Dynamic tumor treatment system
A workstation imports medical images that depict a tumor and provides tools that enable a physician to see the results of prior therapies, plan future therapies, predict the outcome of future therapies and control future therapies. The workstation processes the imported images to produce isonumeric images of the tumor that can be analyzed and output to therapeutic systems.
1. A method for analyzing an image of a tumor, the steps comprising:
a) selecting a threshold value which is indicative of a parameter of the tumor;
b) comparing the selected threshold value with values derived from image voxel values;
c) producing an isonumeric image that depicts a contour of the tumor by selling voxels therein to indicate where in the image the derived image voxel values are substantially the same as the threshold value; and
d) analyzing the isonumeric image.
2. The method as recited in claim 1 in which the isonumeric image is merged with the image to depict the isonumeric image overlaying anatomic structures depicted in said image.
3. The method as recited in claim 1 in which a plurality of threshold values are selected and compared in steps a) and b) and the isonumeric image depicts a corresponding plurality of contours.
4. The method as recited in claim 1 in which the image is a three-dimensional image and the isonumeric image is a three-dimensional contour.
5. The method as recited in claim 1 in which step a) includes selecting a plurality of threshold values; step b) includes comparing selected threshold values with values derived from image voxel values in different ones of a plurality of images; and step c) includes producing an isonumeric image that depicts a contour corresponding to each selected threshold.
6. The method as recited in claim 5 in which the plurality of images are input from a plurality of different imaging systems and the method includes registering the plurality of images.
7. The method as recited in claim 6 in which the different imaging systems employ different imaging modalities.
8. A dynamic tumor diagnostic and treatment system which comprises:
means for importing an image of a tumor;
means for producing from the imported image an isonumeric image which depicts a contour indicative of locations in the imported image having a selected threshold value of a tumor parameter;
a case study storage for storing isonumeric images; and
means for analyzing the tumor depicted in the imported image by comparing the isonumeric image produced from the imported image with previously produced isonumeric images stored in the case study storage.
9. The system as recited in claim 8 in which the isonumeric images are three-dimensional images and the means for analyzing includes means for calculating the volume of a contour depicted in an isonumeric image.
10. The system as recited in claim 8 in which the isonumeric images are three-dimensional images and the means for analyzing includes means for calculating the surface area of a contour depicted in an isonumeric image.
11. The system as recited in claim 8 in which the means for producing an isonumeric image includes means for comparing the selected threshold value with values derived from voxel values in the imported image.
12. The system as recited in claim 8 in which includes means for exporting isonumeric images to a therapeutic system.
13. The system as recited in claim 8 which includes:
means for predicting the outcome of further treatment of the tumor based on the results of the comparison analysis.
14. The system as recited in claim 8 which includes:
means for indicating further treatment of the tumor based on the results of the comparison analysis.
15. The system as recited in claim 14 in which the means for indicating includes a rules engine that stores a plurality of rules.
16. A dynamic tumor diagnostic and treatment system which comprises:
means for importing an image of a tumor;
means for calculating values of parameters that measure the tumor;
a case study storage for storing the calculated parameters;
means for analyzing the tumor depicted in the imported image by calculating changes that have occurred in tumor parameters based on parameters previously stored in the case study storage; and
means for indicating further treatment of the tumor based on a calculated change.
17. The system as recited in claim 16 in which the means for indicating includes a rules engine which stores a plurality of rules that relate changes in a tumor due to prior treatment to a suggested further treatment.