Overlay maps for navigation of intraoral images
Methods and systems for viewing images. One system includes a source of images, a computer, and a screen. The computer includes a processor and a user interface module configured to generate a graphical user interface or GUI. The GUI includes a first window in which one or more of the images are displayed. The GUI is displayed on the screen and the graphical user interface module generates an output or modifies the GUI in response to user input (e.g., tap, click, etc.). In response to the input, the graphical user interface generates an image-navigation map. The image-navigation map is displayed in a foreground of the first window and the one or more images are in displayed in a background of the first window. The image-navigation map includes one or more thumbnail images of at least one of the one or more images.
1. An image viewing system comprising:
a source of intraoral dental images;
a computer having a processor and a user interface module, the user interface module configured to generate a graphical user interface, the graphical user interface having a first window in which at least one intraoral dental image from the source of intraoral dental images is displayed; and
a screen connected to the computer and configured to display the graphical user interface;
wherein, in response to at least one user input, the graphical user interface is configured to generate an image-navigation map and to display the image-navigation map in a foreground of the first window and the at least one intraoral dental image from the source of intraoral dental images in a background of the first window, wherein the image-navigation map is overlaid upon the at least one intraoral dental image, the image-navigation map including one or more thumbnail images of at least one of the intraoral dental images from the source of intraoral dental images, each of the thumbnail images indicating a predefined region of a patient's dentition, and wherein the thumbnail images are arranged to correspond to the patient's dentition.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the image viewing system is configured to operate in a first navigation mode and a second navigation mode.
3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the first navigation mode is based on an image location within a series of images.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the image viewing system is configured to operate in at least one navigation mode is based on anatomy.
5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the anatomy is dentition.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the screen is a touch screen that configured to generate an output in response to at least one user input.
7. The system as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the at least one user input is a tap of the touch screen.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the user interface module effects navigation between an intraoral dental image and the image-navigation map in response to a user input on the screen.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the image-navigation map is at least partially transparent.
10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the user interface is configured to generate a tooth map, and wherein the tooth map is displayed simultaneously with the image-navigation map.
11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the tooth map includes depictions that graphically represent teeth.
12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the user interface module highlights one or more of the depictions in the tooth map based on the anatomical region illustrated in the currently-displayed at least one of the one or more intraoral dental images.
13. A method for controlling an image viewing system, the system including a computer having a processor and a user interface module, and a screen connected to the computer, the method comprising:
generating, by the user interface module, a graphical user interface;
displaying, on the screen, the graphical user interface including one or more intraoral dental images in a first window;
determining a location of a user input on the screen; and
displaying, on the screen and in response to the user input, an image-navigation map in a foreground of the first window and the one or more intraoral dental images in a background of the first window, wherein the image-navigation map is overlaid upon the one or more intraoral dental images, the image-navigation map including one or more thumbnail images of one or more intraoral dental images, each of the thumbnail images indicating a predefined region of a patient's dentition and wherein the thumbnail images are arranged to correspond to the patient's dentition.
14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising controlling the image viewing system in a first navigation mode and a second navigation mode.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein controlling the image viewing system in the first navigation mode comprises highlighting an image location in a series of images.
16. The method of claim 13 , further comprising controlling the image viewing system in at least one navigation mode, wherein controlling the image viewing system in the at least one navigation mode comprises highlighting an anatomical region of an image.
17. The method of claim 13 , wherein determining the location of the user input on the screen comprises determining whether the location of the user input is in a region inside or outside the image-navigation map.
18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising removing the image-navigation map from view when wherein the location of the user input is in a region outside of the overlay-image navigation map.
19. The method of claim 13 , wherein the displaying, on the screen and in response to the user input, an image-navigation map includes displaying the image-navigation map so that it is at least partially transparent.
20. The method of claim 13 , further comprising generating a tooth map, and displaying the tooth map simultaneously with the image-navigation map.