Systems and methods for automatic detection and testing of images for clinical relevance

A device for automatic detection on clinical relevance of images of an anatomical situation provided by an imaging device, the device comprising:

• an image input interface;
• a first storage unit for a first digital x-ray image taken at a first time of the anatomical situation taken from the image input interface;
• a second storage unit for a second digital x-ray image taken at a second later time of the anatomical situation taken from the image input interface;
• a comparator unit for comparing and determining a difference between the first image and the second image, the comparator unit separating each of the first image and the second image into corresponding image blocks each comprising a plurality of pixels, and comparing at least one of the corresponding image blocks of the first and second image;
• a difference type evaluation unit for evaluating the difference type of the first image and the second image, wherein the difference type evaluation unit is adapted for determining at least one of a local type difference and a global type difference, wherein the local type difference is a local difference of the first image and the second image and wherein the global type difference is a global difference between the first image and the second image, and wherein the local type difference is detected if a first difference of an image block of the first image and a corresponding image block of the second image exceeds a first predetermined threshold and wherein the global type difference is detected if a second difference of the first image and the second image exceeds a second predetermined threshold, wherein the second threshold is larger than the first threshold;
• and
• an image selection unit for selecting the second image as having a clinical relevance if it is determined that the difference between the first image and the second image comprises a local type difference.

A system for automatic detection on clinical relevance of images of an anatomical situation provided by an imaging device, the system comprising:

• an imaging device having a permanent video output;
• a computer assisted surgical system having an image interface for receiving clinically relevant images;
• and
• a device for automatic detection of clinical relevance of images of an anatomical situation provided by an imaging device, the device comprising:
• an image input interface;
• a first storage unit for a first digital x-ray image taken at a first time of the anatomical situation taken from the image input interface;
• a second storage unit for a second digital x-ray image taken at a second later time of the anatomical situation taken from the image input interface;
• a comparator unit for comparing and determining a difference between the first image and the second image, the comparator unit separating each of the first image and the second image into corresponding image blocks each comprising a plurality of pixels, and comparing at least one of the corresponding image blocks of the first and second image;
• a difference type evaluation unit for evaluating the difference type of the first image and the second image, wherein the difference type evaluation unit is adapted for determining at least one of a local type difference and a global type difference, wherein the local type difference is detected if a first difference of an image block of the first image and a corresponding image block of the second image exceeds a first predetermined threshold and wherein the global type difference is detected if a second difference of the first image and the second image exceeds a second predetermined threshold, wherein the second threshold is larger than the first threshold;
• and
• an image selection unit for selecting the second image as having a clinical relevance if it is determined that the difference between the first image and the second image comprises a local type difference,
• wherein the image input interface is operatively connected to the permanent video output of the imaging device, and
• wherein the image interface for receiving clinically relevant images is operatively connected to the image selection unit.

A method for automatic detection on clinical relevance of images of an anatomical situation provided by an imaging device, the method comprising:

• taking a first digital x-ray image of the anatomical situation at a first time;
• taking a second digital x-ray image of the anatomical situation at a second later time;
• comparing the first image and the second image and determining a difference between the first image and the second image by separating each of the first image and the second image into a plurality of corresponding image blocks each comprising a plurality of pixels, and comparing at least one of the corresponding image blocks of the first and second image;
• determining whether the difference between the first image and the second image comprises at least one of a local type difference and a global type difference, wherein the local type difference is a local difference of the first image and the second image and wherein the global type difference is a global difference between the first image and the second image, and
• determining whether the second image has clinical relevance by determining whether the difference between the first image and the second image comprises a local type difference,
• wherein the local type difference is detected if a first difference of an image block of the first image and a corresponding image block of the second image exceeds a first predetermined threshold and wherein the global type difference is detected if a second difference of the first image and the second image exceeds a second predetermined threshold, wherein the second threshold is larger than the first threshold.