Patent ID: 8340374
Filing Date: 2012-12-25
Classification: A61B,G01S,G06T,G16H

Abstract:
1. A 3-dimensional diagnostic imaging system for acquiring and displaying 3-dimensional images, the system comprising: an ultrasound diagnostic imaging apparatus configured to display a first cross section of a first 3-dimensional image extracted from a first volume data including an affected part of a subject; a 3-dimensional medical diagnostic imaging apparatus configured to display a second cross section of a second 3-dimensional image extracted from a second volume data obtained by medical diagnostic imaging modalities other than the ultrasound diagnostic imaging apparatus, the second cross section being substantially identical to the first cross section displayed by the ultrasound diagnostic imaging apparatus; and an image processing/display unit configured to specify a first center locking point and a first feature point in the first 3-dimensional image and to further specify a second center locking point and a second feature point in the second 3-dimensional image, the first center locking point and the first feature point respectively corresponding to the second center locking point and the second feature point, to adjust the first cross section which includes the first center locking point and the first feature point and the second cross section which includes the second center locking point and the second feature point so that the first and second cross sections are made coincident with each other, and to synchronously move, after adjustment of the first and second cross sections, the first 3-dimensional image and the second 3-dimensional image which are simultaneously displayed on a monitor of the image processing/display unit, wherein the image processing/display unit includes a vector specifying unit configured to specify a first directional vector which connects the first center locking point and the first feature point in the first volume data and a second directional vector which connects the second center locking point and the second feature point in the first volume data, and the image processing/display unit adjusts the first and second cross sections by making the first and second directional vectors coincident with each other, and wherein the image processing/display unit calculates correlation between a first plane cut in the first 3-dimensional image and a second plane cut in the second 3-dimensional image while rotating the second plane cut about the second directional vector, and determines the first plane cut and the second plane cut which are obtained with the highest correlation as the first and second cross sections which are coincident with each other.