Patent ID: 9189866
Filing Date: 2015-11-17
Classification: G06T

Abstract:
1. A medical image data processing apparatus, comprising: a landmark selection unit implemented by circuitry and configured to select, as at least one seed point and based on a stored anatomical representation comprising a clinical ontology or anatomical atlas, at least one landmark that is associated with a segment of a branching structure; a spatial analysis unit implemented by circuitry and configured to process a 3D image data set to determine a spatial configuration of at least part of the branching structure by tracking said at least part of the branching structure using the selected at least one landmark as said at least one seed point for the tracking; and a landmark identification unit implemented by circuitry and configured to identify a plurality of landmarks in the 3D image data set, and detect each of the landmarks by performing a decision forest process, wherein the landmark selection unit is configured to select the at least one landmark as being a landmark that, according to the stored anatomical representation, is most distal from the root of the branching structure for at least one path through the branching structure.