Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and non-transitory storage medium

An image processing method comprising:

• obtaining image data indicating a spatial distribution of an oxygenation index in a subject;
• obtaining information indicating a region of interest including a tissue in the subject;
• identifying a first blood vessel for supplying blood to the tissue included in the region of interest and a second blood vessel for carrying blood from the tissue included in the region of interest;
• obtaining information indicating a discrepancy between the oxygenation index of the identified first blood vessel and the oxygenation index of the identified second blood vessel included in the region of interest, based on the image data indicating the spatial distribution of the oxygenation index and the identified first blood vessel and the identified second blood vessel, wherein the information indicates an amount of change between the oxygen index of the identified first blood vessel and the identified second blood vessel;
• estimating a condition of the tissue included in the region of interest based on the information indicating the discrepancy in the oxygenation index;
• determining a display mode of an image indicating a condition of the tissue included in the region of interest;
• and
• displaying the image indicating the condition of the tissue included in the region of interest in the determined display mode.

A non-transitory storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to perform:

• obtaining image data indicating a spatial distribution of an oxygenation index in a subject;
• obtaining information indicating a region of interest including a tissue in the subject;
• identifying a first blood vessel for supplying blood to the tissue included in the region of interest and a second blood vessel for carrying blood from the tissue included in the region of interest;
• obtaining information indicating a discrepancy between the oxygenation index of the identified first blood vessel and the oxygenation index of the identified second blood vessel included in the region of interest, based on the spatial distribution of the oxygenation index and the identified first blood vessel and the identified second blood vessel, wherein the information indicates an amount of change between the oxygen index of the identified first blood vessel and the identified second blood vessel;
• estimating a condition of the tissue included in the region of interest based on the information indicating the discrepancy in the oxygenation index;
• determining a display mode of an image indicating a condition of the tissue included in the region of interest;
• and
• displaying the image indicating the condition of the tissue included in the region of interest in the determined display mode.