IP Library Granted Patent US 11,315,242
Granted Patent B2
US 11,315,242 · App. 16/380,331 · Granted Apr 26, 2022

Automated fracture detection using machine learning models

Inventors: Amin Katouzian (San Jose, CA); Benedikt Werner Graf (Charleston, MA); Ahmed El Harouni (San Jose, CA); Yiting Xie (Cambridge, MA); Arkadiusz Sitek (Ashland, MA); Vicky Guo (Woburn, MA); Arun Krishnan (Wodburn, MA)
Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
G06T7/0012G06N20/20G06T3/40G06T7/97G06T2207/20081G06T2207/30008
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,315,242
App. No.
16/380,331
Granted
Apr 26, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

Techniques for fracture detection are provided. A first image is received to be processed to identify rib fractures. A first set of regions of interest (ROIs) is identified by processing the first image using a first machine learning model, where each ROI in the first set of ROIs corresponds to a first potential fracture. Further, a first ROI of the first set of ROIs is upsampled, and the system attempts to verify the first potential fracture in the first ROI by processing the upsampled first ROI using a second machine learning model.

Claims (99)

1. A method comprising:

receiving a first image to be processed to identify rib fractures;

identifying a first set of regions of interest (ROIs), each corresponding to a respective potential fracture, by processing the first image using a first machine learning model trained to identify fractures, wherein at least one portion of the first image is not included in the set of ROIs; and

in response to identifying a first ROI, of the first set of ROIs, corresponding to a first potential fracture:

upsampling the first ROI to yield an upsampled first ROI that is higher resolution than the first ROI; and

attempting to verify the first potential fracture in the first ROI by processing the upsampled first ROI using a second machine learning model.

2. The method of claim 1 , the method further comprising, upon failing to verify the first potential fracture in the first ROI:

upsampling the first image; and

identifying a second set of ROIs by processing the upsampled first image using the first machine learning model.

3. The method of claim 1 , the method further comprising, upon verifying the first potential fracture in the first ROI:

providing an indication of the first potential fracture; and

terminating a processing pipeline being used to process the first image to identify rib fractures.

4. The method of claim 1 , the method further comprising:

receiving a second image to be processed to identify rib fractures;

determining that there are no ROIs in the second image, by processing the second image using the first machine learning model; and

upon determining that there are no ROIs in the second image:

upsampling the second image; and

processing the upsampled second image using the first machine learning model.

5. The method of claim 1 , the method further comprising:

identifying one or more ribs in the first image using a third machine learning model;

generating a first set of patches along a first rib of the one or more identified ribs;

identifying a second potential fracture in a first patch of the first set of patches, by processing the first patch using a fourth machine learning model;

upsampling the first patch; and

attempting to verify the second potential fracture in the first patch by processing the upsampled first patch using the second machine learning model.

6. The method of claim 5 , the method further comprising, upon failing to verify the second potential fracture in the first patch:

upsampling the first image; and

generating a second set of patches along the first rib of the one or more identified ribs.

7. The method of claim 5 , the method further comprising:

generating a second set of patches along a second rib of the one or more identified ribs;

upon failing to identify any potential fractures in a second patch of the second set of patches:

upsampling the first image;

generating a third set of patches along the second rib in the upsampled first image; and

processing a third patch of the third set of patches using the fourth machine learning model.

8. The method of claim 7 , the method further comprising:

determining, using the fourth machine learning model, that none of the third set of patches include a potential fracture;

providing an indication that a patient associated with the first image does not have a rib fracture; and

terminating a processing pipeline being used to process the first image to identify rib fractures.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first image is received in a first resolution, the method further comprising:

prior to identifying the first set of ROIs, downsampling the first image to a second resolution that is relatively lower than the first resolution.

10. A computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code embodied therewith, the computer-readable program code executable by one or more computer processors to perform an operation comprising:

receiving a first image to be processed to identify rib fractures;

identifying a first set of regions of interest (ROIs), each corresponding to a respective potential fracture, by processing the first image using a first machine learning model trained to identify fractures, wherein at least one portion of the first image is not included in the set of ROIs; and

in response to identifying a first ROI, of the first set of ROIs, corresponding to a first potential fracture:

upsampling the first ROI to yield an upsampled first ROI that is higher resolution than the first ROI; and

attempting to verify the first potential fracture in the first ROI by processing the upsampled first ROI using a second machine learning model.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 , the operation further comprising, upon failing to verify the first potential fracture in the first ROI:

