METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR PRODUCING AN IMPLANT
A computer implemented method for determining the 3-dimensional shape of an implant to be implanted into a subject includes obtaining a computer readable image including a defective portion and a non-defective portion of tissue in the subject, superimposing on the image a shape to span the defective portion, and determining the 3-dimensional shape of the implant based on the shape that spans the defective portion.
1 . A computer implemented method for determining the 3-dimensional shape of an implant to be implanted into a subject, the method comprising:
obtaining a computer readable image including a defective portion and a non-defective portion of tissue in the subject;
superimposing on the image a shape to span the defective portion; and
determining the 3-dimensional shape of the implant based on the shape that spans the defective portion.
2 . The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the shape that spans the defective portion is drawn on the image as the image is displayed by a computer.
3 . The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the shape that spans the defective portion is a right-left mirror image of a portion of the subject's anatomy that includes the defective portion.
4 . The method as set forth in claim 3 , wherein the determining the 3-dimensional shape of the implant is determined as a function of respective shapes of the defective portion and the right-left mirror image.
5 . The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the shape that spans the defective portion in the subject is a template representing one of corresponding normal tissue in another subject and an average shape of corresponding normal tissue.
6 . The method as set forth in claim 5 , wherein the determining the 3-dimensional shape of the implant is determined as a function of respective shapes of the defective portion and the template.
7 . The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the superimposing on the image the shape to span the defective portion includes:
mapping highly curved portions of surfaces of at least one of:
the subject and another individual,
the subject and a first average, and
two or more individuals other than the subject to produce a second average; and
establishing correspondence between the mapped highly curved portions.
8 . The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the computer readable image consists of slices of the defective portion and the non-defective portion.
9 . The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the computer readable image consists of scan lines of the defective portion and the non-defective portion.
10 . The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the computer readable image consists of voxels of the defective portion and the non-defective portion.
11 . The method as set forth in claim 1 , further including:
determining a position for optimal adjacency between the implant and the non-defective portion of the subject.
12 . A system for determining a 3-dimensional shape of an implant to be implanted into a subject, the system comprising:
a computer-readable medium having data representing an image including a defective portion and a non-defective portion of tissue in the subject;
a graphical user interface operable to superimpose on the image a shape to span the defective portion; and
a logic configured to determine the 3-dimensional shape of the implant based on the shape that spans the defective portion.
13 . The system as set forth in claim 12 , wherein the graphical user interface is further operable for a user to draw the shape that spans the defective portion onto the image.
14 . The system as set forth in claim 12 , wherein the shape that spans the defective portion is a right-left mirror image of a portion of the subject's anatomy that includes the defective portion.
15 . The system as set forth in claim 14 , wherein the determining the 3-dimensional shape of the implant is determined as a function of respective shapes of the defective portion and the right-left mirror image.
16 . The system as set forth in claim 12 , wherein the shape that spans the defective portion in the subject is a template representing one of corresponding normal tissue in another subject and an average shape of corresponding normal tissue.
17 . The system as set forth in claim 16 , wherein the determining the 3-dimensional shape of the implant is determined as a function of respective shapes of the defective portion and the template.
18 . The system as set forth in claim 12 , further comprising:
a second logic configured to map highly curved portions of surfaces of at least one of:
the subject and another individual,
the subject and a first average, and
two or more individuals other than the subject to produce a second average; and
establish correspondence between the mapped highly curved portions.
19 . The system as set forth in claim 12 , wherein the image consists of slices of the defective portion and the non-defective portion.
20 . The system as set forth in claim 12 , wherein the image consists of scan lines of the defective portion and the non-defective portion.
21 . The system as set forth in claim 12 , wherein the image consists of voxels of the defective portion and the non-defective portion.
22 . The system as set forth in claim 12 , wherein the logic is further configured to determine optimal adjacency between the implant and the non-defective portion of the subject.