Patent ID: 7620227
Filing Date: 2009-11-17
Classification: A61B,G06K,G06T

Abstract:
1. A method for computer-aided detection in a four-dimensional series of medical images, the method comprising the following steps: (a) accessing from a memory a series of three dimensional medical images of a region of interest over a period of time, at least one set in the series being taken before administration of a contrast agent and a plurality of sets taken after the administration of a contrast agent to produce a four dimensional image; (b) performing a temporal analysis using a processing unit to characterize each voxel in the four dimensional image, wherein the performing a temporal analysis step includes the steps of accessing at least one stored curve representative of a known tissue type, comparing the intensity over time at the voxel to the at least one curve, and classifying tissue based on the probability that the tissue at the voxel is the type represented by the curve; and (c) performing a spatial analysis influenced by the temporal characterizations using the processing unit to segment the voxels into tissue types.