Method and apparatus for a simulated physiologic change for CT and MRI examinations
View Patent ↗A method and apparatus for performing a simulation of a physiologic change of a three-dimensional medical image, such as a CT scan or MRI scan is disclosed. A three-dimensional dataset of a portion of a body is used. Voxels within the three-dimensional dataset are modified to mimic the physiologic change of the three-dimensional medical image. Some embodiments comprise using artificial intelligence algorithm to determine the physiologic change. Simulations can be performed over multiple time points.
1. A method of performing a simulation of an imaging examination comprising:
using a three-dimensional dataset of a portion of a body
wherein said portion of said body contains said body tissues,
wherein said three-dimensional dataset is comprised of voxels,
wherein said voxels correspond to said body tissues, and
wherein voxels in said three-dimensional dataset have values;
modifying voxels of said three-dimensional dataset to generate said simulation of said body tissues comprising:
wherein said modifying voxels of said three-dimensional dataset comprises altering values of voxels corresponding to body tissues of said three-dimensional dataset,
wherein said altering said values of voxels corresponding to body tissues of said three-dimensional dataset is performed in accordance with said simulation of said body tissues, and
wherein said modifying voxels of said three-dimensional dataset creates an appearance of said simulation; and
displaying said modified three-dimensional dataset to a user.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising performing additional modifications of numerical values of voxels of said modified three-dimensional dataset to generate a second modified three-dimensional dataset wherein said second modified three-dimensional dataset simulates a different time point.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein at said different time point, an additional change comprising a physiologic change occurs.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising wherein said physiologic change comprises blood flow alterations to body tissues.
5. The method of claim 1 further comprising wherein said physiologic change comprises body tissue responses to medication.
6. The method of claim 1 further comprising wherein said physiologic change comprises body tissue responses to radiation.
7. The method of claim 1 further comprising wherein said physiologic change comprises body tissue responses to surgery.
8. The method of claim 1 further comprising wherein said physiologic change comprises body tissue changes over time due to age.
9. The method of claim 1 further comprising wherein said physiologic change comprises pathology.
10. The method of claim 9 further comprising wherein said pathology comprises new, worsening, resolving or resolved endocrine diseases.
11. The method of claim 9 further comprising wherein said pathology comprises new, growing, shrinking or resolved tumors.
12. The method of claim 9 further comprising wherein said pathology comprises new, worsening, healing or healed traumatic injuries.
13. The method of claim 9 further comprising wherein said pathology comprises new, worsening, resolving or resolved infections.
14. The method of claim 9 further comprising wherein said pathology comprises new, worsening, resolving or resolved inflammatory disease.
15. The method of claim 9 further comprising wherein said pathology comprises new, worsening, resolving or resolved neurological disease.
16. The method of claim 9 further comprising wherein said pathology comprises new, worsening, resolving or resolved cardiovascular disease.
17. The method of claim 9 further comprising wherein said pathology comprises new, worsening, resolving or resolved gastrointestinal disease.
18. The method of claim 9 further comprising wherein said pathology comprises new, worsening, resolving or resolved metabolic diseases.
19. A non-transitory computer readable medium having computer readable code thereon, the medium comprising instructions for performing a simulation of an imaging examination, the instructions comprising:
using a three-dimensional dataset of a portion of a body
wherein said portion of said body contains said body tissues,
wherein said three-dimensional dataset is comprised of voxels,
wherein said voxels correspond to said body tissues, and
wherein voxels in said three-dimensional dataset have values;
modifying voxels of said three-dimensional dataset to generate said simulation of said body tissues comprising:
wherein said modifying voxels of said three-dimensional dataset comprises altering values of voxels corresponding to body tissues of said three-dimensional dataset,
wherein said altering said values of voxels corresponding to body tissues of said three-dimensional dataset is performed in accordance with said simulation of said body tissues, and
wherein said modifying voxels of said three-dimensional dataset creates an appearance of said simulation; and
displaying said modified three-dimensional dataset to a user.
20. A computer system comprising:
a memory;
a processor;
a communications interface;
an interconnection mechanism coupling the memory, the processor and the communications interface; and
wherein the memory is encoded with an application, that when performed on the processor, provides a process for simulation of an imaging examination, the process causing the computer system to perform the operations of:
using a three-dimensional dataset of a portion of a body
wherein said portion of said body contains said body tissues,
wherein said three-dimensional dataset is comprised of voxels,
wherein said voxels correspond to said body tissues, and
wherein voxels in said three-dimensional dataset have values;
modifying voxels of said three-dimensional dataset to generate said simulation of said body tissues comprising:
wherein said modifying voxels of said three-dimensional dataset comprises altering values of voxels corresponding to body tissues of said three-dimensional dataset,
wherein said altering said values of voxels corresponding to body tissues of said three-dimensional dataset is performed in accordance with said simulation of said body tissues, and
wherein said modifying voxels of said three-dimensional dataset creates an appearance of said simulation; and
displaying said modified three-dimensional dataset to a user.