IP Library Granted Patent US 9,082,159
Granted Patent B2
US 9,082,159 · App. 13/817,946 · Granted Jul 14, 2015

Non-rigid composition of multiple overlapping medical imaging volumes

Inventor: James G. Reisman (Princeton, NJ)
Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
G06T3/00G06T3/4038G06T7/0024
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,082,159
App. No.
13/817,946
Filed
Apr 5, 2013
Granted
Jul 14, 2015
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2667
USPC
382/128
Abstract

A method, including: registering a new image volume with a composed image volume, wherein the new image volume and the composed image volume overlap each other in an overlap region, the composed image volume includes at least two image volumes that overlap each other, and each voxel in the composed image volume includes a weight; determining a deformation between the new image volume and the composed image volume; updating the weights of the voxels in the composed image volume that are overlapped by the new image volume; performing an alpha morphing on the overlap region using the updated weights and the deformation; obtaining a blend region of the overlap region by performing an alpha blending using results of the alpha morphing and the updated weights; and incorporating the blend region into the composed image volume to obtain a new composed image volume.

Claims (43)

1. A method, comprising:

registering a new image volume with a composed image volume, wherein the new image volume and the composed image volume overlap each other in an overlap region, the composed image volume includes at least two image volumes that overlap each other, and each voxel in the composed image volume includes a weight;

determining a deformation between the new image volume and the composed image volume;

updating the weights of the voxels in the composed image volume that are overlapped by the new image volume;

performing an alpha morphing on the overlap region using the updated weights and the deformation;

obtaining a blend region of the overlap region by performing an alpha blending using results of the alpha morphing and the updated weights; and

incorporating the blend region into the composed image volume to obtain a new composed image volume,

wherein the weight of a voxel in a single image volume is based on its distance from an edge of the single image volume,

wherein the weight of a voxel in the composed image volume, where this voxel is included in a region of the composed image volume where the at least two image volumes overlap, is equal to a sum of the weights of the corresponding voxels from the at least two image volumes,

wherein updating the weights of the voxels in the composed image volume that are overlapped by the new image volume comprises: for each voxel of the composed image volume overlapped by the new image volume, adding the weight of the corresponding voxel from the new image volume to the weight of that voxel in the composed image volume.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the new image volume and the composed image volume include medical image volumes.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the new image volume and at least one of the image volumes included in the composed image volume each have an arbitrary orientation.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the alpha morphing and the alpha blending each include an alpha variable, the alpha variable being a ratio of the weights of the voxels in the new image volume to the weights of the voxels of the composed image volume.

5. A computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code comprising:

computer readable program code configured to perform the steps of:

registering a new image volume with a composed image volume, wherein the new image volume and the composed image volume overlap each other in an overlap region, the composed image volume includes at least two image volumes that overlap each other, and each voxel in the composed image volume includes a weight;

determining a deformation between the new image volume and the composed image volume;

updating the weights of the voxels in the composed image volume that are overlapped by the new image volume;

performing an alpha morphing on the overlap region using the updated weights and the deformation;

obtaining a blend region of the overlap region by performing an alpha blending using results of the alpha morphing and the updated weights; and

incorporating the blend region into the composed image volume to obtain a new composed image volume,

wherein the weight of a voxel in a single image volume is based on its distance from an edge of the single image volume,

wherein the weight of a voxel in the composed image volume, where this voxel is included in a region of the composed image volume where the at least two image volumes overlap, is equal to a sum of the weights of the corresponding voxels from the at least two image volumes,

wherein updating the weights of the voxels in the composed image volume that are overlapped by the new image volume comprises: for each voxel of the composed image volume overlapped by the new image volume, adding the weight of the corresponding voxel from the new image volume to the weight of that voxel in the composed image volume.

6. The computer program product of claim 5 , wherein the new image volume and the composed image volume include medical image volumes.

7. The computer program product of claim 5 , wherein the new image volume and at least one of the image volumes included in the composed image volume each have an arbitrary orientation.

8. The computer program product of claim 5 , wherein the alpha morphing and the alpha blending each include an alpha variable, the alpha variable being a ratio of the weights of the voxels in the new image volume to the weights of the voxels of the composed image volume.

9. A system, comprising:

a memory device for storing a program;

a processor in communication with the memory device, the processor operative with the program to:

register a new image volume with a composed image volume, wherein the new image volume and the composed image volume overlap each other in an overlap region, the composed image volume includes at least two image volumes that overlap each other, and each voxel in the composed image volume includes a weight;

determine a deformation between the new image volume and the composed image volume;

update the weights of the voxels in the composed image volume that are overlapped by the new image volume;

perform an alpha morphing on the overlap region using the updated weights and the deformation;

obtain a blend region of the overlap region by performing an alpha blending using results of the alpha morphing and the updated weights; and

incorporate the blend region into the composed image volume to obtain a new composed image volume,

wherein the weight of a voxel in a single image volume is based on its distance from an edge of the single image volume,

wherein the weight of a voxel in the composed image volume, where this voxel is included in a region of the composed image volume where the at least two image volumes overlap, is equal to a sum of the weights of the corresponding voxels from the at least two image volumes,

wherein when updating the weights of the voxels in the composed image volume that are overlapped by the new image volume, the processor is operative with the program to: for each voxel of the composed image volume overlapped by the new image volume, add the weight of the corresponding voxel from the new image volume to the weight of that voxel in the composed image volume.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the new image volume and the composed image volume include medical image volumes.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the new image volume and at least one of the image volumes included in the composed image volume each have an arbitrary orientation.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the alpha morphing and the alpha blending each include an alpha variable, the alpha variable being a ratio of the weights of the voxels in the new image volume to the weights of the voxels of the composed image volume.

Assignments (5)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNEE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 066088 FRAME: 0256. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Jan 17, 2024
From: SIEMENS HEALTHCARE GMBH
To: SIEMENS HEALTHINEERS AG
Reel/Frame 071178/0246 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 20, 2023
From: SIEMENS HEALTHCARE GMBH
To: SIEMENS HEALTHINEERS AG
Reel/Frame 066088/0256 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 22, 2018
From: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
To: SIEMENS HEALTHCARE GMBH
Reel/Frame 044997/0581 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 10, 2015
From: SIEMENS CORPORATION
To: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
Reel/Frame 035814/0598 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 5, 2013
From: REISMAN, JAMES G.
To: SIEMENS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 030159/0382 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 61390730 · Oct 7, 2010
Related Publication 20130208960A1 · Aug 15, 2013