Image analysis method supporting illness development prediction for a neoplasm in a human or animal body

An image analysis method for providing information for supporting illness development prediction regarding a neoplasm in a human or animal body, the method comprising:

• receiving, by a processing unit, image data of the neoplasm, wherein said receiving comprises:
• receiving first image data of the neoplasm at a first moment in time, and
• receiving second image data of the neoplasm at a second moment in time;
• deriving, by the processing unit, for each of a plurality of image features associated with the neoplasm:
• a first image feature parameter value from the first image data, and
• a second image feature parameter value from the second image data,
• said first image feature parameter value and second image feature parameter value being a quantitative representation of said respective image feature at said first and second moment in time respectively;
• and
• calculating, by the processing unit, for each one of the plurality of image features, an image feature difference value by calculating a difference between the first image feature parameter value and the second image feature parameter value for said one of the plurality of image features;
• wherein the method further includes:
• deriving, by said processing unit using a prediction model, a predictive value associated with the neoplasm for supporting treatment thereof, wherein said prediction model includes a plurality of multiplier values, each one of the plurality of multiplier values being associated with an image feature for multiplying an associated image feature difference value therewith, and
• wherein calculating, during the deriving, the predictive value associated with the neoplasm includes:
• multiplying each image feature difference value with its associated multiplier value, and
• combining the multiplied image feature difference values to obtain the predictive value associated with the neoplasm.