Physiological model based non-rigid image registration

A method of combining images, the method comprising the steps of:

• obtaining a first image dataset of a region of interest of a subject;
• obtaining a second image dataset of the region of interest of the subject;
• providing a general model of physiological motion for the region of interest;
• adapting the general model of physiological motion with data derived from the first image data set to provide a subject specific physiological model;
• and
• applying the subject specific physiological model to the second image dataset to provide a combined image.

A method of combining images, the method comprising the steps of:

• obtaining a computed tomography image dataset from a subject;
• obtaining a nuclear medicine image dataset from the subject;
• segmenting the computed tomography image data set;
• segmenting the nuclear medicine image data set;
• providing a general physiological model;
• morphing the physiological model to the segmented computed tomography image data set to produce a subject specific physiological phantom;
• registering the subject specific physiological phantom with the segmented nuclear medicine image data set to generate a transform;
• and
• applying the transform to the computed tomography image data set to provide a fused image.

A method of combining images, the method comprising the steps of:

• obtaining a computed tomography image dataset from a subject;
• obtaining a nuclear medicine image dataset from the subject;
• segmenting the computed tomography image data set;
• segmenting the nuclear medicine image data set;
• providing a general physiological model;
• morphing the physiological model to the segmented computed tomography image data set to produce a subject specific physiological phantom;
• registering the subject specific physiological phantom with the segmented nuclear medicine image data set to generate a transform;
• and
• applying the inverse of the transform to the segmented nuclear medicine image data set to provide a fused image.

An image registration and fusion system, the system comprising:

• a first image memory for storing a first image data set of a region of interest of a subject;
• a second image memory for storing a second image data set of the region of interest of the subject;
• a general physiological model for physiological activity relative to the region of interest;
• and
• an image registration and fusion processor, the processor in operative relationship with the first image memory, the physiological model and the second image memory, the image registration and fusion processor being programmed to:
• morph the general physiological model to the first image data set to produce a subject specific physiological phantom,
• register the subject specific phantom to the second data set to generate a transform, and
• apply the transform to one of the first and second image data sets.

An apparatus for combining images, the apparatus comprising:

• a first memory storing a first image dataset of a region of interest of a subject;
• a second memory storing a second image dataset of the region of interest of the subject;
• a non-subject specific model of physiological motion for the region of interest;
• means for adapting the non-subject specific model of physiological motion with data derived from the first image data set to provide a subject specific physiological model;
• and
• means for applying the subject specific physiological model to the second image dataset to provide a combined image.

An apparatus for combining images, comprising:

• means for obtaining a first image dataset from a subject;
• means for obtaining a second image dataset from the subject;
• means for segmenting the first image data set;
• means for segmenting the second image data set;
• means for providing a physiological model;
• means for morphing the physiological model to the segmented first image data set to produce a subject specific physiological phantom;
• means for registering the subject specific physiological phantom with the segmented second image data set to generate a transform;
• and
• means for applying the transform to one of the first and second image data sets to provide a fused image.

An apparatus for combining images, comprising:

• means for obtaining a first image dataset of a region of interest of a subject;
• means for obtaining a second image dataset of the region of interest of the subject;
• means for providing a general model of physiological motion for the region of interest;
• means for adapting the general model of physiological motion with data derived from the first image data set to provide a subject specific physiological model;
• and
• means for applying the subject specific physiological model to the second image dataset to provide a combined image.