Digital image subtraction

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9251576-B2
Application number	US-201013381689-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 22, 2010
Priority date	Jun 30, 2009
Publication date	Feb 2, 2016
Grant date	Feb 2, 2016

Abstract

A system for generating a digital subtraction image of at least two input images. The system comprises a registration subsystem ( 1 ) for generating a plurality of different registrations of the input images ( 7, 8 ), based on different values of a registration parameter ( 6 ). The system further comprises a subtraction subsystem ( 2 ) for generating a plurality of subtracted images by subtracting the input images in accordance with respective ones of the plurality of registrations. The system further comprises a combining subsystem ( 3 ) for combining the plurality of subtracted images into a combined subtracted image ( 9 ). The registration parameter ( 6 ) represents an assumed depth of an object which is visible in the input images ( 7, 8 ). The combining subsystem ( 3 ) is arranged for assigning a combined pixel value to a pixel position of the combined subtracted image, based on pixel values of or around corresponding pixel positions in the plurality of subtracted images.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for generating a digital subtraction image of at least two input images, comprising:
a registration subsystem for generating a plurality of different registrations of the input images, based on different values of a registration parameter, each different registration represents a different assumed depth and a different rotation origin of an object visible in each of the input images;
a subtraction subsystem for generating a plurality of subtracted images by subtracting the input images in accordance with respective ones of the plurality of registrations;
a combining subsystem for combining the plurality of subtracted images into a single combined subtracted image, and the single combined subtracted image is a single frame image.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the registration subsystem registers the input images, based on a fixed rotation of an object represented by the input images.

3. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the selector selects the pixel value, based on feature information relating to a neighborhood of the pixel position.

4. A medical workstation comprising a system according to claim 1 .

5. A medical image acquisition apparatus comprising a system according to claim 1 .

6. A method of generating a digital subtraction image of at least two input images, comprising:
generating a plurality of different registrations of the input images, based on different values of a registration parameter, each value represents a different assumed depth and a different rotation origin of an object which is visible in the input images;
generating a plurality of subtracted images by subtracting the input images in accordance with different ones of the plurality of registrations; and
combining the plurality of subtracted images into a single combined subtracted image, and the single combined subtracted image is a single frame image.

7. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions for causing a processor system to perform the method according to claim 6 .

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the registrations are further based on registering the input images based on a fixed rotation of the at least two images.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the registering of the input images is based on a fixed rotation of an object represented by the input images.

10. The method of claim 6 , further comprising selecting the pixel value, based on feature information relating to a neighborhood of the pixel position.

Assignees

• Von Berg Jens
• Koninkl Philips Nv

Inventors

• Von Berg Jens

Classifications

• G06T2207/20221

  Image fusion; Image merging · CPC title

• G06T2207/30061

  Lung · CPC title

• G06T5/50 Primary

  using two or more images, e.g. averaging or subtraction · CPC title

• G06T2207/10116

  X-ray image · CPC title

• G06T2207/20224

  Image subtraction · CPC title