Method for generating an elasticity image
An image processing method enables an elasticity image of a body including a cavity to be produced on the basis of the material(s) forming the body, wherein the method includes the steps of: receiving a deformation image illustrating a field of movement of the points of the body on the basis of a pressure difference in the body, estimating a shape function of the body from the deformation image, calculating an elasticity image of the body on the basis of the shape function, of the pressure difference and of the deformation image.
1. An imaging processing method which produces an elasticity image of a body including a cavity depending on material(s) forming the body, wherein the method comprises:
receiving a deformation image and a cavity image of the cavity from an ultrasonic probe, the deformation image illustrating a field of movement of points of the body depending on a pressure difference in the body;
estimating a shape function of the body from the deformation image;
calculating an elasticity image of the body depending on the shape function, on the pressure difference, and on the deformation image;
superimposing the elasticity image on the cavity image; and
displaying the superimposed elasticity image,
wherein the step of calculating the elasticity image comprises resolving the following equation:
E
palpo
revisited
(
θ
)
=
3
2
∫
R
i
(
θ
)
R
p
(
θ
)
h
*
(
r
,
θ
)
d
r
∫
R
i
(
θ
)
R
p
(
θ
)
ɛ
rr
(
r
,
θ
)
d
r
Δ
P
with:
E palpo revisited (θ), a stress-deformation modulus depending on the angular position in the body,
θ, an angular position in the body in a system of polar coordinates originating at a center of gravity of the cavity,
r, the radial position in the body in the system of polar coordinates,
ΔP, the pressure difference,
R i (e) and R p (θ), inner and outer radii of a palpography field depending on the angular position in the body,
h*(r,θ), the estimated shape function of the body depending on the radial and angular positions in the body, and
ϵ rr (r,θ), a real radial deformation of the body depending on the radial and angular positions in the body.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of estimating the shape function comprises:
detecting inside and outside contours of the material(s) forming a wall of the cavity from the deformation image to obtain a contour image;
assigning a homogeneous distribution of elasticity in the contour image to obtain a work image; and
determining the shape function from the work image.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of estimating the shape function comprises implementing a finite element analysis.
4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of calculating the elasticity image comprises calculating an elasticity image projected on an inner wall of the body to obtain a projected elasticity image of the body.
5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising a step of receiving a palpography field corresponding to a selection by a user of an area of the body that the user wants to study, the step of calculating the elasticity image of the body being implemented on the palpography field.
6. A non-transitory computer program product which produces an elasticity image of a body including a cavity depending on material(s) forming the body, comprising a program code recorded on a computer-readable data medium, the program code, when executed by a processor, causes the steps of:
receiving a deformation image and a cavity image of the cavity from an ultrasound probe, the deformation image illustrating a field of movement of points of a body depending on a pressure difference in the body;
estimating a shape function of the body from the deformation image;
calculating an elasticity image of the body depending on the shape function, on the pressure difference, and on the deformation image; and
causing a display to superimpose the elasticity image on the cavity image,
wherein the program code calculating the elasticity image uses the following equation:
E
palpo
revisited
(
θ
)
=
3
2
∫
R
i
(
θ
)
R
p
(
θ
)
h
*
(
r
,
θ
)
d
r
∫
R
i
(
θ
)
R
p
(
θ
)
ɛ
rr
(
r
,
θ
)
d
r
Δ
P
with:
E palpo revisted (θ), a stress-deformation modulus depending on the angular position in the body,
θ, an angular position in the body in a system of polar coordinates originating at a center of gravity of a cavity,
r, the radial position in the body in the system of polar coordinates,
ΔP, the pressure difference,
R i (θ) and R p (θ), inner and outer radii of a palpography field depending on the angular position in the body,
h*(r,θ), the estimated shape function of the body depending on the radial and angular positions in the body, and
ϵ rr (r,θ), a real radial deformation of the body depending on the radial and angular positions in the body.
7. The computer program product of claim 6 , wherein the program code receives the deformation image from an ultrasonic probe.
8. The computer program product of claim 6 , wherein the elasticity image is implemented on a palpography field.