Patent ID: 8244013
Filing Date: 2012-08-14
Classification: G06T

Abstract:
1. A system for processing pixel representative image data of medical images of patient anatomy to automatically identify an interventional instrument, comprising: an acquisition processor configured to receive a plurality of sequential medical images of a patient anatomical portion; and an image data processor configured to perform the following: detecting and subtracting background image data from pixel luminance data comprising said plurality of sequential medical images to provide processed pixel luminance data comprising a plurality of processed sequential medical images, computing gradient components of individual pixels of said processed pixel luminance data, modifying the computed gradient component data by suppressing computed gradient components lacking symmetry about an interventional instrument width dimension, filtering the modified computed gradient component data for use in providing image representative data showing said interventional instrument, and comparing the filtered modified computed gradient component data with a threshold and uses filtered modified computed gradient component data exceeding a threshold in providing image representative data showing said interventional instrument.