said particular portion of said vessel structure in said second image in response to the user using a cursor control.

19. A method according to claim 18 , wherein individual markers of said plurality of visual markers share a visual attribute with a corresponding graph of said graphs enabling unique matching of a graph with a corresponding marker and particular portion of said vessel structure.

20. A method according to claim 18 , including the activity of

generating graphs of contrast agent concentration over a second period of time in said corresponding plurality of different particular portions of said vessel structure individually selected in a medical vessel structure image.