Patent ID: 9173590
Filing Date: 2015-11-03
Classification: A61B,A61K,A61M,G06T

Abstract:
1. A computer implemented method for quantitative-organ-assessment comprising: (a) obtaining a time series of MRI images in a subject comprising: (b) storing the MRI images obtained in the absence and presence of an MRI contrast-enhancing substance as a dataset, wherein the dataset comprises intensities associated with voxels at each time point in the time series of MRI images; (c) partitioning voxels within the dataset into clusters, each cluster containing voxels with similar time-intensity curves by using a Gaussian-mixture-model on principle component space; (d) distinguishing the organ clusters from background clusters by using a knowledge-based framework comprising applying fuzzy logic based on organ specific standards; (e) distinguishing the cluster into different inner compartments of the organ by using a physiological spatial model comprising transformation from time-intensity space into the physiological space, wherein the transformation is performed by using the function:  to solve for the parameters P2, P3, P4 and P5; wherein P2 is related to the magnitude of baseline and peak signal, P3 is the approximate time of the maximum rate of increase, P4 denotes the slope of the enhancement and P5 describe the trends of excretion, for inner compartments recognition, and (f) computing functional characteristics and parameters of the organ from aggregate intensity-versus-time characteristics of the voxels within the clusters.