Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research

The United States of America, As Represented by the Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services

C Daniel Johnson

Armando Manduca

Michael J Carston

Matthew R Callstrom

Robert J Wentz

Ronald M Summers

Judd E Reed

Jianhua Yao

A method for displaying colonography images includes presenting a series of oblique images of the colon at sequential locations along the colon centerline. Each image is generally centered on the centerline, presents a field of view generally perpendicular to the centerline, and is oriented with the bottom of the colon down.

Oblique centerline following display of CT colonography images

An improved method for processing image voxel data representative of 3-dimensional images of a colon to remove the effects of tagged stool. The method uses parabolic curve intensity-gradient models at a transition between two material types as a function of the fraction of the two materials for each of a plurality of two-material type classes, including a gas-tissue transition model, a gas-stool transition model and a stool-tissue transition model. The voxels are classified into one of a plurality of substance classes including tagged stool, gas, tissue and unknown classes. The unknown class voxels are processed to classify the unknown class voxels into one of the two-material type classes. The two-material type class voxels are processed to determine the fractions of materials in each voxel. The intensity of the two-material type class voxels is then adjusted as a function of the fraction of the materials in the voxels.

Electronic stool subtraction using quadratic regression and intelligent morphology

A method for processing and displaying colonography image data. First distance tissue pixels representative of tissue within a first distance of gas pixels representative of gas are processed with a first window/level setting to generate a first setting set of image pixels. Second distance tissue pixels representative of tissue within a second distance of the gas pixels are processed with a second window/level setting to generate a second setting set of image pixels. The second distance is a distance greater than the first distance. A colonography image including both the first and second setting sets of image pixels is then displayed.

Simultaneous dual window/level settings for display of CT colonography images

A method for processing CT colonography input image voxel data representative of 3-dimensional images of a colon having gas and stool tagged with stool tagging agent, to remove the stool from the images. The input image voxel data is generated by an imaging instrument having a characteristic point spread function representative of instrument blurring. The point spread function of the instrument can be empirically determined, and the image data processed as a function of the point spread function to accurately identify and remove the tagged stool. In one embodiment of the invention, portions of the image data representative of the tagged stool and colon tissue are dilated as a function of the point spread function. In another embodiment, portions of the image data representative of the tagged stool are convolved with the point spread function to determine the fractional amount of stool present in the image portions, and the tagged stool subtracted by reducing the intensities of the associated portions of the image by an amount proportional to the fractional amount of stool present.

Electronic stool subtraction in CT colonography

A method for generating colonography images for colorectal screening of a patient. The patient is administered an amount of radiopaque stool marker which will enable stool present in the patient's colon to be distinguished from soft tissue. The patient's colon is imaged after the stool marker has been administered to generate colonography images. Preparation of the colon is simulated by processing the colonography images to remove marked stool before the images are observed during a diagnosis session.

Colonography on an unprepared colon

Portions of a virtual colon can be analyzed to identify a normal structure, such as an ileocecal valve. Paradigmatic characteristics of ileocecal valves can be used to identify a digital representation as an ileocecal valve. Upon determination that a digital representation has the characteristics of an ileocecal valve, action can be taken. For example, the digital representation can be removed from a list of polyp candidates.

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Scottsdale, AZ, United States of America

C Daniel Johnson