Terarecon, Inc.

Other

Vikram Simha

Motoaki Saito

Tiecheng T Zhao

Kenneth W Correll

Charidimos E Gasparakis

Larry D Seiler

Hugh C Lauer

Robert James Taylor

Akio Iwase

James M Knittel

Kazuo Takahashi

Vishal C Bhatia

According to one embodiment, workflow templates are maintained, each workflow template including a predefined sequence of workflow stages associated with a particular type of medical diagnosis or process. In response to a request for processing medical image data from a user, a user identifier (ID) that identifies the user is automatically determined based on the request. At least one of the workflow templates that is specifically configured to process medical image data associated with the user is identified based on the user ID. One or more image processing operations defined by the identified workflow template are performed on the medical image data, generating a scene corresponding to an image view representing the medical image data. The scene associated with each of the workflow stages is stored in a persistent storage, where a scene includes metadata used to recreate a corresponding medical image view subsequently.

Workflow template management for medical image data processing

According to one embodiment, workflow templates are stored, each including a predefined sequence of workflow stages associated with a particular type of medical diagnosis or process. Each workflow stage defines one or more image processing operations to be performed. At least one workflow stage generates metadata specifying a parameter to be used by another workflow stage for processing a corresponding medical image. In response to medical image data received, at least one of the image processing operations defined by the workflow stages is performed on the medical image data. A scene is generated for each of the workflow stages representing an image view representing the medical image data. In response to a save or validate command received from a user, the scene associated with each of the workflow stages is stored in a persistent storage, which can be used to recreate a corresponding medical image view subsequently.

Some embodiments of a workflow management system to process medical image data generated by a medical imaging device have been presented. In one embodiment, a user selects a workflow template with a predefined set of image processing stages, and applies the workflow template to the medical image data. Each of the predefined set of image processing stages in the workflow template includes one or more image processing operations. Each of the image processing operations is capable of generating metadata for processing the medical image data. The medical image data is then processed through each of the predefined image processing stages. The result of processing is a collection of metadata. Each metadata in the collection can be applied to the medical image data to generate a medical image view.

A three-dimensional image processing system enables multiple users at distant locations employing ordinary personal computers to construct and observe three-dimensional images simultaneously. In a network environment, a three-dimensional image processing device acquires image data and incorporates it into three-dimensional voxels based on instructions from the computers. The device operates on the three-dimensional voxels using object space domain, opacity and color parameters to construct three-dimensional data and operates on the three-dimensional data using projection processing parameters to construct three-dimensional images. The system sets projection processing parameters for constructing three-dimensional images from three-dimensional data and displays three-dimensional images which may be routed to the various computers via the network.

Three-dimensional image display device in network

A method renders a volume data set as an image in a volume rendering system. The volume data set includes a plurality of voxels stored in a memory. The volume rendering system includes a plurality of parallel processing pipelines. The image includes a plurality of pixels stored in the memory. A set of rays are cast through the volume data set. The volume data set is partitioned into a plurality of sections aligned with the sets of rays. Voxels along each ray of each set are sequentially interpolated voxels in only one of the plurality of pipelines to generate samples only as long as the samples contribute to the image.

Early ray termination in a parallel pipelined volume rendering system

A method generates a histogram of a volume data set in a rendering pipeline. The volume data set includes a plurality of samples stored in a memory. Each sample is partitioned in parallel into a plurality of field according to a plurality of format registers, there is one format register for each field. Entries of a plurality of tables are indexed in parallel with the plurality of fields, there is one entry indexed in each table by each field. The indexed entries are incremented to accumulate a histogram of the fields of the samples of the volume data set.

Method and apparatus for generating a histogram of a volume data set

A method maps samples in a rendering pipelines. The samples are stored in a sample memory. Each sample has a plurality of fields. A descriptor is stored for each field in a field format register. Each sample is read from the memory into a mapping unit. The fields are extracted from each sample according to the corresponding descriptor, and forwarded in parallel to the rendering pipeline.

Method and apparatus for mapping samples in a rendering pipeline

A volume rendering pipeline includes a plurality of processing stages such as a gradient estimation stage, an interpolation stage, a classification stage, an illumination stage, and a compositing stage. The stages are connected to each other by multiplexers. A first multiplexer connects an output of a first stage to an input of a second stage. A second multiplexer connects an output of the second stage to an input of the first stage. A third multiplexer has inputs connected to the output of the first stage and the output of the second stage, the first, second, and third multiplexers are responsive to a select signal to configure the stages of the rendering pipeline for processing the volume data set.

Configurable volume rendering pipeline

A low-cost, real-time volume rendering system including a three-dimensional cursor for interactively identifying and marking positions within a three-dimensional volume data set during display is disclosed. The cursor appearance is configurable such that it may appear as cross hairs, cross planes, or some combination thereof, with each cursor dimension being selectively enabled. Each cursor dimension is configurable in terms of color and level of opacity. The shape of the edges and the appearance of the intersection of the dimensions is configurable, and the colors of the individual cursor components may alternately blend or obscure the colors of the objects behind them. The cursor is realized through use of a comparison circuit operating in conjunction with a parallel pipeline processor optimized for volume rendering using a ray-casting technique. The comparison circuit checks whether the data sample is taken from a region of the three-dimensional object which may be affected by the presence of a three-dimensional cursor. Voxels which collectively define the object are ordered according to a given three-dimensional coordinate system; the desired cursor is also defined with respect to this coordinate system.

Growing community of inventors

Lexington, MA, United States of America

Vikram Simha