IP Library Granted Patent US 9,965,863
Granted Patent B2
US 9,965,863 · App. 15/248,628 · Granted May 8, 2018

System and methods for image segmentation using convolutional neural network

Inventors: Jiaofeng Xu (St. Louis, MO); Xiao Han (Chesterfield, MO)
Assignee: ELEKTA, INC.
G06T7/0081G06N3/04G06T2207/10012G06T2207/20084
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,965,863
App. No.
15/248,628
Granted
May 8, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure relates to systems, methods, devices, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for segmenting three-dimensional images. In one implementation, a computer-implemented method for segmenting a three-dimensional image is provided. The method may include receiving the three-dimensional image acquired by an imaging device, and creating a first stack of two-dimensional images from a first plane of the three-dimensional image and a second stack of two-dimensional images from a second plane of the three-dimensional image. The method may further include segmenting, by a processor, the first stack and the second stack of two-dimensional images using at least one neural network model. The method may also include determining, by the processor, a label map for the three-dimensional image by aggregating the segmentation results from the first stack and second stack.

Claims (59)

1. A computer-implemented method for segmenting a three-dimensional medical image, the method comprising:

receiving the three-dimensional medical image acquired by an imaging device;

creating a first stack of two-dimensional images from a first plane of the three-dimensional medical image and a second stack of two-dimensional images from a second plane of the three-dimensional medical image;

segmenting, by a processor, the first stack and the second stack of two-dimensional images using at least one neural network model; and

determining, by the processor, a label map for the three-dimensional medical image by aggregating the segmentation results from the first stack and second stack.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

creating a third stack of two-dimensional images from a third plane of the three-dimensional medical image;

segmenting the third stack of two-dimensional images using the at least one neural network model; and

determining the label map for the three-dimensional medical image by aggregating the segmentation results from the first stack, the second stack, and the third stack.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein segmenting the first stack of two-dimensional images uses a first neural network model and segmenting the second stack of two-dimensional images uses a second neural network model.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first plane or the second plane is selected from an axial plane, a sagittal plane, and a coronal plane of the three-dimensional medical image.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein segmenting the first stack and the second stack of two-dimensional images includes:

creating a combined stack of two-dimensional images from the first stack and the second stack of two-dimensional images; and

segmenting the combined stack of two-dimensional images using one neural network model.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein segmenting the first stack and the second stack of two-dimensional images includes determining a plurality of labels for a voxel of the three-dimensional medical image.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein aggregating the segmentation results includes assigning to the voxel a label with a highest probability value among the plurality of labels.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one neural network model is a deep convolutional neural network model.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional medical image is a medical image indicative of anatomical structures of a patient, wherein the label map associates an anatomic structure to each voxel of the three-dimensional medical image.

10. The method of claim 1 , further including training the at least one neural network model using at least one three-dimensional medical training image.

11. A device for segmenting a three-dimensional medical image, the device comprising:

an input interface that receives the three-dimensional medical image acquired by an imaging device;

at least one storage device configured to store the three-dimensional medical image; and

an image processor configured to:

create a first stack of two-dimensional images from a first plane of the three-dimensional medical image and a second stack of two-dimensional images from a second plane of the three-dimensional medical image;

segment the first stack and the second stack of two-dimensional images using at least one neural network model; and

determine a label map for the three-dimensional medical image by aggregating the segmentation results from the first stack and second stack.

12. The device of claim 11 , wherein the image processor is further configured to:

create a third stack of two-dimensional images from a third plane of the three-dimensional medical image;

segment the third stack of two-dimensional images using the at least one neural network model; and

determine the label map for the three-dimensional medical image by aggregating the segmentation results from the first stack, the second stack, and the third stack.

13. The device of claim 11 , wherein the image processor is further configured to segment the first stack of two-dimensional images using a first neural network model and segment the second stack of two-dimensional images using a second neural network model.

