# US 12,213,836 B2 · Methods and systems for segmentation and rendering of inverted data

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- Number: US 12,213,836 B2
- Document ID: US12213836B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/431,491
- Filed: 2020-02-21
- Published: 2022-05-05
- Granted: 2025-02-04
- Earliest claimed: 2019-02-21
- Assignees: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
- Applicants: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
- Inventors: Paul Sheeran; Thanasis Loupas; Charles Tremblay-Darveau
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12213836B2

## CPC

- A61B 8/483: {involving the acquisition of a 3D volume of data}
- A61B 8/0866: {involving foetal diagnosis; pre-natal or peri-natal diagnosis of the baby}
- A61B 8/5269: {involving detection or reduction of artifacts}
- G06N 7/02: using fuzzy logic (computing arrangements based on biological models G06N3/00; computing arrangements using knowledge-based models G06N5/00)
- G06T 5/70: Denoising; Smoothing
- G06T 7/11: Region-based segmentation
- G06T 7/136: involving thresholding
- G06T 15/08: Volume rendering
- G06T 19/00: Manipulating three-dimensional [3D] models or images for computer graphics
- G06T 2207/10136: 3D ultrasound image
- G06T 2210/41: Medical
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- G06N: COMPUTING ARRANGEMENTS BASED ON SPECIFIC COMPUTATIONAL MODELS
- G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL

## Abstract

Systems and methods for preprocessing three dimensional (3D) data prior to generating inverted renders are disclosed herein. The preprocessing may include segmenting the 3D data to remove portions of the data associated with noise such that those portions do not appear in the generated render. The segmentation may include applying a mask to the 3D data. The mask may be generated by sorting data points in the 3D data set into a first set or a second set. In some examples, the 3D data may be filtered prior to generating the mask. In some examples, the mask may be adjusted based on feature recognition. The preprocessing may allow the visualization of hypoechoic regions of interest in a volume.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method comprising:
sorting data points of a three dimensional (3D) dataset acquired by an ultrasound imaging system into one of a first set or a second set, wherein the 3D dataset defines a first volume;
generating a mask corresponding to the 3D dataset, wherein data points of the mask corresponding to data points of the 3D dataset sorted into the first set are set to a first value and data points of the mask corresponding to data points of the 3D dataset sorted into the second set are set to a second value, wherein an outer boundary of the data points of the mask set to the first value defines a second volume within the first volume;
applying the mask to the 3D dataset such that data points of the 3D dataset corresponding to data points outside the second volume are discarded to generate a subset of the 3D dataset; and
generating an inverted render from the subset of the 3D dataset, wherein generating the inverted render comprises rendering data points representing higher intensity signals with darker pixels than pixels used to render data points representing lower intensity signals,
further comprising filtering the 3D dataset to increase a difference between signal values and noise values prior to sorting the data points of the 3D dataset.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the data points of the 3D data set above a threshold value are sorted into the first set and data points of the 3D data set below the threshold value are sorted into the second set.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the data points of the 3D data set are further sorted into a third set, wherein data points of the mask corresponding to data points of the 3D dataset sorted into the third set are set to a third value.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the data points of the 3D data set sorted into the third set are rendered differently in the inverted render compared to the data points of the 3D data set sorted into the first set or the second set.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein the data points of the 3D data set sorted into the third set are rendered with a lower opacity value than the data points of the 3D data set sorted into the first set.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein a threshold value is set based on the filtering.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein filtering the 3D dataset comprises applying a two-dimensional or three-dimensional smoothing kernel; or applying a histogram equalization and remapping algorithm, or applying an adaptive smoothing algorithm.

### Claim 8 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the threshold value is based on a tissue type being scanned.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
applying image segmentation to the mask to recognize morphological features that extend from the second volume to the first volume; and
adjusting the second volume to include the morphological features.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the sorting the data points is performed by fuzzy logic.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein sorting the data points is performed by a deep learning algorithm.

### Claim 12

A system comprising:
a non-transitory computer readable medium including a three dimensional (3D) dataset acquired by an ultrasound imaging system, the dataset defining a volume; and
a processor configured to:
sort data points of the 3D dataset into one of a first set or a second set;
generate a mask corresponding to the 3D dataset, wherein data points of the mask corresponding to data points of the 3D dataset sorted into the first set are set to a first value and data points of the mask corresponding to data points of the 3D dataset sorted into the second set are set to a second value;
determine an outer boundary of the data points of the mask set to the first value;
define a second volume within the first volume based on the outer boundary;
apply the mask to the 3D dataset to discard data points of the 3D dataset corresponding to data points outside the second volume to generate a subset of the 3D dataset; and
generate an inverted render from the subset of the 3D dataset, wherein the inverted render is generated by rendering data points representing higher intensity signals with darker pixels than pixels used to render data points representing lower intensity signals,
wherein the processor is further configured to filter the 3D dataset to increase a difference between signal values and noise values prior to comparing the data points of the 3D dataset to a threshold value.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12, further comprising a user interface configured to receive a user input, wherein the user input defines a threshold value; or
defines a filter applied by the processor to filter the 3D dataset; or
defines the volume of the 3D data set; or
defines a feature to be included in the inverted render; or
sets a contrast of the inverted render or an opacity of the inverted render.