Patent ID: 6195409
Filing Date: 2001-02-27
Classification: A61B,Y10S

Abstract:
A method for determining the orientation and location of standard tomographic scanning planes for automated scan prescription for a patient, the method comprising the steps of:a) performing at least one initial localizer scan of a patient to provide images for the object of interest to be imaged;b) analyzing the localizer scan images to extract important structural information about the object of interest to yield an abstract, schematic description of the object of interest;c) matching said abstract, schematic description of the object of interest with a reference template of the abstract, schematic description of the object of interest;d) determining optimal spatial locations and scanning parameters for subsequent scans based upon the relationship of the abstract, schematic description of the object of interest to the template;e) communicating locations for a desired scan to a scanner in order to automatically drive the scanner; andf) performing subsequent detailed scans to obtain detailed scan images based upon said optimal scanning locations and parameters for the patient.