Image processing apparatus and method for controlling the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9734602-B2
Application number	US-201514801415-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 16, 2015
Priority date	Jul 16, 2014
Publication date	Aug 15, 2017
Grant date	Aug 15, 2017

Abstract

An apparatus for processing a medical image includes: a receiver configured to receive a signal having a plurality of frequency bands; an image reconstructor configured to segment the signal into a first signal of a first frequency band and a second signal of a second frequency band based on a signal strength, and configured to generate a first reconstructed image of the first frequency band and a second reconstructed image of the second frequency band; and an image synthesizer configured to synthesize the first reconstructed image and the second reconstructed image.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for processing a medical image, the apparatus comprising:
a receiver configured to receive a signal having a plurality of frequency bands;
an image processor configured to segment the signal into a first signal of a first frequency band and a second signal of a second frequency band based on a signal strength, configured to generate a first reconstructed image of the first frequency band and a second reconstructed image of the second frequency band, and
configured to synthesize the first reconstructed image and the second reconstructed image,
wherein the image processor is configured to apply different weights to the first reconstructed image and the second reconstructed image according to a contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of a region of interest, and configured to synthesize the first reconstructed image and the second reconstructed image to which the different weights are applied.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the image processor is configured to segment the signal such that the first signal of the first frequency band and the second signal of the second frequency band have a substantially uniform signal strength.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:
the image processor is configured to segment the signal into the first signal of a fundamental band and the second signal of a harmonic band, the first signal of the harmonic band signal having a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) being equal to or greater than a threshold value; and
is configured to generate a reconstructed image of the fundamental band and a reconstructed image of the harmonic band.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the image processor is configured to gradually extend a bandwidth of the harmonic band in response to the signal from an area that is located closer to a region of a focusing point.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the image processor is configured to perform deconvolution on the first and second signals.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the image processor is configured to generate the first or second reconstructed image by estimating a point spread function (PSF) of the first or second signal, and performing deconvolution on the estimated point spread function (PSF) and the corresponding first or second signal.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the image processor comprises:
an image segmentor configured to segment the signal into the first signal of the first frequency band and the signal of the second frequency band;
a point spread function (PSF) estimator configured to estimate a point spread function (PSF) of the first or second signal; and
a deconvolution processor configured to generate the first reconstructed image or the second reconstructed image by performing deconvolution on the estimated point spread function (PSF) and the corresponding first or second signal.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the image processor is configured to apply a weight proportional to a contrast strength of a region of interest to the second reconstructed image, and is configured to synthesize the second reconstructed image, to which the weight is applied, and the first reconstructed image.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the image processor is configured to generate a combined image by synthesizing the first reconstructed image and the second reconstructed image, and configured to divide the combined image into first and second regions through binary coding of the combined image,
wherein, in the first region, different weights are applied to the first reconstructed image and the second reconstructed image according to a contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) strength of a region of interest, and
in the second region, the same weight is applied to the first reconstructed image and the second reconstructed image.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the image processor includes:
an image combiner configured to generate a combined image by combining the first reconstructed image and the second reconstructed image;
a binary image generator configured to perform binary coding on the combined image according to brightness;
a contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) calculator configured to calculate a CNR of a region of interest; and
a weight applier configured to apply different weights to the first reconstructed image and the second reconstructed image according to the CNR of the region of interest.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the image combiner is configured combine the first reconstructed image and the second reconstructed image to which different weights are applied.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the image processor is configured to extend a bandwidth of the second frequency band to the first frequency band.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the image processor is configured to perform demodulation on the first signal and perform deconvolution on the second signal.

14. A method for processing a medical image, the method comprising:
receiving a signal having a plurality of frequency bands;
segmenting the signal into a first signal of a first frequency band and a second signal of a second frequency band based on a signal strength;
generating a first reconstructed image of the first frequency band and a second reconstructed image of the second frequency band; and
synthesizing the first reconstructed image and the second reconstructed image,
wherein the synthesizing comprises applying different weights to the first reconstructed image and the second reconstructed image according to a contrast strength of a region of interest and synthesizing the first reconstructed image and the second reconstructed image to which the different weights are applied.

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the segmenting comprises:
segmenting the signal such that the first signal of the first frequency band and the second signal of the second frequency band have a substantially uniform signal strength.

16. The method according to claim 14 , wherein:
the segmenting comprises segmenting the signal into the first signal of a fundamental frequency band and the second signal of a harmonic frequency band, the first signal of the harmonic frequency band signal having a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) being equal to or greater than a threshold value; and
the generating comprises generating a reconstructed image of the fundamental frequency band and a reconstructed image of the harmonic frequency band.

17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the segmenting comprises gradually extending a bandwidth of the harmonic band in response to the signal from an area that is located closer to a region of a focusing point.

18. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the generating comprises performing deconvolution on the first and second signals.

19. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the synthesizing comprises applying a weight proportional to a contrast strength of a region of interest to the second reconstructed image and synthesizing the second reconstructed image, to which the weight is applied, and the first reconstructed image.

20. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the synthesizing comprises:
generating a combined image by synthesizing the first reconstructed image and the second reconstructed image; and
dividing the combined image into first and second regions through binary coding of the combined image,
wherein, in the first region,

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Park Sungchan
• Kang Jooyoung
• Kim Jungho

Classifications

• G06T12/30 Primary

  Image post-processing, e.g. metal artefact correction · CPC title

• G01S7/52038

  involving non-linear properties of the propagation medium or of the reflective target · CPC title

• G06T11/60

  Creating or editing images; Combining images with text · CPC title

• A61B8/5207

  involving processing of raw data to produce diagnostic data, e.g. for generating an image · CPC title

• G01S15/8915

  using a transducer array · CPC title