Patent ID: 7949170
Filing Date: 2011-05-24
Classification: A61B,G01R,G06T

Abstract:
1. An image processing method, comprising: an inputting step of inputting an image data which is obtained by imaging a subject for a predetermined period of time with a medical imaging apparatus and is arranged in time series; an extracting along a time axis step of extracting pixels which satisfy a predetermined condition along a time axis from all the pixels arranged in time series for each pixel coordinate position with respect to each pixel in the image data; and a constructing step of constructing a two-dimensional or three-dimensional image based on the pixels extracted along the time axis in the extracting along the time axis step, wherein the extracting along the time axis step comprises: a first extracting along the time axis step of extracting a pixel having a first characteristic from all the pixels arranged in time series for each pixel coordinate position along the time axis; and a second extracting along the time axis step of extracting a pixel having a second characteristic from all the pixels arranged in time series along the time axis, and the constructing step comprises: a first constructing step of constructing a first image based on the pixel having the first characteristic; and a second constructing step of constructing a second image based on the pixel having the second characteristic, and the image processing method further comprises: a difference operation step of performing a difference operation on the first image and the second image; and a difference image producing step of producing a difference image based on the result of the difference operation.