Patent ID: 7353117
Filing Date: 2008-04-01
Classification: A61B,G06T

Abstract:
1. A method for estimating a thickness of a wall of a lumen from an image of the lumen, comprising the steps of: (a) in an image of the lumen, identifying an inner contour and an outer contour; (b) performing a low resolution triangulation function to define triangles between the inner contour and the outer contour; (c) adding additional triangles between the inner contour and the outer contour; (d) analyzing edges of the triangles that were defined and added using a minimal energy function to identify triangle edges that correspond to a width between the inner contour and the outer contour; (e) comparing triangle edges identified as corresponding to a width between the inner contour and the outer contour to identify a minimum width and a maximum width corresponding respectively to a minimum wall thickness and a maximum wall thickness of the lumen; and (f) having identified the minimum width and the maximum width, executing at least one step selected from the group consisting of the following steps: