DE102008028024A1 - Method for displaying three-dimensional medical image data of examining area i.e. heart, of patient, involves associating two-dimensional image data, transmitting movement of examining area and displaying three-dimensional image data - Google Patents

Abstract

The method involves selecting static three-dimensional image data (6) of an examining area and selecting a dynamic sequence of two-dimensional image data (7) of the examining area in motion. The two-dimensional image data is associated with the three-dimensional image data. The movement of the examining area from the sequence of two-dimensional image data to the three-dimensional image data is transmitted. The three-dimensional image data is displayed in one of the movements corresponding to dynamic shapes. Independent claims are also included for the following: (1) a computer program product for performing a method for displaying three-dimensional medical image data of an examining area (2) a system for displaying three-dimensional medical image data of an examining area comprising a data source.

Description

The The present invention is in the field of processing and Display of medical image data of a moving examination area.

In Medical imaging is a series of imaging Methods are known which generate three-dimensional image data. To this imaging Procedures include in particular computed tomography, magnetic resonance tomography and the 3D angiography. For taking three-dimensional image data A moving investigation area must have the aforementioned admission procedures be matched to the respective movement. In medical technology the relevant movements are often cyclical.

exemplary becomes the CT scan of the cyclic heartbeat described. The CT scan will depend on an ECG signal of the patient controlled so that data only to one certain cardiac phase image data are recorded. From this data becomes a three-dimensional image of the heart in said heart phase reconstructed to a static image as free as possible from motion artifacts to create. The information about the movement of the heart is lost.

The Generation of three-dimensional image data in a variety of Phases of the movement cycle is usually not easy possible. in the Example of computed tomographic recording of the heart is done the reconstruction preferably in a phase of the heartbeat, in which the heart moves only a little. This is because that Recording of measurement data, which is used to reconstruct a three-dimensional image necessary, a certain minimum time elapses. If it is If the examination object moves too much in this time window, this leads to motion artifacts in the three-dimensional image.

Of the Invention is therefore the object of three-dimensional medical To display image data of a moving examination area in such a way that information about the movement from the displayed representation are removable.

The Task is solved by the invention in the independent claims; advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of each referred back Dependent claims.

below becomes the solution the task mainly in relation to the method according to claim 1 described. Mentioned here Features, advantages, and alternative embodiments are as well transferable to the other claimed objects and vice versa. For example can also the system requirements with features described in the context of the procedure or claimed, be further developed. The corresponding functional Features of the method are thereby by appropriate representational Characteristics of the system formed.

The Invention is based on the idea, the spatial information three-dimensional image data of the examination area with temporal Information from a sequence of two-dimensional image data of the examination area in one movement. there is made use of that movements with two-dimensional imaging Procedure can be easily recorded. The Two-dimensional image data are combined with the three-dimensional image data associated to the movement of the examination area of the moving transmit two-dimensional image data to the three-dimensional image data to be able to. In this way, finally, the three-dimensional image data corresponding to one of the movement dynamic form displayed who the. The invention thus combines the Advantages of Three-dimensional Imaging Techniques Regarding the richness of detail and the spatial Impression with the advantages of two-dimensional imaging techniques in terms of rendering movements.

Three-dimensional Image data will hereinafter be abbreviated to 3D image data and two-dimensional image data through 2D image data.

The static three-dimensional image data, for example, by means of Computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, angiographic X-ray and ultrasound-based methods. The dynamic Sequence of 2D image data For example, by means of an X-ray fluoroscopy or by two-dimensional ultrasound examinations are recorded.

The Dynamic display of 3D image data can also be done first by a data storage will be replaced to a later display to enable.

The 2D and 3D image data can particularly easy by known 2D / 3D registration method be associated with each other. Both fully automatic and semi-automatic Method in which z. B. corresponding points have to be marked manually, can in use this context.

For a particularly high accuracy of the association of the 2D and 3D image data, a registration method is used which is based on an identification tion of mutually corresponding landmarks in the 3D image data on the one hand and the 2D image data on the other hand based. Landmarks are characteristic points or limited subregions of the study area.

The consideration of 2D image data from at least two different viewing angles to the examination area an improved spatial Motion capture and simplified registration of 2D image data with the 3D image data. It is particularly advantageous to have a sequence of 2D image data comprising two subsequences, the the movement at the same time from the at least two different Viewing angles. The data processing is thereby Simplifies that each pair of 2D image data to be the same Time of the object to be examined from different viewing angles be taken into account.

