Patent ID: 6853741
Filing Date: 2005-02-08
Classification: G06T

Abstract:
1. A method of identifying a region of interest in an anterior/posterior spinal image represented by pixel values related to transmission of penetrating radiation through the spine comprising the steps of: providing pixel values representing an anterior/posterior image of a spine obtained from measurements of penetrating radiation that has passed through the spine; defining a global region in said image; selecting the pixel values related to said global region; processing the selected pixel values to estimate therefrom the extent of the spine in the global region in a direction transverse to the length of the spine, and to estimate the positions of separator lines related to spaces between adjacent vertebra in the global region; identifying a region of interest in said global region related to said extent of the spine and the positions of said separator lines; and identifying the pixel values conforming to the identified region of interest and deriving therefrom estimates of bone properties.