# US 11,026,649 B2 · Method and system for determining tumor burden in medical images > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,026,649 B2 - Document ID: US11026649B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/016,998 - Filed: 2018-06-25 - Published: 2019-12-26 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2018-06-25 - Assignees: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc. - Applicants: Mayank Gupta; Bruce S. Spottiswoode - Inventors: Mayank Gupta; Bruce S. Spottiswoode - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11026649B2 ## CPC - A61B 6/12: Arrangements for detecting or locating foreign bodies - A61B 6/5217: {extracting a diagnostic or physiological parameter from medical diagnostic data} - A61B 6/469: {for selecting a region of interest [ROI]} - G06T 7/0012: {Biomedical image inspection} - G16H 50/30: for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment - A61B 6/032: {Transmission computed tomography [CT]} - A61B 6/037: {Emission tomography} - A61B 6/461: {Displaying means of special interest} - A61B 6/485: {involving fluorescence X-ray imaging} - A61B 6/5235: {combining images from the same or different ionising radiation imaging techniques, e.g. PET and CT} - G06T 7/11: Region-based segmentation - G06T 2207/30096: Tumor; Lesion - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL - G16H: HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA ## Abstract A method and system for determining system-based tumor burden is disclosed. In one aspect, the method includes obtaining the medical image from a source, through an interface. Additionally, the method includes identifying a first region of interest in the medical image. The method also includes selecting from the first region of interest a second region of interest whose tumor burden is to be determined. Furthermore, the method includes defining a segmentation criterion for the second region of interest. The method also includes determining the tumor burden for the second region of interest. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of determining a system-based tumor burden in a medical image, the method comprising: obtaining the medical image from a source through an interface; identifying a first region of interest in the medical image, wherein the first region of interest comprises one or more anatomical ranges of a body of a patient, the one or more anatomical ranges comprising a head and neck, a thorax, an abdomen, a pelvis, lower limbs of the patient, or a combination thereof; selecting from the first region of interest a second region of interest whose tumor burden is to be determined, wherein the second region of interest comprises at least one organ, at least one anatomical range, or a combination thereof from the first region of interest, and wherein the second region of interest is defined based on a physiological relationship and/or a pathophysiological relationship between organs, between anatomical ranges, between at least one organ and at least one anatomical range, or a combination thereof, defining a segmentation criterion for the second region of interest; and determining the tumor burden for the second region of interest. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein, in the defining of the segmentation criterion, the method comprises: defining a standardized uptake value threshold associated with the second region of interest; detecting a tumor region within the second region of interest based on the standardized uptake value threshold; and segmenting the tumor region from the second region of interest. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the standardized uptake value threshold of the second region of interest is defined based on a pixel intensity of a tissue surrounding segmentation within the second region of interest, wherein the tissue is a part of the first region of interest. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting of the second region of interest further comprises: identifying a spatial overlap between the second region of interest and the first region of interest; and defining a hierarchical prioritization between the second region of interest and the first region of interest when the spatial overlap is identified. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein, in the defining of the hierarchical prioritization, an organ takes priority over an anatomical range. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: generating a temporal trend of the tumor burden for the second region of interest determined over a defined interval of time. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first and the second regions of interest are defined using one or more of a computed tomography image, a magnetic resonance imaging image, and a positron emission tomography image. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the second region of interest is stored as an organ system configuration. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the physiological relationship or the pathophysiological relationship differs based on a radiopharmaceutical compound used in an acquisition of the medical image. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the second region of interest is pre-defined based on a type of cancer and/or a stage of the cancer in the body of the patient. ### Claim 11 A system for determining a total tumor burden in a medical image, the system comprising: a processing unit; a medical database coupled to the processing unit; a memory coupled to the processing unit, wherein the memory and processing unit are configured to: obtain the medical image from a source, through an interface; identify a first region of interest in the medical image, wherein the first region of interest comprises one or more anatomical ranges of a body of a patient, the one or more anatomical ranges comprising a head and neck, a thorax, an abdomen, a pelvis, lower limbs of the patient, or a combination thereof; select from the first region of interest a second region of interest whose tumor burden is to be determined, wherein the second region of interest comprises at least one organ, at least one anatomical range, or a combination thereof from the first region of interest, and wherein the second region of interest is defined based on a physiological relationship and/or a pathophysiological relationship between organs, between anatomical ranges, between at least one organ and at least one anatomical range, or a combination thereof; define a segmentation criterion for the second region of interest; and determine the tumor burden for the second region of interest. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein, in the defining of the segmentation criterion, the memory and the processing unit are further configured to: define a standardized uptake value threshold associated with the second region of interest; detect a tumor region within the second region of interest; and determine the tumor burden for the second region of interest based on the standardized uptake value threshold. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the memory and the processing unit are further configured to define the standardized uptake value threshold of the second region of interest based on a pixel intensity of a tissue surrounding segmentation within the second region of interest, wherein the tissue is a part of the first region of interest. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein, in the selection of the second region of interest, the memory and the processing unit are further configured to define a hierarchical prioritization where there is a spatial overlap between the second region of interest and the first region of interest. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the memory and the processing unit are further configured to generate a temporal trend of the tumor burden for the second region of interest determined over defined intervals of time. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the memory and the processing unit are further configured to define the first region of interest and the second region of interest using one or more of a computed tomography image, a magnetic resonance imaging image, and a positron emission tomography image. ### Claim 17 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having machine-readable instructions stored therein, that when executed by a server, cause the server to: obtain a medical image from a source through an interface; identify a first region of interest in the medical image, wherein the first region of interest comprises one or more anatomical ranges of a body of a patient, the one or more anatomical ranges comprising a head and neck, a thorax, an abdomen, a pelvis, lower limbs of the patient, or a combination thereof; select from the first region of interest a second region of interest whose tumor burden is to be determined, wherein the second region of interest comprises at least one organ, at least one anatomical range, or a combination thereof from the first region of interest, and wherein the second region of interest is defined based on a physiological relationship and/or a pathophysiological relationship between organs, between anatomical ranges, between at least one organ and at least one anatomical range, or a combination thereof; define a segmentation criterion for the second region of interest; and determine the tumor burden for the second region of interest. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The storage medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions further cause the server to: define a standardized uptake value threshold associated with the second region of interest; detect a tumor region within the second region of interest; and determine the tumor burden for the second region of interest based on the standardized uptake value threshold. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The storage medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions cause the server to: define the standardized uptake value threshold of the second region of interest based on a pixel intensity of a tissue surrounding segmentation within the second region of interest, wherein the tissue is a part of the first region of interest. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The storage medium of claim 17, wherein, in the selection of the second region of interest, the instructions cause the server to define a hierarchical prioritization between where there is a spatial overlap between the second region of interest and the first region of interest. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The storage medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions cause the server to: define the first region of interest and the second region of interest using one or more of a computed tomography image, a magnetic resonance imaging image, and a positron emission tomography image.