Patent ID: 8731255
Filing Date: 2014-05-20
Classification: G06T

Abstract:
1. A method of detecting growth of a pulmonary nodule, the method comprising: receiving first and second chest scans generated at first and second times, respectively; determining a location of a pulmonary nodule in image data from at least one of the first and second chest scans; segmenting image data associated with lung tissue from each of the first and second chest scans; using at least one processor, registering the segmented image data associated with the lung tissue from the first and second chest scans by performing a global alignment and thereafter performing a local alignment to compensate for local lung deformations, wherein the global and local alignments are performed in a Gibbs energy domain; segmenting image data associated with the pulmonary nodule from the registered and segmented image data associated with the lung tissue from the first and second chest scans; and determining a volumetric change for the pulmonary nodule between the first and second chest scans using the segmented image data associated with the pulmonary nodule from the first and second chest scans.