14. The device of claim 11 , wherein the first plane or the second plane is selected from an axial plane, a sagittal plane, and a coronal plane of the three-dimensional medical image.

15. The device of claim 11 , wherein the image processor is further configured to:

create a combined stack of two-dimensional images from the first stack and the second stack of two-dimensional images; and

segment the combined stack of two-dimensional images using one neural network model.

16. The device of claim 11 , wherein the image processor is further configured to determine a plurality of labels for a voxel of the three-dimensional medical image.

17. The device of claim 16 , wherein the image processor is further configured to assign to the voxel a label with a highest probability value among the plurality of labels.

18. The device of claim 11 , wherein the at least one neural network model is a deep convolutional neural network model.

19. The device of claim 11 , wherein the three-dimensional medical image is a medical image indicative of anatomical structures of a patient, wherein the label map associates an anatomic structure to each voxel of the three-dimensional medical image.

20. The device of claim 11 , wherein the image processor is further configured to train the at least one neural network model using at least one three-dimensional medical training image.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions that, when executable by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform a method for segmenting a three-dimensional medical image, the method comprising:

receiving the three-dimensional medical image acquired by an imaging device;

creating a first stack of two-dimensional images from a first plane of the three-dimensional medical image and a second stack of two-dimensional images from a second plane of the three-dimensional medical image;

segmenting, by the at least one processor, the first stack and the second stack of two-dimensional images using at least one neural network model; and

determining, by the at least one processor, a label map for the three-dimensional medical image by aggregating the segmentation results from the first stack and second stack.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21 , wherein the method further comprises:

creating a third stack of two-dimensional images from a third plane of the three-dimensional medical image;

segmenting the third stack of two-dimensional images using the at least one neural network model; and

determining the label map for the three-dimensional medical image by aggregating the segmentation results from the first stack, the second stack, and the third stack.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21 , wherein segmenting the first stack of two-dimensional images uses a first neural network model and segmenting the second stack of two-dimensional images uses a second neural network model.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21 , wherein the first plane or the second plane is selected from an axial plane, a sagittal plane, and a coronal plane of the three-dimensional medical image.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21 , wherein segmenting the first stack and the second stack of two-dimensional images comprises:

creating a combined stack of two-dimensional images from the first stack and the second stack of two-dimensional images; and

segmenting the combined stack of two-dimensional images using one neural network model.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21 , wherein segmenting the first stack and the second stack of two-dimensional images includes determining a plurality of labels for a voxel of the three-dimensional medical image.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 26 , wherein aggregating the segmentation results includes assigning to the voxel a label with a highest probability value among the plurality of labels.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21 , wherein the at least one neural network model is a deep convolutional neural network model.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21 , wherein the three-dimensional medical image is a medical image indicative of anatomical structures of a patient, wherein the label map associates an anatomic structure to each voxel of the three-dimensional medical image.

30. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21 , wherein the method further comprises training the at least one neural network model using at least one three-dimensional medical training image.

Assignments (5)
MERGER Recorded Jun 18, 2018
From: IMPAC MEDICAL SYSTEMS, INC.
To: ELEKTA, INC.
Reel/Frame 046378/0414 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 18, 2017
From: IMPAC MEDICAL SYSTEMS, INC.
To: ELEKTA, INC.
Reel/Frame 043032/0562 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2017
From: IMPAC MEDICAL SYSTEMS, INC.
To: ELEKTA INC.
Reel/Frame 042600/0356 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE MISSPELLING OF SECOND INVENTORS LAST NAME. XIAO GAB SHOULD BE XIAO HAN. PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 039556 FRAME 0842. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Oct 24, 2016
From: XU, JIAOFENG; HAN, XIAO
To: IMPAC MEDICAL SYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 040259/0861 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 26, 2016
From: XU, JIAOFENG; GAB, XIAO
To: IMPAC MEDICAL SYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 039556/0842 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180061059A1 · Mar 1, 2018