The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 16, 2001
Filed:
Jun. 11, 1999
James C. Hogg, Vancouver, CA;
Kenneth P. Whittall, Vancouver, CA;
Harvey O. Coxson, North Vancouver, CA;
The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, CA;
Abstract
A computer-implementable method for estimating the surface area to volume ratio and the surface area of a lung based on x-ray attenuation data obtained from a computed tomography (CT) scan of the lung is disclosed. The method includes obtaining a plurality of CT images that include a lung image from a plurality of subjects. Each of the resulting CT images is displayed such that an x-ray attenuation value is associated with each pixel. Thereafter the lung image is extracted from the CT image. Then, the volume of each lung is calculated based on the plurality of lung images extracted from the plurality of CT images. Also, the volume-of-gas to weight-of-tissue ratio for all of the pixels included in each of the lung images is calculated using the x-ray attenuation value associated with the pixel. The pixel ratio values are used to determine the median volume-of-gas to weight-of tissue ratio for all the pixels included in all the lung images for each lung. Then the surface area to volume ratio of each lung is determined using quantitative histology. Thereafter, the surface area to volume ratio versus the median volume-of-gas to weight-of-tissue ratio is plotted for each lung. The plot is used to determine a best-fit prediction equation that correlates the surface area to volume ratio to the volume-of-gas to weight-of-tissue ratio. The equation is used to estimate the surface area to volume ratio and the surface area of a new lung based on a CT scan of that lung.