MRI T1 image-guided tissue diagnostics
AssigneeToshiba Medical Systems Corporation
InventorMitsue Miyazaki
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An MR image especially useful for computer-guided diagnostics uses at least one programmed computer to acquire an MR-image of T1 values for a patient volume containing at least one predetermined tissue type having a respectively corresponding predetermined range of expected T1 values. A color-coded T1-image is generated from the MR-image by (a) assigning a first color or spectrum of colors to those pixels having a T1 value falling within a predetermined range of expected T1 values and (b) assigning a second color or spectrum of colors to those pixels having a T1 value falling outside a predetermined range of expected T1 values. The color-coded T1-image is then displayed for use in computer-aided diagnosis of patient tissue.
Claims14
A computer-implemented method for generating a magnetic resonance (MR) image, said method comprising the use of at least one programmed computer to:
- analyze a plurality of MR images for a subject containing at least one organ or tissue type acquired using different inversion times as different imaging conditions, and derive quantitative values from signal intensities of pixels of the MR images by calculation of applying the signal intensities to an exponential function;
- in accordance with an operator input of selection of an organ or tissue type of interest, access a table in which a plurality of different organs or tissue types are respectively correlated to a plurality of predetermined ranges of quantitative values, and select the organ or tissue type of interest from among the plurality of different organs or tissue types, wherein the table is stored in a memory of the at least one programmed computer;
- modify the respective range of quantitative values correlated to the selected organ or tissue type of interest in the table in accordance with an operator input of modifying the respective range so as to broaden or narrow the range or to weight the range in accordance with desired criteria;
- in accordance with an operator input of determination of a specific color, assign the specific color to pixels of which the derived quantitative values are within the modified range to generate a color-coded image in which the selected organ or tissue type of interest is depicted with the specific color;
- when a pixel of an abnormal quantitative value that is out of a normal range of quantitative values of the organ or tissue type of interest is included in the pixels corresponding to the organ or tissue type of interest in the color-coded image, assign a color that is different from the specific color and that indicates abnormality to the pixel of the abnormal quantitative value;
- and
- display on a display the color-coded image.
An apparatus for generating a magnetic resonance (MR) image, said apparatus comprising:
- a memory configured to store a table in which a plurality of different organs or tissue types are respectively correlated to a plurality of predetermined ranges of quantitative values;
- at least one processor configured to:
- analyze a plurality of MR images for a subject containing at least one organ or tissue type acquired using different inversion times as different imaging conditions, and derive quantitative values from signal intensities of pixels of the MR images by calculation of applying the signal intensities to an exponential function;
- in accordance with an operator input of selection of an organ or tissue type of interest, access the table stored in the memory, and select the organ or tissue type of interest from among the plurality of different organs or tissue types;
- modify the respective range of quantitative values correlated to the selected organ or tissue type of interest in the table in accordance with an operator input of modifying the respective range so as to broaden or narrow the range or to weight the range in accordance with desired criteria;
- in accordance with an operator input of determination of a specific color, assign the specific color to pixels of which the derived quantitative values are within the modified range to generate a color-coded image in which the selected organ or tissue type of interest is depicted with the specific color;
- when a pixel of an abnormal quantitative value that is out of a normal range of quantitative values of the organ or tissue type of interest is included in the pixels corresponding to the organ or tissue type of interest in the color-coded image, assign a color that is different from the specific color and that indicates abnormality to the pixel of the abnormal quantitative value;
- and
- display on a display the color-coded image.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.