Method and system for analysis of spine anatomy and spine disease
A method for analysis of spine anatomy and stenosis is disclosed herein. The method includes preprocessing ( 3203 ) of images and then running segmentation models for each area of interest such as the foramen, disc, canal, vertebra ( 3206 ). In image post processing ( 3207 ), the system runs various heuristics to ensure accuracy ( 3208 ), computes areas ( 3209 ), and then runs a comparison model ( 3210 ). The report template produces HTML that is then converted to a PDF file of the final report ( 3214 ).
1. A computer-implemented method for generating a diagnosis for a spinal disease, the method comprising:
inputting a plurality of digital images of an axial plane of a patient's spine showing a plurality of successive points along a length of the spine;
identifying a spinal canal or other spine anatomy in each image of the plurality of digital images;
estimating a cross-sectional area of the spinal canal or spinal anatomy of interest in each image of the plurality of digital images;
calculating a plurality of ratios by comparing the cross-sectional area in each image to the cross-sectional area in preceding images of the plurality of digital images; and
generating a diagnosis for a spinal disease according to the plurality of ratios.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein a sagittal plane of a patient's spine is inputted and used to identify and measure cross-sectional areas.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the medical diagnosis comprises a rating for a severity of spinal stenosis or related conditions.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the diagnosis comprises a surgical evaluation or recommendation for surgical treatment of spinal stenosis or other spinal disease.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the diagnosis comprises a recommendation for physical therapy treatment.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the spinal anatomy is one of a spinal canal diameter, a spinal canal radius, or a spinal canal circumference.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising calculating a plurality of differences, calculated by subtracting the previous spinal canal area from the current spinal canal area.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein one or more cross-sectional areas are compared to a sample population to output a degree of difference.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein one or more cross-sectional areas are compared to a to those of a comparison group to form aspects of a diagnosis.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the comparison group is matched to the patient's demographics and health data.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein data relating to a formed medical diagnosis is sent to one or more external systems.
12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores a program that causes a processor to perform functions to analyze a spine image by executing the following steps:
inputting a plurality of digital images of an axial plane of a patient's spine showing a plurality of successive points along a length of the spine;
identifying a spinal canal or other spine anatomy in each image of the plurality of digital images;
estimating a cross-sectional area of the spinal canal or spinal anatomy of interest in each image of the plurality of digital images;
calculating a plurality of ratios by comparing the cross-sectional area in each image to the cross-sectional area in preceding images of the plurality of digital images, or calculating a plurality of differences by subtracting a previous spinal canal area from a current spinal canal area;
generating a diagnosis for a spinal disease according to the plurality of ratios or the plurality of differences.
13. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 12 , wherein the diagnosis comprises a rating for a severity of spinal stenosis or related conditions.
14. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 12 , wherein the diagnosis comprises a surgical evaluation or recommendation for surgical treatment of spinal stenosis or related conditions.
15. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 12 , wherein the diagnosis comprises a recommendation for physical therapy treatment of spinal stenosis or related conditions.
16. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 12 , wherein the spinal canal area is replaced with a spinal canal diameter, a spinal canal radius, a spinal canal circumference, or other measurement correlated to the spinal canal area.
17. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 12 , wherein the diagnosis is formed according to the plurality of ratios.