Method and apparatus for automatic shape characterization

A method for building a statistical shape model for a class of subjects using shapes in images of the subjects comprising the steps of:

• generating an image coordinate map from a volume matching transform relating a template image to an image of one of the subjects in the class;
• restricting said image coordinate map to a structure of interest in said image of one of the subjects;
• computing a shape measure for said structure of interest from said image coordinate map;
• repeating said generating, restricting, and computing steps for a plurality of subjects in the class;
• and
• building a statistical shape model for said class from said computed shape measures.

A method for classifying a subject based on a shape in an image of the subject comprising the steps of:

• generating an image coordinate map from a volume matching transform relating a template image to a subject image;
• restricting said image coordinate map to a structure of interest in said image of one of the subjects;
• computing a shape measure for a structure of interest from said image coordinate map;
• comparing said shape measure to a statistical shape model representing a first class of subjects;
• comparing said shape measure to a statistical shape model representing a second class of subjects;
• and
• classifying said subject as belonging to said first class or said second class according to the result of said shape measure comparisons.

A method for classifying a subject based on a shape in an image of the subject comprising the steps of:

• generating an image coordinate map from a volume matching transform relating a template image to a subject image;
• computing a shape measure for a structure of interest from said image coordinate map;
• comparing said shape measure to a statistical shape model representing a first class of subjects;
• comparing said shape measure to a statistical shape model representing a n-th class of subjects;
• and
• classifying said subject as belonging to anyone of first through n-th class according to the result of said shape measure comparisons.

A method for building a statistical shape model for a class of subjects having a disease using shapes in medical images of the subjects comprising the steps of:

• generating an image coordinate map from a volume matching transform relating a template image to an image of one of the subjects in the class;
• restricting said image coordinate map to an anatomical structure of interest in said image of one of the subjects;
• computing a shape measure for said anatomical structure of interest from said image coordinate map;
• repeating said generating, restricting, and computing steps for a plurality of subjects in the class;
• and
• building a statistical shape model for said class from said computed shape measures.

A method for classifying a disease state of a subject based on a shape of an anatomical region in an image of the subject comprising the steps of:

• generating a map from a volume matching transform relating a template image to a subject image;
• restricting said map to an anatomical structure of interest in said subject image;
• computing a shape measure for said structure of interest from said map;
• comparing said shape measure to a model representing a first class of subjects having one type of disease;
• comparing said shape measure to a model representing a second class of subjects having another type of disease;
• and
• classifying the disease state of said subject as belonging to said first class or said second class according to the result of said shape measure comparisons.

A method for classifying a disease state of a subject based on a shape of an anatomical region in an image of the subject comprising the steps of:

• generating a map from a volume matching transform relating a template image to a subject image;
• restricting said map to an anatomical structure of interest in said subject image;
• computing a shape measure for said structure of interest from said map;
• comparing said shape measure to a model representing a first class of subjects having one type of disease;
• comparing said shape measure to a model representing an n-th class of subjects having another type of disease;
• and
• classifying the disease state of said subject as belonging to any one of said first through n-th class according to the result of said shape measure comparisons.

An apparatus for building a statistical shape model for a class of subjects using shapes in images of the subjects comprising:

• a first computer processing unit for generating an image coordinate map from a volume matching transform relating a template image to an image of one of the subjects in the class;
• a first computer restricting unit for restricting said image coordinate map to a structure of interest in said image of one of the subjects;
• a second computer processing unit for computing a shape measure for said structure of interest from said image coordinate map;
• and
• a database for building a statistical shape model for said class from said computed shape measures.

An apparatus for classifying a subject based on a shape in an image of the subject comprising:

• a first computer processor for generating an image coordinate map from a volume matching transform relating a template image to a subject image;
• a first computer restricting unit for restricting said image coordinate map to a structure of interest in said subject image;
• a second computer processor for computing a shape measure for said structure of interest from said image coordinate map;
• a first comparator for comparing said shape measure to a statistical shape model representing a first class of subjects;
• a second comparator for comparing said shape measure to a statistical shape model representing a second class of subjects;
• an n-th comparator for comparing said shape measure to a statistical shape model representing an n-th class of subjects;
• and
• a classification unit for classifying said subject as belonging to any one of said first through n-th class according to the result of said shape measure comparisons.

An apparatus for building a statistical shape model for a class of subjects having a disease using shapes in medical images of the subjects comprising:

• a first computer processor for generating an image coordinate map from a volume matching transform relating a template image to an image of one of the subjects in the class;
• a first computer restricting unit for restricting said image coordinate map to an anatomical structure of interest in said image of one of the subjects;
• a second computer processor for computing a shape measure for said anatomical structure of interest from said image coordinate map;
• a repeating means for repeating said generating, restricting, and computing steps for a plurality of subjects in the class;
• and
• a database for building a statistical shape model for said class from said computed shape measures.

An apparatus for classifying a disease state of a subject based on a shape of an anatomical region in an image of the subject comprising:

• a first computer processor for generating a map from a volume matching transform relating a template image to a subject image;
• a first computer restricting unit for restricting said map to an anatomical structure of interest in said subject image;
• a second computer processor for computing a shape measure for said structure of interest from said map;
• a first comparator for comparing said shape measure to a model representing a first class of subjects having one type of disease;
• a second comparator for comparing said shape measure to a model representing a second class of subjects having another type of disease;
• and
• a classification unit for classifying the disease state of said subject as belonging to said first class or said second class according to the result of said shape measure comparisons.

A computer program product for use in a computer adapted for building a statistical shape model for a class of subjects using shapes in images of the subjects, the computer program product comprising a computer readable medium for storing computer readable code means, which when executed by the computer, enables the computer to build a statistical shape model, and wherein the computer readable code means includes computer readable instructions for causing the computer to execute a method comprising the steps of:

• generating an image coordinate map from a volume matching transform relating a template image to an image of one of the subjects in the class;
• computing a shape measure for a structure of interest from said image coordinate map;
• repeating said generating and computing steps for a plurality of subjects in the class;
• and
• building a statistical shape model for said class from said computed shape measures.

A computer program product for use in a computer adapted for building a statistical shape model for a class of subjects using shapes in images of the subjects, the computer program product comprising a computer readable medium for storing computer readable code means, which when executed by the computer, enables the computer to build a statistical shape model, and wherein the computer readable code means includes computer readable instructions for causing the computer to execute a method comprising the steps of:

• generating an image coordinate map from a volume matching transform relating a template image to an image of one of the subjects in the class;
• restricting said image coordinate map to a structure of interest in said image of one of the subjects;
• computing a shape measure for said structure of interest from said image coordinate map;
• repeating said generating, restricting, and computing steps for a plurality of subjects in the class;
• and
• building a statistical shape model for said class from said computed shape measures.

A computer program product for use in a computer adapted for classifying a subject based on a shape in an image of the subject, the computer program product comprising a computer readable medium for storing computer readable code means, which when executed by the computer, enables the computer to classify a subject, and wherein the computer readable code means includes computer readable instructions for causing the computer to execute a method comprising the steps of:

• generating an image coordinate map from a volume matching transform relating a template image to a subject image;
• restricting said image coordinate map to a structure of interest in said image of one of the subjects;
• computing a shape measure for a structure of interest from said image coordinate map;
• comparing said shape measure to a statistical shape model representing a first class of subjects;
• comparing said shape measure to a statistical shape model representing a second class of subjects;
• and
• classifying said subject as belonging to said first class or said second class according to the result of said shape measure comparisons.