upsampling the first image; and

identifying a second set of ROIs by processing the upsampled first image using the first machine learning model.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 , the operation further comprising:

receiving a second image to be processed to identify rib fractures;

determining that there are no ROIs in the second image, by processing the second image using the first machine learning model; and

upon determining that there are no ROIs in the second image:

upsampling the second image; and

processing the upsampled second image using the first machine learning model.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 , the operation further comprising:

identifying one or more ribs in the first image using a third machine learning model;

generating a first set of patches along a first rib of the one or more identified ribs;

identifying a second potential fracture in a first patch of the first set of patches, by processing the first patch using a fourth machine learning model;

upsampling the first patch; and

attempting to verify the second potential fracture in the first patch by processing the upsampled first patch using the second machine learning model.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , the operation further comprising:

generating a second set of patches along a second rib of the one or more identified ribs;

upon failing to identify any potential fractures in a second patch of the second set of patches:

upsampling the first image;

generating a third set of patches along the second rib in the upsampled first image; and

processing a third patch of the third set of patches using the fourth machine learning model.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 , the operation further comprising:

determining, using the fourth machine learning model, that none of the third set of patches include a potential fracture;

providing an indication that a patient associated with the first image does not have a rib fracture; and

terminating a processing pipeline being used to process the first image to identify rib fractures.

16. A system comprising:

one or more computer processors; and

a memory containing a program which when executed by the one or more computer processors performs an operation, the operation comprising:

receiving a first image to be processed to identify rib fractures;

identifying a first set of regions of interest (ROIs), each corresponding to a respective potential fracture, by processing the first image using a first machine learning model trained to identify fractures, wherein at least one portion of the first image is not included in the set of ROIs; and

in response to identifying a first ROI, of the first set of ROIs, corresponding to a first potential fracture:

upsampling the first ROI to yield an upsampled first ROI that is higher resolution than the first ROI; and

attempting to verify the first potential fracture in the first ROI by processing the upsampled first ROI using a second machine learning model.

17. The system of claim 16 , the operation further comprising, upon failing to verify the first potential fracture in the first ROI:

upsampling the first image; and

identifying a second set of ROIs by processing the upsampled first image using the first machine learning model.

18. The system of claim 16 , the operation further comprising:

receiving a second image to be processed to identify rib fractures;

determining that there are no ROIs in the second image, by processing the second image using the first machine learning model; and

upon determining that there are no ROIs in the second image:

upsampling the second image; and

processing the upsampled second image using the first machine learning model.

19. The system of claim 16 , the operation further comprising:

identifying one or more ribs in the first image using a third machine learning model;

generating a first set of patches along a first rib of the one or more identified ribs;

identifying a second potential fracture in a first patch of the first set of patches, by processing the first patch using a fourth machine learning model;

upsampling the first patch; and

attempting to verify the second potential fracture in the first patch by processing the upsampled first patch using the second machine learning model.

20. The system of claim 19 , the operation further comprising:

generating a second set of patches along a second rib of the one or more identified ribs;

upon failing to identify any potential fractures in a second patch of the second set of patches:

upsampling the first image;

generating a third set of patches along the second rib in the upsampled first image; and

processing a third patch of the third set of patches using the fourth machine learning model.

Assignments (5)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 1, 2025
From: MERATIVE US L.P.; MERGE HEALTHCARE INCORPORATED
To: TCG SENIOR FUNDING L.L.C., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 072808/0442 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 21, 2022
From: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
To: MERATIVE US L.P.
Reel/Frame 061496/0752 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 15, 2022
From: KATOUZIAN, AMIN; GRAF, BENEDIKT WERNER; EL HAROUNI, AHMED; XIE, YITING; SITEK, ARKADIUSZ; GUO, VICKY; KRISHNAN, ARUN
To: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 059015/0639 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE 7TH INVENTOR'S NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 048848 FRAME: 0191. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT . Recorded Jan 26, 2022
From: KATOUZIAN, AMIN; GRAF, BEN; EL HAROUNI, AHMED; XIE, YITING; SITEK, ARKADIUSZ; GUO, VICKY; KRISHNAN, ARUN
To: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 058855/0408 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 10, 2019
From: KATOUZIAN, AMIN; GRAF, BEN; EL HAROUNI, AHMED; SITEK, ARKADIUSZ; GUO, VICKY; KIRSHNAN, ARUN; XIE, YITING
To: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 048848/0191 →