Robust calcification tracking in fluoroscopic imaging

1. A method for structure detection, the method comprising:

scanning, over time, an object having an inserted catheter;

detecting, by a processor, the catheter as represented in data from the scanning;

tracking, by the processor, a movement of the catheter represented in the data from the scanning using a known shape or first structure of the catheter;

detecting, by the processor, a second structure represented in the data from the scanning based on the movement of the catheter, the second structure detected as moving in synchronization with the catheter;

tracking, by the processor, the second structure represented in the data from the scanning, the tracking using sampling of less than all of the second structure, the sampling being a plurality of the features of the second structure, and the sampling applied to locations represented in the data, the locations based on a previous location of the second structure; and

outputting, by the processor, an image of the second structure.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the catheter is a pigtail catheter.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the catheter is located at the aortic root of the object.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data from the scanning includes a plurality of fluoroscopic images.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

removing the inserted catheter.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

constructing a bounding box around the detected second structure; and

wherein tracking the structure includes sampling within the limits defined by the bounding box.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tracking of the second structure includes using a discrete structure forest to track features of the second structure.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein tracking the second structure comprises tracking the density of the second structure, tracking the contrast between the second structure and surrounding areas in the data, random sampling of points in the second structure and outside the second structure, or a combination thereof.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second structure is an inserted object separate from the catheter.

10. A system for object detection over time in a first structure having an inserted catheter, the system comprising:

a scanner configured to image the structure containing the inserted catheter over time;

a processor configured to detect and track the catheter as represented in data from the imaging using a known shape or second structure of the catheter;

the processor configured to further detect and track an object represented in the data from the imaging based on the catheter, the object detected based on its linear motion correlation with the inserted catheter, wherein the object is tracked using sampling applied to locations represented in the data, the locations based on a previous location of the object; and

the processor configured to output an image of the object.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the catheter is a pigtail catheter.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the data from the image includes a plurality of fluoroscopic images.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the processor is configured to construct a bounding box around the detected object; and wherein the sampling includes sampling within the bounding box.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the processor is configured to track the object including using a discrete structure forest to track features of the object.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the processor is configured to track the object by a density of the object, a contrast between the object and surrounding areas in the data, a random sampling of points in the data, or a combination thereof.

16. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored therein data representing instructions executable by a programmed processor for facilitating detection of an object in a patient, the storage medium comprising instructions for:

scanning over time a patient having an inserted pig tail catheter;

detecting the pig tail catheter as represented in data from the scanning;

tracking a movement of the pig tail catheter in the data from the scanning using a known shape or first structure of the pig tail catheter;

detecting a second structure represented in the data from the scanning based on the movement of the pigtail catheter, the second structure detected based on its linear motion correlation moving in synchronization with the inserted catheter;

tracking the second structure represented in the data from the scanning, the tracking using sampling of less than all of the second structure as a plurality of the features of the second structure, the sampling applied to locations represented in the data, the locations based on a previous location of the second structure; and

outputting an image of the second structure.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16 wherein the data from the scanning includes a plurality of fluoroscopic images.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16 , further comprising constructing a bounding box around the detected second structure; and wherein tracking the second structure includes sampling within the limits defined by the bounding box.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein tracking the second structure includes using a discrete structure forest to track features of the second structure.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 19 , wherein tracking the second structure includes tracking a density of the second structure, tracking a contrast between the second structure and surrounding areas in the data, a random sampling of points in the data, or a combination thereof.