# US 7,412,111 B2 · Enhanced image processing method for the presentation of digitally-combined medical images

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- Number: US 7,412,111 B2
- Document ID: US7412111B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 10/993,082
- Filed: 2004-11-19
- Published: 2006-05-25
- Granted: 2008-08-12
- Earliest claimed: 2004-11-19
- Assignees: General Electric Company
- Inventors: Vianney Pierre Battle; Renuka Uppaluri; Richard Warp
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7412111B2

## CPC

- G06T 3/4038: Image mosaicing, e.g. composing plane images from plane sub-images
- G06T 5/92: based on global image properties
- G06T 2207/10116: X-ray image
- G06T 2207/30004: Biomedical image processing
- G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL

## Abstract

The present invention provides a method and associated system for processing a digital medical image. The method includes defining a plurality regions of an initial digital medical image, wherein the initial digital medical image is a combined initial digital medical image formed from the digital pasting of a plurality of individual initial digital medical images, and wherein the initial digital medical image is an exposure-normalized initial digital medical image; measuring an intensity for each of the plurality of regions of the initial digital medical image; deriving an intensity weighting function using the intensity measured for each of the plurality of regions of the initial digital medical image; and applying the intensity weighting function to the initial digital medical image to form a final digital medical image.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for processing a digital image, comprising:
acquiring a plurality of sub-images;
pasting the plurality of sub-images together to form a single larger combined image;
defining a plurality of regions within the single larger combined image;
measuring an intensity for each of the plurality of regions within the single larger combined image;
deriving an intensity weighting function using the intensity measured for each of the plurality of regions within the single larger combined image; and
applying the intensity weighting function to the single larger combined image.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sub-images comprises a plurality of acquisition-normalized sub-images.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of regions within the single larger combined image are directly adjacent to one another.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of regions within the single larger combined image comprise a plurality of virtual ion chambers associated with the single larger combined image.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the intensity weighting function comprises an intensity weighting function selected from the group consisting of a row-dependent intensity weighting function, a column-dependent intensity weighting function, a row and column-dependent intensity weighting function, a two-dimensional intensity weighting function, and a three-dimensional intensity weighting function.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising smoothing the intensity weighting function prior to applying it to the single larger combined image.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sub-images and the single larger combined image each comprise a digital x-ray images.

### Claim 8

A method for processing a digital medical image, comprising:
defining a plurality of regions within a combined digital medical image, wherein the combined digital medical image is formed from digital pasting or stitching of a plurality of individual digital medical images, and wherein the combined digital medical image comprises an acquisition-normalized combined digital medical image;
measuring an intensity for a plurality of regions within the combined digital medical image;
deriving an intensity weighting function using the intensity measured for each of the plurality of regions within the combined digital medical image; and
applying the intensity weighting function to the combined digital medical image.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the plurality of regions within the combined digital medical image are directly adjacent to one another.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the plurality of regions within the combined digital medical image comprise a plurality of virtual ion chambers associated with the combined digital medical image.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the intensity weighting function comprises an intensity weighting function selected from the group consisting of a row-dependent intensity weighting function, a column-dependent intensity weighting function, a row and column-dependent intensity weighting function, a two-dimensional intensity weighting function, and a three-dimensional intensity weighting function.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further comprising smoothing the intensity weighting function prior to applying it to the combined digital medical image.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the plurality of individual digital medical images and the combined digital medical image each comprise a digital x-ray images.