Especially simple is the application of the method to image data, the one Imaging the examination area in a cyclic movement. In this Case the movement of only one movement cycle can be used where the association of the 2D with the 3D image data is successful succeeded. This is useful one Quality measure determined, indicating the accuracy of the association of the image data. The movement, resulting from the 2D image data is only then transferred to the 3D image data, if the quality measurement is one exceeds certain value. This selection of motion cycles ensures that the movement of the displayed 3D image data in a particularly high degree with the actual Movement of the examination area coincides. Another The method of achieving this is the average motion of the motion cycle to the 3D image data. Through this averaging become errors in the localization of corresponding points reduced in the image data.

It are various forms of displaying the three-dimensional image data possible in a dynamic form corresponding to the movement.

The most obvious spatial Impression conveys a representation in the form of a moving animation the 3D image data.

By an indication of the movement in the form of a dynamic overlay a static representation of the 3D image data remains the original ones 3D image data continues to be unaltered even in the dynamic display. Because the transfer moving from the 2D image data to the 3D image data is only an approximation to the actual one Movement of the object under investigation is a separation the spatial Information and the motion information according to the aforementioned embodiment very helpful in the diagnostic interpretation of the ad.

The dynamic display of the movement can z. In the form of animated Movement arrows or in the form of moving contour lines both easy as well as easily recognizable.

In The following detailed description of the figures are not restrictive Understanding embodiments with their features and other advantages with reference to the schematic drawings discussed. In this show:

1 The time sequence of the method for displaying 3D image data in a dynamic form with reference to system components,

2 A perspective view of three-dimensional image data of a heart,

3 An illustration of a fluoroscopic x-ray of the heart,

4 A perspective view of the heart according to 2 with an insertion of the movement in the form of movement arrows,

5 A perspective view of the heart according to 2 with an insertion of the movement in the form of contour lines.

1 shows the five steps 1 - 5 the method for displaying three-dimensional medical image data 6 in terms of the elements 8th - 10 and 12 the system for displaying three-dimensional medical image data.

In the first step 1 of the method become static 3D image data 6 the scope of a data source 8th accessed. At the second step 2 becomes the dynamic sequence of 2D image data 7 of the examination area in one movement from a data source 9 accessed. The data sources can be z. As medical diagnostic devices, local hard drives or accessible via a network storage devices. In the medical environment are the data sources 8th and 9 expediently designed in the form of a so-called. PACS server, where PACS stands for Picture Archiving Communication System.

After the call of the image data 6 and 7 be in the third step 3 the 2D image data 7 with the 3D image data 6 associated with, preferably using a per se known registration method is used, the matching landmarks in the Image data sets 6 and 7 connecting with each other.

In the fourth step 4 The movement of the examination area becomes the sequence of 2D image data 7 on the 3D image data 6 transfer. In this embodiment, a sequence 11 of 3D image data representing a three-dimensional animation of the examination area. The steps 3 and 4 be through a data processing unit 10 in the form of a computer.

In the fifth step 5 becomes the animated sequence 11 the 3D image data using a display device 12 of the system.

2 shows in a spatial representation of the 3D data 6 of a heart 13 with coronary vessels 14 , The 3D image data 6 can be generated for example by means of a computed tomography device. The illustration shown is a static image that does not say anything about the movement of the heart 13 power.

3 shows an X-ray fluoroscopy of the heart 13 , wherein the coronary vessels 14 clearly stand out due to a contrast agent.

The X-ray fluoroscopy image 15 exemplifies a sequence of 2D image data 7 that the movement of the heart 13 while one of the cycle represents a heartbeat. In the 2 and 3 pictured image data can be viewed using 1 process explained. In the 4 and 5 2 examples are shown in which form the result of the method can be displayed.

In this example we again look at the static coronary artery using CT as in 2 is shown. The dynamic imaging is done here with coronary angiography with a one or two-level system. For the unambiguousness of the assignments, a two-level system is to be preferred in which the angiography is simultaneously recorded from two angulations, ie viewing angles. Alternatively, angiographies may be used under different angulations of a single-plane setup that are synchronized to cardiac motion.

4 shows the heart 13 according to 2 , where motion arrows 16 which are from the sequence of 2D image data 7 respectively. 15 specify the movement obtained.

5 essentially corresponds 4 In this embodiment, the movement of the heart 13 with the help of an animated contour line 17 is pictured.

The registration is particularly easy when possible both when recording the 3D image data 6 and the 2D image data 7 the coronary vessels 14 are highlighted with the aid of a contrast agent.

