Method and apparatus for measuring rotation parameters of a spine on medical images

1. A method for measuring rotation parameters of a spine on medical images, comprising:

selecting a reference image and a movement image from the medical images;

determining a lower spine image and an upper spine image in the reference image and determining a lower spine image and a upper spine image in the movement image;

registering the lower spine image in the movement image with the lower spine image in the reference image;

correcting the upper spine image in the movement image according to output parameters of registration of the lower spine images;

superposing the upper spine image in the reference image with the corrected upper spine image in the movement image to obtain a superposed image; and

calculating to obtain the rotation parameters according to a position difference between the upper spine image in the reference image and the upper spine image in the movement image on the superposed image.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of registering the lower spine image in the movement image with the lower spine image in the reference image further comprises:

selecting a search direction for the registration;

performing a rigid transform on the lower spine image in the movement image according to the search direction; and

regarding a total shift amount and/or a total rotation amount during the registration of the lower spine images as the output parameters of registration of the lower spine images when a match degree between the lower spine image in the reference image and the lower spine image in the movement image after the rigid transform reaches a preset threshold.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the step of correcting the upper spine image in the movement image according to output parameters of registration of the lower spine images further comprises:

performing a rigid transform on the upper spine image in the movement image according to the total shift amount and/or the total rotation amount.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of calculating to obtain the rotation parameters according to a position difference between the upper spine image in the reference image and the upper spine image in the movement image on the superposed image further comprises:

registering the upper spine image in the reference image with the corrected upper spine image in the movement image; and

obtaining the rotation parameters according to the output parameters of registration of the upper spine images.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the step of registering the upper spine image in the reference image with the corrected upper spine image in the movement image further comprises:

selecting a search direction for the registration;

performing a rigid transform on the corrected upper spine image in the movement image according to the search direction; and

regarding a total shift amount and/or a total rotation amount during the registration of the upper spine images as the output parameters of registration of the upper spine images when a match degree between the upper spine image in the reference image and the upper spine image in the movement image after the rigid transform reaches a preset threshold.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the step of obtaining the rotation parameters according to the output parameters of registration of the upper spine images further comprises:

regarding the total rotation amount as a rotation angle in the rotation parameters.

7. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the step of obtaining the rotation parameters according to the output parameters of registration of the upper spine images further comprises:

selecting at least two reference points in the movement image;

calculating corresponding points of the reference points in the reference image according to the output parameters of registration of the upper spine images;

calculating perpendicular bisectors of connecting lines between the reference points and the corresponding points on the superposed image; and

regarding an intersection point of the perpendicular bisectors as a rotation center in the rotation parameters.

8. An apparatus for measuring rotation parameters of a spine on medical images, comprising:

an image selecting module for selecting a reference image and a movement image from the medical images;

an upper and lower spine image selecting module for determining a lower spine image and an upper spine image in the reference image and determining a lower spine image and an upper spine image in the movement image;

a lower spine image registering module for registering the lower spine image in the movement image with the lower spine image in the reference image;

an upper spine image correcting module for correcting the upper spine image in the movement image according to output parameters of registration of the lower spine images;

a superposed image generating module for superposing the upper spine image in the reference image with the corrected upper spine image in the movement image to obtain a superposed image; and

a rotation parameter calculating module for calculating to obtain the rotation parameters according to a position difference between the upper spine image in the reference image and the upper spine image in the movement image on the superposed image.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the lower spine image registration module further comprises:

a first direction selecting module for selecting a search direction for the registration;

a first rigid transform module for performing a rigid transform on the lower spine image in the movement image according to the search direction; and

a first parameter outputting module for regarding a total shift amount and/or a total rotation amount during the registration of the lower spine images as the output parameters of registration of the lower spine images when a match degree between the lower spine image in the reference image and the lower spine image in the movement image after the rigid transform reaches a preset threshold.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the upper spine image correcting module further comprises:

a module for performing a rigid transform on the upper spine image in the movement image according to the total shift amount and/or the total rotation amount.

11. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the rotation parameter calculating module further comprises:

an upper spine image registering module for registering the upper spine image in the reference image with the corrected upper spine image in the movement image; and

a module for obtaining the rotation parameters according to the output parameters of registration of the upper spine images.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the upper spine image registering module further comprises:

a second direction selecting module for selecting a search direction for the registration;

a second rigid transform module for performing a rigid transform on the corrected upper spine image in the movement image according to the search direction; and

a second parameter outputting module for regarding a total shift amount and/or a total rotation amount during the registration of the upper spine images as the output parameters of registration of the upper spine images when a match degree between the upper spine image in the reference image and the upper spine image in the movement image after the rigid transform reaches a preset threshold.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the rotation parameter calculating module further comprises:

a rotation angle calculating module for regarding the total rotation amount as a rotation angle in the rotation parameters.

14. The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the rotation parameter calculating module further comprises:

a reference point selecting module for selecting at least two reference points in the movement image;

a corresponding point calculating module for calculating corresponding points of the reference points in the reference image according to the output parameters of registration of the upper spine images;

a perpendicular bisector calculating module for calculating perpendicular bisectors of connecting lines between the reference points and the corresponding points on the superposed image; and

a rotation center calculating module for regarding an intersection point of the perpendicular bisectors as a rotation center in the rotation parameters.