US7869640B2
Active / In Force
US
⏱️ 1.2 years remaining
Medical image processing apparatus and medical image processing method
Assignee: Canon Inc
•
Filing: 2008-01-16
•
Granted: 2011-01-11
•
Expires: 2028-01-16
Abstract
Abstract A medical image processing apparatus includes an acquisition unit which acquires an anatomical malignant grade of an abnormality candidate region that is possibly an anatomical abnormality included in an image showing the inside of a subject based on a candidate region characteristic amount indicative of characteristics concerning the abnormality candidate region and a peripheral region characteristic amount indicative of characteristics concerning a peripheral region continuous with the abnormality candidate region in the image, a determination unit which determines an examination policy or a treatment policy with respect to the abnormality candidate based on the malignant grade, and a presentation unit which presents the examination policy or the treatment policy determined by the determination unit to a user.
Inventors
- 👤 Hitoshi Yamagata
- 👤 Sumiaki MATSUMOTO
- 👤 Yoshiharu Ohno
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 21:24
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06T; G06T7/00; G06T7/0002; G06T7/0012; G16; G16H; G16H30/00; G16H30/40; G06T2207/00; G06T2207/30; G06T2207/30004; G06T2207/30061
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
117 words
A medical image processing apparatus comprising: an acquisition unit which acquires an anatomical malignant grade of an abnormality candidate region that is possibly an anatomical abnormality included in an image showing the inside of a subject based on a candidate region characteristic amount indicative of characteristics concerning the abnormality candidate region and a peripheral region characteristic amount indicative of characteristics concerning a peripheral region continuous with the abnormality candidate region in the image; a determination unit which determines an examination policy or a treatment policy with respect to the abnormality candidate based on the malignancy grade; and a presentation unit which presents the examination policy or the treatment policy determined by the determination unit to a user.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
117 words
A medical image processing apparatus comprising: an acquisition unit which acquires an anatomical malignant grade of an abnormality candidate region that is possibly an anatomical abnormality included in an image showing the inside of a subject based on a candidate region characteristic amount indicative of characteristics concerning the abnormality candidate region and a peripheral region characteristic amount indicative of characteristics concerning a peripheral region continuous with the abnormality candidate region in the image; a determination unit which determines an examination policy or a treatment policy with respect to the abnormality candidate based on the malignancy grade; and a presentation unit which presents the examination policy or the treatment policy determined by the determination unit to a user.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
60 words
The medical image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising: a first specification unit which specifies the abnormality candidate region in the image; a second specification unit which specifies the peripheral region in the image; a first calculation unit which calculates the candidate region characteristic amount; and a second calculation unit which calculates the peripheral region characteristic amount.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
44 words
The medical image processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the first calculation unit calculates at least one of a shape and a size of the abnormality candidate region as the candidate region characteristic amount from image intensity in the abnormality candidate region.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
43 words
The medical image processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the second calculation unit calculates a characteristic amount about a bar-like structure that is included in the peripheral region and connected with the abnormality candidate region as the peripheral region characteristic amount.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
49 words
The medical image processing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the second calculation unit calculates at least one of a size and a shape of the bar-like structure and a connection angle of the same with respect to the abnormality candidate region as the peripheral region characteristic amount.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
59 words
The medical image processing apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the connection angle is calculated as an inner product value of a normal vector with respect to an ellipsoidal model surface substantially surrounding the abnormality candidate region and a directional vector of a central line of the bar-like structure at each of several points on the central line.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
40 words
The medical image processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the second calculation unit calculates a characteristic amount indicative of a degree of a change in characteristics of the peripheral region with time as the peripheral region characteristic amount.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
178 words
The medical image processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the first calculation unit calculates a characteristic amount indicative of a shape type and a size of the abnormality candidate region and a degree of a change in the abnormality candidate region with time as the peripheral region characteristic amount, the second calculation unit calculates a characteristic amount indicative of characteristics of a bar-like structure that is included in the peripheral region and connected with the abnormality candidate region and a change in characteristics of the peripheral region with time as the peripheral region characteristic amount, and the acquisition unit acquires the malignant grade based on the shape type and the size of the abnormality candidate region and the degree of a change in characteristics of the abnormality candidate region with time calculated by the first calculation unit, and the characteristics of the bar-like structure included in the peripheral region and connected with the abnormality candidate region and the degree of a change in characteristics of the peripheral region with time calculated by the second calculation unit.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
The medical image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the determination unit determines at least one of an examination type, a period until the next examination, and a treatment type based on the malignant grade.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
100 words
A medical image processing method comprising: acquiring an anatomical malignant grade of an abnormality candidate region that is possibly an anatomical abnormality included in an image showing the inside of a subject based on a candidate region characteristic amount indicative of characteristics concerning the abnormality candidate region and a peripheral region characteristic amount indicative of characteristics concerning a peripheral region continuous with the abnormality candidate region in the image; determining an examination policy or a treatment policy with respect to the abnormality candidate based on the malignant grade; and presenting the determined examination policy or treatment policy to a user.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
100 words
A medical image processing method comprising: acquiring an anatomical malignant grade of an abnormality candidate region that is possibly an anatomical abnormality included in an image showing the inside of a subject based on a candidate region characteristic amount indicative of characteristics concerning the abnormality candidate region and a peripheral region characteristic amount indicative of characteristics concerning a peripheral region continuous with the abnormality candidate region in the image; determining an examination policy or a treatment policy with respect to the abnormality candidate based on the malignant grade; and presenting the determined examination policy or treatment policy to a user.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US6738499B1
Cited
US20030016850A1
Cited
US20050207630A1
Cited
WO2006093085A1
Cited
US20070230763A1
Cited
US20070286469A1
Cited
US20080170771A1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2014-01-10 | 2014-07-12 | 2015-01-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2018-01-10 | 2018-07-12 | 2019-01-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2022-01-10 | 2022-07-12 | 2023-01-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |