Fetal ultrasound image processing

Abstract

A fetal imaging method involves detecting (102) a spine centerline in a 3D ultrasound image, and determining (104) a first plane which is a sagittal plane of best fit through the spine centerline. A second, coronal plane, is also determined (108), and the image of the spine is projected onto the second plane, and the second plane and the projection of the spine image onto the second plane are displayed (110). In accordance with the invention, a measure of fit error of the spine centerline to the first plane is derived. If the measure of fit error is below a threshold, the first plane and the image of the spine is displayed (106). If the measure of fit error is not below the threshold, the image of the spine image is projected onto the first plane, and the first plane and the projected image of the spine is displayed (106).

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.