Computer-aided identification of a tissue of interest

#The following generally relates to computer-aided identification of a tissue of interest and is described with particular application to computed tomography (CT); however, other imaging modalities, such as three dimensional (3D) X-ray, magnetic resonance imaging (MM), and/or other imaging modalities are also contemplated herein.

#A computed tomography (CT) scanner includes an x-ray tube that emits radiation that traverses an examination region and a portion of a subject therein and is detected by a detector. The detector generates and outputs a signal indicative of the examination region and the portion of the subject therein. A reconstructor processes the signal, reconstructing volumetric image data indicative of the examination region and the portion of the subject therein. Such image data acquired at different points in time has been compared and utilized to identify tissue of interest. For example, the comparison has been used to facilitate determining a growth of a lung nodule over time, and this information has been used to facilitate determining whether the nodule is malignant based on a metric such as a growth doubling time metric.

#The above discussed image data comparison and tissue of interest growth determination has been performed through manual inspection by a clinician or the like visually observing the image data and/or with the assistance of a computer, for example, executing a computer aided detection (CAD) algorithm. Manual inspection has been time consuming as the clinician sequentially visually compares image slices from different image data sets. Furthermore, manual inspection is prone to error. For example, tissue neighboring the nodule and having a similar value in the image data may appear to be part of the nodule, which may result in overestimating the volume of the nodule, and/or a portion of a nodule may be hidden by other tissue, resulting in underestimating the volume of the nodule, both leading to false negatives or false positives with respect to identifying malignancy.

#The invention may take form in various components and arrangements of components, and in various steps and arrangements of steps. The drawings are only for purposes of illustrating the preferred embodiments and are not to be construed as limiting the invention.

#FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an image data processing system in connection with an imaging system.

#FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a non-limiting example of the image data processing system of FIG. 1.

#FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an example imaging system 100 such as a CT scanner. In other embodiments, the imaging system 100 may include a 3D X-ray, MRI and/or other imaging system. The illustrated imaging system 100 includes a stationary gantry 102 and a rotating gantry 104, which is rotatably supported by the stationary gantry 102 and rotates around an examination region 106 about a z-axis 108.

#A radiation source 110, such as an x-ray tube, is rotatably supported by the rotating gantry 104, rotates with the rotating gantry 104, and emits radiation that traverses the examination region 106. A radiation sensitive detector array 112 subtends an angular arc opposite the radiation source 110 across the examination region 106, detects radiation traversing the examination region 106, and generates a signal indicative thereof.

#A subject support 114 supports an object or subject in the examination region 106. A reconstructor 117 reconstructs the projection data, generating volumetric image data. A general-purpose computer serves as an operator console 116. Software resident on the console 116 allows the operator to interact with the scanner 100. Such interaction includes, but is not limited to selecting a scan protocol, initiating scanning, etc.