Patent ID: 8036730
Filing Date: 2011-10-11
Classification: A61B,G01R,G16H

Abstract:
1. A method of monitoring changes in a body of a patient over a prolonged period comprising the steps of: (a) imaging a part of a patient by magnetic resonance at a first time so as to provide a first image data set including a plurality of first data elements, each said first data element being associated with a location and having first data representing one or more characteristics of magnetic resonance signals from the location associated with the first data element; (b) imaging said part of said patient by magnetic resonance at a second time at least one day later than said first time so as to provide a second image data set including a plurality of second data elements, each said second data element being associated with a location and having second data representing one or more characteristics of magnetic resonance signals from the location which is associated with the second data element; (c) providing said first and second image data sets in a common frame of reference; and (d) comparing said first and second image data sets by comparing the first data in one or more groups of first data elements associated with particular locations to the second data in one or more groups of second data elements associated with the particular locations to derive a comparison image data set of body tissue structures of said patient wherein each said group of data elements includes a plurality of data elements and said step of comparing said groups of data elements includes deriving a composite property of each said group of first data elements from the data in all elements of that group, deriving a composite property of each said group of second data elements from the data in all elements of that group, and comparing the composite property of each group of first data elements with the composite property of the corresponding group of second data elements representing the same locations.