Method and system for user interaction in 3-D cephalometric analysis

A method for 3-D cephalometric analysis, the method executed at least in part by a computer and comprising:

• acquiring reconstructed 3D volume image data from a computed tomographic scan of a patient's head;
• displaying the acquired volume image data simultaneously from at least a first 2-D view and a second 2-D view that is substantially orthogonal to the first 2-D view, or a 3-D view;
• for each of a plurality of anatomical features of the head:
• (i) accessing an operator instruction that positions a current 3D reference mark corresponding to the anatomical feature without naming the anatomical feature to reduce operator actions on one of the available views;
• (ii) displaying the current 3D reference mark on both of the at least first and second 2-D views or the 3-D view for location accuracy assessment in different views;
• (iii) subsequently automatically identifying the displayed current 3D reference mark according to its position, and displaying an anatomical feature name that is associated with the current 3D reference mark without added operator input;
• segmenting a plurality of teeth with one or more segmented teeth being excluded from the subsequent processing steps;
• computing at least one 3D cephalometric parameter according to the plurality of the positioned and named 3D reference marks and the retained segmented teeth;
• displaying, storing, or transmitting the at least one computed 3D cephalometric parameter;
• determining a treatment plan for the patient based on the at least one computed 3D cephalometric parameter;
• and
• performing treatment on the patient according to the determined treatment plan.

A method for 3-D cephalometric analysis;

• the method executed at least in part by a computer, comprising:
• acquiring reconstructed volume image data from a computed tomographic scan of a patient's head;
• displaying the acquired volume image data from at least a first 2-D view and a second 2-D view or a 3-D view;
• providing, by the user, a list of a plurality of desired anatomical 3D reference marks of the head;
• for each of a plurality of anatomical 3D reference marks of the head:
• (i) automatically locating the plurality of anatomical 3D reference marks in the reconstructed volume image data, with machine intelligence of models of desired marks;
• (ii) displaying the anatomical 3D reference marks on each of the at least first and second displayed 2-D views or the 3-D view for location accuracy assessment;
• and
• (iii) subsequently naming the displayed anatomical 3D reference marks with machine intelligence and without added operator input;
• segmenting a plurality of teeth;
• deriving at least one cephalometric parameter according to the plurality of the anatomical 3D reference marks and the segmented teeth;
• determining a treatment plan for the patient based on the at least one derived cephalometric parameter;
• and
• performing treatment on the patient or using an orthodontic appliance for the treatment according to the determined treatment plan.

A non-transitory computing device Readable medium having executable instructions which can be executed by a processor to cause a computing device to perform a method, comprising:

• acquiring reconstructed volume image data from a computed tomographic scan of a patient's head;
• displaying the acquired volume image data from at least a first 2-D view and a second 2-D view or a 3-D view;
• providing, by the user, a list of a plurality of desired anatomical 3D reference marks of the head;
• for each of a plurality of anatomical 3D reference marks of the head:
• (i) automatically locating the plurality of anatomical 3D reference marks in the reconstructed volume image data, with machine intelligence of models of desired marks;
• (ii) displaying the anatomical 3D reference marks on each of the at least first and second displayed 2-D views or the 3-D view for location accuracy assessment;
• and
• (iii) subsequently naming the displayed anatomical 3D reference marks with machine intelligence and without added operator input:
• segmenting a plurality of teeth;
• deriving at least one cephalometric parameter according to the plurality of the anatomical 3D reference marks and the segmented teeth;
• determining a treatment plan for the patient based on the at least one derived cephalometric parameter;
• and
• performing treatment on the patient or using an orthodontic appliance for the treatment according to the determined treatment plan.