Method and system for image analysis of selected tissue structures

A computer-implemented method for analysing a sample comprising a first material and a second material of generally different densities and having a junction therebetween, the method comprising:

• defining automatically a plurality of regions of interest within an image of the sample that includes said junction, each of said regions of interest having a width of one or more voxels or pixels;
• determining respective density, intensity or attenuation profiles within the regions of interest, each of the respective profiles crossing the junction;
• analysing said profiles by automatically defining, for each of said profiles, a series of sections of said respective profile comprising at least one S-like portion of the respective profile;
• and
• determining a location of said junction.

A computer-implemented method for analysing a sample comprising a first material and a second material of generally different densities and having a junction therebetween, the method comprising:

• defining a region of interest or arm in a cross sectional image of at least a portion of the sample that includes said junction;
• determining an arm width over which said portion of said sample is locally linear;
• and
• analyzing said image including rotating said arm, translating said arm, or both by rotating and translating said arm.

A system for analysing a sample comprising a first material and a second material of generally different densities and having a junction therebetween, the system comprising:

• a region of interest selector for selecting a region of interest in an image of at least a portion of the sample that includes said junction;
• a density profile analyzer for determining a density, intensity or attenuation profile of the sample within the region of interest and crossing the junction, for performing an analysis of said profile by automatically defining a series of sections of said profile comprising at least one S-like portion of the profile, and determining a location of said junction said analysis;
• and
• an output for outputting a result of said analysis.

A computer-implemented method for identifying a junction between first and second materials or regions of generally different densities within an image of a sample, the method comprising:

• defining automatically a plurality of regions of interest with said image, each including the first and second materials or regions and a junction therebetween;
• determining respective density, intensity or attenuation profiles for said regions of interest by calculating an average, median or other indicative value of density, intensity or attenuation of said first and second materials or regions at a series of locations along a path that crosses said junction, based at each of said locations on density, intensity or attenuation sampled across to said path;
• analysing said respective profiles using a plurality of reference points;
• centred on (xi, yi)=(0,0) relative to each of which said respective profile is analysed to identify one or more sections of said profile that has at least one S-like portion;
• and
• analysing said sections once identified for points indicative of a beginning and an end of said junction, by finding a minimum in √{square root over (xi2+yi2)} relative to said respective reference points.