US6556696B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method for segmenting medical images and detecting surface anomalies in anatomical structures
Assignee: United States Department of Health and Human Services
•
Filing: 2002-02-05
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Granted: 2003-04-29
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Expires: 2022-02-05
Abstract
Abstract A region growing method segments three-dimensional image data of an anatomical structure using a tortuous path length limit to constrain voxel growth. The path length limit constrains the number of successive generations of voxel growth from a seed point to prevent leakage of voxels outside the boundary of the anatomical structure. Once segmented, a process for detecting surface anomalies performs a curvature analysis on a computer model of the surface of the structure. This process detects surface anomalies automatically by traversing the vertices in the surface model, computing partial derivatives of the surface at the vertices, and computing curvature characteristics from the partial derivatives. To identify possible anomalies, the process compares the curvature characteristics with predetermined curvature characteristics of anomalies and classifies the vertices. The process further refines potential anomalies by segmenting neighboring vertices that are classified as being part of an anomaly using curvature characteristics. Finally, the process colorizes the anomalies and computes a camera position and direction for each one to assist the user in viewing 2D renderings of the computer model.
Inventors
- 👤 Ronald M. Summers
- 👤 Scott Selbie
- 👤 James D. Malley
- 👤 Lynne M. Pusanik
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 21:43
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06T; G06T7/00; G06T7/0002; G06T7/0012; G06T7/10; G06T7/11; G06T7/187; G06V; G06V20/00; G06V20/60; G06V20/64; G06T2207/00; G06T2207/10; G06T2207/10072; G06T2207/10081; G06T2207/20; G06T2207/20092; G06T2207/20101; G06T2207/30; G06T2207/30004; G06T2207/30028; G06T2207/30061; G06T2207/30064
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 47
Claim 1
Independent Claim
65 words
A computer-assisted method for detecting anomalies in a model representing a three-dimensional anatomical structure, the method comprising: computing a curvature characteristic in a local neighborhood around a vertex in the model; classifying curvature of a cluster of connected vertices by comparing the computed curvature characteristic to a predetermined curvature classification; and defining an anomaly as a cluster of connected vertices having a predetermined curvature classification.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
65 words
A computer-assisted method for detecting anomalies in a model representing a three-dimensional anatomical structure, the method comprising: computing a curvature characteristic in a local neighborhood around a vertex in the model; classifying curvature of a cluster of connected vertices by comparing the computed curvature characteristic to a predetermined curvature classification; and defining an anomaly as a cluster of connected vertices having a predetermined curvature classification.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising: computing partial derivatives during traversal of the model representing the three-dimensional anatomical structure; wherein the curvature characteristic is computed from the partial derivatives.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 2 , wherein the model representing the anatomical structure comprises a plurality of vertices; and computing partial derivatives comprises computing partial derivatives at the vertices.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 2 wherein computing partial derivatives comprises convolving a filter over discrete voxel data at neighboring voxels.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the curvature characteristics comprise Gaussian curvatures computed from the partial derivatives.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the curvature characteristics comprise curvatures chosen from one or more of the following and computed from the partial derivatives: Gaussian curvatures; mean curvatures; and principal curvatures.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 2 wherein computing partial derivatives comprises employing a 3D filtering technique.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 7 wherein computing partial derivatives comprises employing a kernel in the 3D filtering technique.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising: before computing the curvature characteristic around the vertex in the model, fitting a parametric patch to the local neighborhood around the vertex in the model.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 9 wherein the parametric patch comprises a b-spline patch.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the local neighborhood comprises one or more isosurfaces.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the local neighborhood comprises a wall of the anatomical structure.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the model comprises a three-dimensional surface model.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the three-dimensional anatomical structure comprises a colon; and the anomaly comprises a polyp.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
69 words
A computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions for performing the following to detect anomalies in a model representing a three-dimensional anatomical structure: computing a curvature characteristic in a local neighborhood around a vertex in the model; classifying curvature of a cluster of connected vertices by comparing the computed curvature characteristic to a predetermined curvature classification; and defining an anomaly as a cluster of connected vertices having a predetermined curvature classification.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
69 words
A computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions for performing the following to detect anomalies in a model representing a three-dimensional anatomical structure: computing a curvature characteristic in a local neighborhood around a vertex in the model; classifying curvature of a cluster of connected vertices by comparing the computed curvature characteristic to a predetermined curvature classification; and defining an anomaly as a cluster of connected vertices having a predetermined curvature classification.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
71 words
An apparatus operable to detect anomalies in a model representing a three-dimensional anatomical structure, the apparatus comprising: means for computing a curvature characteristic in a local neighborhood around a vertex in the model; means for classifying curvature of a cluster of connected vertices by comparing the computed curvature characteristic to a predetermined curvature classification; and means for defining an anomaly as a cluster of connected vertices having a predetermined curvature classification.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
71 words
An apparatus operable to detect anomalies in a model representing a three-dimensional anatomical structure, the apparatus comprising: means for computing a curvature characteristic in a local neighborhood around a vertex in the model; means for classifying curvature of a cluster of connected vertices by comparing the computed curvature characteristic to a predetermined curvature classification; and means for defining an anomaly as a cluster of connected vertices having a predetermined curvature classification.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
56 words
A method of detecting anomalies in an anatomical structure, the method comprising: computing a representation of the anatomical structure; computing curvature characteristics for the representation of the anatomical structure; comparing the curvature characteristics with predetermined characteristics associated with anomalies; and identifying an anomaly in the representation of the anatomical structure based at least on the comparing.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
