MEDICAL IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS

1 . A medical image processing apparatus comprising image processing circuitry configured to process a plurality of three-dimensional images in a plurality of phases,

wherein the image processing circuitry set a slice intersecting with a tubular tissue region of a tubular tissue with likelihood of tumor infiltration with respect to the plurality of three-dimensional images in the plurality of phases,

measure a morphological index value on the slice of the tubular tissue region over the plurality of phases, and

determine, based on a change in the morphological index value over the plurality of phases, whether the tumor has infiltrated the tubular tissue.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising display circuitry configured to display a determination result indicating whether the tumor has infiltrated.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising display circuitry configured to display the morphological index value together with a display image based on the three-dimensional image.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the image processing circuitry determine, based on a comparison between a morphological measurement value concerning a reference phase of the plurality of phases and a morphological measurement value concerning a measurement target phase, whether the tumor has infiltrated the tubular tissue.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the image processing circuitry determine, based on a comparison between a change in morphological measurement value over the plurality of phases concerning the tubular tissue region and a change in morphological measurement value over the plurality of phases concerning a normal region, whether the tumor has infiltrated the tubular tissue.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the image processing circuitry set a measurement region in a luminal region of the tubular tissue region and measures the morphological measurement value of the measurement region.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the image processing circuitry set a plurality of measurement regions in a plurality of tubular tissue regions of a plurality of tubular tissues,

measure the morphological index value of each of the plurality of measurement regions, and

determine, based on a change in the morphological index value of each of the plurality of measurement regions over the plurality of phases, whether the tumor has infiltrated the tubular tissue.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of three-dimensional images are acquired by causing a medical image diagnostic apparatus to image, over the plurality of phases, an imaging region including an esophagus in which the tumor has arisen and the tubular tissue, and

the tubular tissue is one of a bronchus and a blood vessel near the esophagus.

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the image processing circuitry measure, as the morphological index value, at least one of a luminal area, an inner circumference length, an outer circumference length, a long axis length, a short axis length, a ratio between the long axis length and the short axis length, and a degree of circularity of the tubular tissue region.

10 . A medical image processing apparatus comprising image processing circuitry configured to process a plurality of three-dimensional images in a plurality of phases,

wherein the image processing circuitry set, with respect to the plurality of three-dimensional images in the plurality of phases, a first region of interest including a first peripheral portion region of a first peripheral portion with likelihood of tumor infiltration and a second region of interest including a second peripheral portion region of a second peripheral portion different from the first peripheral portion, and

determine, based on position variations of the first region of interest and the second region of interest over at least two phases of the plurality of phases, whether the tumor has infiltrated the first peripheral portion and the second peripheral portion.

11 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the image processing circuitry set the second region of interest adjacent to the first region of interest.

12 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the image processing circuitry set the first region of interest in a bronchial region existing around the tumor as the first peripheral portion region, and set the second region of interest in another anatomical region adjacent to the bronchial region as the second peripheral portion region.

13 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the image processing circuitry measure a first position variation amount of the first region of interest and a second position variation amount of the second region of interest between at least two phases of the plurality of phases,

calculate a degree of similarity between the first position variation amount and the second position variation amount, and

determine, based on the degree of similarity, whether the tumor has infiltrated the first peripheral portion and the second peripheral portion.

14 . A medical image processing apparatus comprising image processing circuitry configured to process a plurality of three-dimensional images in a plurality of phases,

wherein the image processing circuitry set, with respect to the plurality of three-dimensional images in the plurality of phases, a first region of interest including a peripheral portion region of a peripheral portion with likelihood of tumor infiltration and a second region of interest covering the first region of interest, and

determine, based on position variations of the first region of interest and the second region of interest over at least two phases of the plurality of phases, whether the tumor has infiltrated the peripheral portion.

15 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the image processing circuitry further set a third region of interest including another peripheral portion region of another peripheral portion different from the peripheral portion, and

determine, based on position variations of the first region of interest, the second region of interest, and the third region of interest over the at least two phases, whether the tumor has infiltrated the peripheral portion.