Method and apparatus for information acquistion, processing, and display within a medical camera system

An apparatus for displaying quantitative information used in diagnosing heart disease, said information based on images of a tomographically reconstructed volume of the heart, said apparatus comprising:

• a selector responsive to a user input for selecting a selected section of myocardium;
• a processor for computing a myocardial perfusion ratio for said selected section of myocardium;
• said processor also for computing a wall movement factor for said section of myocardium;
• a display device coupled to said processor for displaying both a quantitative graphical representation of said myocardial perfusion ratio and a quantitative graphical representation of said myocardial wall movement factor in a first area of said display device wherein said first area is associated with said selected section of myocardium.

An apparatus for presenting quantitative image information used for diagnosing heart disease, said quantitative image information based on data obtained using gated SPECT techniques, said apparatus comprising:

• a display system displaying a first image of a myocardial structure during diastolic phase of a cardiac cycle;
• said display system also displaying a second image of said myocardial structure during systolic phase of said cardiac cycle;
• a selection device for selecting a region of interest of said first image and also for selecting a region of interest of said second image;
• a processor coupled to communicate to said display system and to said selection device, said processor for computing perfusion ratios and wall movement factors for individual sections of said myocardial structure defined by said regions of interest;
• and wherein
• said display system also displaying a functional ring representative of said myocardial structure, said functional ring comprising graphical representations of both said perfusion ratios and said wall movement factors for said individual sections of said myocardial structure.

An apparatus for presenting quantitative image information used for diagnosing heart disease, said quantitative image information based on data obtained using gated SPECT techniques, said apparatus comprising:

• means for displaying a first image of a myocardial structure during diastolic phase of a cardiac cycle;
• means for displaying a second image of said myocardial structure during systolic phase of said cardiac cycle;
• means for selecting a region of interest of said first image and also for selecting a region of interest of said second image, said region of interest of said first image and said region of interest of said second image each divided into a plurality of individual sections and wherein a section pair comprises sections of each region of interest that correspond to a same portion of said myocardial structure;
• means for computing perfusion ratios and wall movement factors for individual sections of said myocardial structure defined by said regions of interest;
• and
• means for displaying a functional ring representative of said myocardial structure, said functional ring comprising a plurality of arc sections color coded for representing perfusion ratios and of variable radial width for representing wall movement factors.

A system for processing and displaying image information acquired by a nuclear camera system using gated SPECT imaging techniques, said system comprising:

• (a) bus means for providing communication, a central processor means coupled to said bus means for processing instructions and commands, a display means coupled to said bus means for displaying information, a memory means coupled to said bus means for storing information, an input means coupled to said bus means for user interface;
• (b) means for tomographically reconstructing image data acquired from said gated SPECT nuclear camera system;
• and
• (c) means for displaying information based on said reconstructed image data, said means for displaying comprising:
• means for displaying a first image of a myocardial structure during diastolic phase of a cardiac cycle;
• means for displaying a second image of said myocardial structure during systolic phase of said cardiac cycle;
• means for selecting a region of interest of said first image and also for selecting a region of interest of said second image;
• means for computing perfusion ratios and wall movement factors for individual sections of said myocardial structure defined by said regions of interest;
• and
• means for displaying a functional ring representative of said myocardial structure, said functional ring comprising representations of both said perfusion ratios and said wall movement factors of said individual sections of said myocardial structure.

A computer implemented method for rendering information used in diagnosing heart disease on a display screen, said method comprising the computer implemented steps of:

• selecting a myocardium section from a tomographically reconstructed volume;
• determining myocardial perfusion and myocardial wall movement of said selected myocardium section;
• displaying in a first area on said display screen a representation of said myocardial perfusion for said selected section of myocardium;
• and
• displaying simultaneously in said first area a representation of said myocardial wall movement for said selected myocardium section.

A computer implemented method for displaying information used in diagnosing heart disease on a display device, said method comprising the computer implemented steps of:

• acquiring a raw gSPECT image dataset, said raw gSPECT image dataset comprising data configured by projection angle and gated in segments across a cardiac cycle;
• processing said raw gSPECT image dataset to produce a tomographically reconstructed volume for each gated segment;
• and
• displaying on said display device a plurality of section arcs coupled together to form a functional display ring based on a particular slice of said reconstructed volume, said step of displaying a plurality of section arcs comprising the steps of:
• filling each arc section with a color depending on a perfusion ratio for said each arc section;
• and
• adjusting a width of said each arc section based on a wall motion factor for said each arc section.

A computer implemented method for displaying information used in diagnosing heart disease on a display screen, said information obtained using gated SPECT imaging techniques and tomographic reconstruction procedures, said method comprising the computer implemented steps of:

• receiving a computed ratio for myocardial perfusion for a selected section of myocardium;
• receiving a computed wall movement factor for myocardial wall movement for said selected section of myocardium;
• displaying in a first area on said display screen a color representation of said myocardial perfusion ratio for said selected section of myocardium;
• and
• displaying a width of said first area of a particular dimension based on said myocardial wall movement factor for said selected myocardium section.

In a computer system including bus means for providing communication, a central processor means coupled to said bus means for processing instructions and commands, a display means coupled to said bus means for displaying information, a memory means coupled to said bus means for storing information, and an input means coupled to said bus means for user interface, a method for presenting information used for diagnosing heart disease, said method comprising the computer implemented steps of:

• displaying a first image of a myocardial structure during diastolic phase of a cardiac cycle;
• displaying a second image of said myocardial structure during systolic phase of said cardiac cycle;
• selecting a region of interest of said first image and selecting a region of interest of said second image;
• computing perfusion ratios and wall movement factors for individual sections of said myocardial structure defined by said regions of interest;
• and
• displaying a functional ring representative of said myocardial structure, said functional ring comprising representations of both said perfusion ratios and said wall movement factors of said individual sections of said myocardial structure.

In a computer system including bus means for providing communication, a central processor means coupled to said bus means for processing instructions and commands, a display means coupled to said bus means for displaying information, a memory means coupled to said bus means for storing information, and an input means coupled to said bus means for user interface, a method for presenting information used for diagnosing heart disease, said method comprising the computer implemented steps of:

• configuring and storing a first set of reconstruction parameters used in tomographical reconstruction processing of raw image information, said first set of reconstruction Parameters defining:
• (a) slice thickness:
• and (b) reconstruction limits;
• configuring and storing a second set of reconstruction Parameters used in tomographical reconstruction processing of raw image information, said second set of reconstruction parameters defining:
• (a) slice thickness:
• and (b) reconstruction limits, wherein said first and second set of reconstruction parameters are different;
• acquiring said raw image information from a camera system using gated SPECT imaging techniques;
• recalling said stored first set of reconstruction parameters;
• reconstructing a first image volume based on said first set of reconstruction parameters and said raw image information;
• displaying slices of said first image volume on said computer display means for different imaged segments of a cardiac cycle;
• recalling said stored second set of reconstruction parameters:
• reconstructing a second image volume based on said second set of reconstruction parameters and said raw image information:
• and
• displaying slices of said second image volume on said computer display means for different imaged segments of a cardiac cycle.