From the sequence of X-ray fluoroscopy images 15 can the movement of the coronary vessels 14 be detected in a simple manner by the movement of the central line of the coronary vessels. The central line passes through the midpoints of the cross sections of the coronary vessels 14 , The insertion of this central line in the static perspective representation of the heart 13 according to 2 In a simple way, the movement of the examination object can be displayed very clearly.

Particularly high accuracy is achieved by registration based on anatomical landmarks. The accuracy can be further increased by including only the 2D image data 7 an image data series are used for registration, in which the alignment of the landmarks with the 3D data set 6 matches very well. This selection of 2D image data can also be made on the central lines of the coronary vessels 14 based registration procedures.

At least one embodiment of the invention can be summarized as follows: The invention provides both static three-dimensional image data 6 of the examination area as well as a dynamic sequence of two-dimensional image data 7 to associate these image data with each other, for example, with a registration method and the movement of the examination area from the sequence of the two-dimensional image data 7 to transfer to the three-dimensional image data. In this way, the inherently static three-dimensional image data 6 be displayed in a dynamic form so that the information for moving the examination area can be removed. The invention thus combines the advantages of three-dimensional imaging techniques in terms of detail and spatial impression with the advantages of two-dimensional imaging in terms of rendering movements.

Claims (16)

Method for displaying three-dimensional medical image data of an examination area comprising the following steps: - calling static three-dimensional image data ( 6 ) of the examination area, - calling a dynamic sequence of two-dimensional image data ( 7 ) of the examination area in one movement, - associating the two-dimensional image data ( 7 ) with the three-dimensional image data ( 6 ), - transmission of the movement of the examination area from the sequence of two-dimensional image data ( 7 ) on the three-dimensional image data ( 6 ), - displaying the three-dimensional image data ( 6 ) in a dynamic form corresponding to the movement. The method of claim 1, wherein associating the image data ( 6 . 7 ) is based on an at least partially automatic registration procedure. The method of claim 2, wherein the registration method is based on identifying landmarks in pairs corresponding to each other in the three-dimensional image data ( 6 ) on the one hand and in the two-dimensional image data ( 7 ) on the other hand. Method according to one of claims 1-3, wherein the sequence of two-dimensional image data ( 7 ), which correspond to at least two different viewing angles to the examination area. Method according to claim 4, wherein the sequence of two-dimensional image data ( 7 ) comprises two sub-sequences which simultaneously map the movement from the at least two different viewing angles. Method according to one of claims 1-5, wherein the movement of the Examination area is cyclical. Method according to claim 6, wherein the movement of only one movement cycle of the examination region onto the three-dimensional image data ( 6 ) is transmitted depending on a quality measure relating to the association of the two-dimensional image data ( 7 ) with the three-dimensional image data ( 6 ). Method according to claim 6 or 7, wherein an averaged movement of the movement cycle on the three-dimensional image data ( 6 ) is transmitted. Method according to one of claims 1-8, wherein the three-dimensional image data ( 6 ) as animation ( 11 ) being represented. Method according to one of claims 1-9, wherein the movement by a dynamic overlay into a per se static representation of the three-dimensional image data ( 6 ) is shown. The method of claim 10, wherein the overlay is in the form of animated motion arrows ( 16 ) he follows. Method according to one of claims 10 or 11, wherein the insertion in the form of moving contour lines ( 17 ) he follows. Method according to one of the claims 10-12 applied to an examination area comprising body vessels, wherein the sequence of two-dimensional image data ( 7 ) determines the movement of the central lines of the respective body vessels and into the representation of the three-dimensional image data ( 6 ) is displayed. Computer program product which is stored directly in a memory of a computer ( 10 ) is loadable with program code means to perform all the steps of a method according to at least one of the method claims 1 to 13, when the program in the computer ( 10 ) is performed. System for displaying three-dimensional medical image data of an examination area - with a data source ( 6 ) for static three-dimensional image data ( 6 ) of the examination area, with a data source for a dynamic sequence of two-dimensional image data ( 7 ) of the examination area in one movement, - with a data processing unit ( 10 ), which is controlled so that the two-dimensional image data ( 7 ) with the three-dimensional image data ( 6 ) and the movement of the examination area from the sequence of two-dimensional image data ( 7 ) on the three-dimensional image data ( 6 ), and - with a display device ( 12 ), which is controlled so that the three-dimensional image data ( 6 ) is displayed in a dynamic form corresponding to the movement. System according to claim 15 with system components for execution the method according to any one of claims 1-13.