Patent ID: 9547894
Date: 2017-01-17
CPC Classifications: G06T,G09G

Claim:
1. An apparatus for performing an imaging procedure including processing volumetric medical image data, the apparatus comprising: an image processing unit configured to obtain first non-contrast-enhanced medical image data representative of a region including at least one vessel and at least one associated feature, and second contrast-enhanced medical image data representative of at least part of the region and set the region on the first non-contrast-enhanced medical image data and the second contrast-enhanced medical image data, wherein the first non-contrast-enhanced medical image data comprises one of CT data, cone-beam CT data, and MR data, and the second contrast-enhanced medical image data comprises one of CT data, cone-beam CT data, and MR data such that the first non-contrast-enhanced medical image data and the second contrast-enhanced medical image data both comprise CT data or both comprise cone-beam CT data or both comprise MR data, and wherein neither the first non-contrast-enhanced medical image data nor the second contrast-enhanced medical image data comprises data obtained by catheter coronary angiography; an image refinement unit configured to execute a local registration between the first non-contrast-enhanced medical image data and the second contrast-enhanced medical image data based on the set region and subtract the second contrast-enhanced medical image data from the first non-contrast-enhanced medical image data to produce a combined image representative of the at least one vessel, wherein the associated feature is removed or reduced in intensity in the combined image; and a rendering unit configured to render the combined image as a simulated catheter coronary angiogram view without using data obtained by catheter coronary angiography.