56 words
A method of detecting anomalies in an anatomical structure, the method comprising: computing a representation of the anatomical structure; computing curvature characteristics for the representation of the anatomical structure; comparing the curvature characteristics with predetermined characteristics associated with anomalies; and identifying an anomaly in the representation of the anatomical structure based at least on the comparing.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 17 further comprising: computing partial derivatives during traversal of the representation of the anatomical structure; wherein the curvature characteristics are computed from the partial derivatives.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 18 wherein computing partial derivatives comprises employing a 3D filtering technique.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 19 wherein computing partial derivatives comprises employing a kernel in the 3D filtering technique.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 18 wherein the representation of the anatomical structure comprises a plurality of vertices; and traversal of the representation of the anatomical structure comprises visiting the vertices.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 18 wherein the representation of the anatomical structure comprises a plurality of vertices; and computing partial derivatives comprises computing partial derivatives at the vertices.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 18 wherein computing partial derivatives comprises convolving a filter over discrete voxel data at neighboring voxels.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 18 wherein the curvature characteristics comprise Gaussian curvatures computed from the partial derivatives.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 18 wherein the curvature characteristics comprise curvatures chosen from one or more of the following and computed from the partial derivatives: Gaussian curvatures; mean curvatures; and principal curvatures.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 17 wherein computing curvature characteristics comprises computing a curvature characteristic in a local neighborhood around a vertex in the representation.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 26 further comprising: before computing the curvature characteristic around the vertex, fitting a parametric patch to the local neighborhood around the vertex in the model.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 17 wherein the representation of the anatomical structure comprises a plurality of vertices, the method further comprising: classifying a cluster of vertices in the representation of the anatomical structure as an anomaly.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 17 wherein the anomaly comprises a lesion.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 17 wherein the anomaly comprises a polypoid lesion.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 17 wherein curvature characteristics are computed from a representation of a surface of the anatomical structure.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 17 wherein computing a representation of the anatomical structure comprises computing an isosurface of the anatomical structure.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 17 wherein the representation of the anatomical structure represents a wall of a bronchus captured from a scan of a human patient; and the anomaly represents a lesion detected on the wall.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 17 wherein the anatomical structure comprises a colon; and the anomaly represents a polyp detected in the colon.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 17 further comprising: displaying a depiction of the representation of the anatomical structure; wherein identified anomalies are colored to distinguish from background anatomy.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 17 further comprising: presenting a guided virtual tour of the anatomical structure, repositioning a viewpoint to a plurality of identified anomalies.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 17 , wherein predetermined characteristics indicating elliptical curvature of peak subtype are associated with surface anomalies.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
61 words
A computer-readable medium comprising computer-readable instructions for performing the following to detect anomalies in an anatomical structure: computing a representation of the anatomical structure; computing curvature characteristics for the representation of the anatomical structure; comparing the curvature characteristics with predetermined characteristics associated with anomalies; and identifying an anomaly in the representation of the anatomical structure based at least on the comparing.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
61 words
A computer-readable medium comprising computer-readable instructions for performing the following to detect anomalies in an anatomical structure: computing a representation of the anatomical structure; computing curvature characteristics for the representation of the anatomical structure; comparing the curvature characteristics with predetermined characteristics associated with anomalies; and identifying an anomaly in the representation of the anatomical structure based at least on the comparing.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
71 words
A computer-implemented method comprising: computing a representation of a bronchus comprising a plurality of vertices; computing partial derivatives during traversal of the vertices of the representation of the bronchus via a 3D filter; computing curvature characteristics from the partial derivatives; based on the curvature characteristics, classifying a shape; and identifying a polypoid lesion in the representation of the bronchus based on having classified the shape as elliptical with a peak subtype.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
71 words
A computer-implemented method comprising: computing a representation of a bronchus comprising a plurality of vertices; computing partial derivatives during traversal of the vertices of the representation of the bronchus via a 3D filter; computing curvature characteristics from the partial derivatives; based on the curvature characteristics, classifying a shape; and identifying a polypoid lesion in the representation of the bronchus based on having classified the shape as elliptical with a peak subtype.
Claim 46
Independent Claim
65 words
An apparatus operable to detect anomalies in an anatomical structure, the apparatus comprising: means for computing a representation of the anatomical structure; means for computing curvature characteristics for the representation of the anatomical structure; means for comparing the curvature characteristics with predetermined characteristics associated with anomalies; and means for identifying an anomaly in the representation of the anatomical structure based at least on the comparing.
Claim 47
Independent Claim
65 words
An apparatus operable to detect anomalies in an anatomical structure, the apparatus comprising: means for computing a representation of the anatomical structure; means for computing curvature characteristics for the representation of the anatomical structure; means for comparing the curvature characteristics with predetermined characteristics associated with anomalies; and means for identifying an anomaly in the representation of the anatomical structure based at least on the comparing.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-04-28 | 2006-10-28 | 2007-04-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-04-28 | 2010-10-28 | 2011-04-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-04-28 | 2014-10-28 | 2015-04-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |