Method for combining multiple image data sets into one multi-fused image

Apparatus for identifying a region of interest in medical imaging data of a subject, comprising:

• a processor adapted to align all image data sets with a data set representing corresponding anatomical data;
• segment the image data in each data set into separate regions representing respective structures of interest by reference to a segmentation derived from anatomical data;
• for each region, select a corresponding segment of image data from a selected image data set;
• and combine the selected segments of the image data set to generate a multi-fused image of the regions, including the steps of applying spatially dependent look-up tables to the plurality of image data sets, thereby to determine whether each data set is hidden or displayed for each region;
• and a display device adapted to display the multi-fused image of the regions.

A non-transitory, computer-readable data storage medium encoded with programming instructions, said storage medium being loaded into a processor and said programming instructions causing said processor to:

• (a) align all image data sets with a data set representing corresponding anatomical data;
• (b) segment the image data in each data set into separate regions representing respective structures of interest by reference to a segmentation derived from anatomical data;
• (c) for each region, select a corresponding segment of image data from a selected image data set;
• and
• (d) combine the selected segments of the image data set to generate the multi-fused image of the regions, by apply spatially dependent look-up tables to the plurality of image data sets, thereby to determine whether each data set is hidden or displayed for each region, and make the multi-fused image of the regions available in electronic form from said processor.