Method and branching determination device for determining a branching point within a hollow organ
AssigneeSiemens Aktiengesellschaft
InventorsThomas BECK, Christina Biermann
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method is disclosed for determining a branching point within a hollow organ in image data representing the spatial structure thereof. In at least one embodiment, the method includes setting a start point within the hollow organ; determining at least one local threshold which corresponds to the presence of a wall of the hollow organ; carrying out a region growing method using the threshold; analyzing the connectivity of a number of outer growth layers; and localizing a branching on the basis of the connectivity analysis. Moreover, at least one embodiment of the invention relates to a correspondingly designed branching determination unit.
Claims22
A method for determining localizing a branching within a hollow organ in image data representing a spatial structure of the hollow organ, the method comprising:
- setting a start point within the hollow organ;
- determining at least one local threshold which corresponds to a presence of a wall of the hollow organ;
- carrying out a region growing method using the determined at least one local threshold;
- analyzing connectivity of a number of outer growth layers upon carrying out the region growing method;
- and
- localizing the branching on the basis of the connectivity analysis.
The method as claimed in wherein the connectivity is analyzed beyond a defined at least one of pixel and voxel spacing between an outermost growth layer and the start point.
A branching determination device for determining a branching point within a hollow organ, comprising:
- an input interface for image data representing a spatial structure of the hollow organ;
- a start point setting unit for setting a start point within the hollow organ;
- a threshold determination unit for determining at least one local threshold in a region around the start point;
- a region growing unit for carrying out a region growing method;
- a connectivity analysis unit for analyzing connectivity of a number of outer growth layers upon carrying out the region growing method;
- and
- a localization unit for localizing a branching as a function of the connectivity analysis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.