Discriminating between normal and abnormal left ventricles in echocardiography

A computer program product for discriminating between normal and abnormal left ventricles in echocardiography, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a processor to cause the processor to:

• locate a first region of a first image of a heart by clustering, the first region depicting a chamber of the heart, the chamber having a chamber shape;
• determine a boundary of the first region by contour tracing and retaining the traced contour overlapping the located first region;
• compare a predetermined shape to the boundary, the predetermined shape having been determined without reference to the first image;
• determine a first plurality of parameters that, when applied to the predetermined shape, conforms the predetermined shape to the boundary and minimizes at least one error between the predetermined shape and the boundary;
• provide the first plurality of parameters to a classifier;
• and
• receive from the classifier an indication of normality or abnormality of the chamber shape.

A device comprising:

• an imager configured to collect a first image of a heart;
• an image analyzer configured to receive the first image of the heart, locate a first region of the heart by clustering, and determine a boundary of the first region of the first image by contour tracing and retaining the traced contour overlapping the located first region;
• the first region depicting a chamber of the heart, the chamber having a chamber shape;
• a geometric fitter configured to determine a first plurality of parameters that, when applied to a predetermined shape, conforms the predetermined shape to the boundary of the first region and minimizes at least one error between the predetermined shape and the boundary, the predetermined shape having been determined without reference to the first image;
• and
• a classifier configured to receive the first plurality of parameters and provide an indication of normality or abnormality of the chamber shape.