Abstract:
The invention relates to a user interface ( 300 ) for measuring an object viewed in an image computed from image data, the user interface comprising an image unit ( 310 ) for visualizing the image data in the image, a deployment unit ( 320 ) for deploying a caliper ( 21 ) in an image data space, a scaling unit ( 330 ) for scaling the caliper ( 21 ) by a scaling factor in a direction in the image data space, a translation unit ( 340 ) for translating the caliper ( 21 ) in the image data space, and a caliper unit ( 350 ) for visualizing the caliper ( 21 ) in the image, wherein the caliper ( 21 ) comprises a knot for measuring the object, and wherein the object is measured based on the scaling factor. The caliper ( 21 ) comprising the knot, which determines the shape of the caliper ( 21 ), is a simple reference object of known geometry and size. Looking at the image data and the caliper ( 21 ) visualized in the image, the user may easily place the caliper ( 21 ) in the image data space and adjust its size to match the size of the measured object. Unlike the prior art methods, which are based on selecting two points and measuring the distance between them, there is no need to change the view of the image data in order to place and/or adjust the size of the caliper ( 21 ). Therefore, the caliper ( 21 ) of the invention typically reduces the amount of manual interactions needed to measure the object. Advantageously, the caliper ( 21 ) of the invention also enhances the visual experience of the user. The size of the caliper ( 21 ) may be isotropically or anisotropically adjusted, i.e. in one or more directions, by rotating a mouse wheel, while the mouse translations may determine the location of the caliper ( 21 ) in the viewing plane.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The invention relates to the field of medical imaging and, more specifically, to measuring structures viewed in medical images. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Clinical applications traditionally involve image data, which needs to be analyzed and interpreted. Based on interpretation of the image data, a physician can make a diagnosis and advise a treatment suitable for a patient. Proper interpretation of an image computed from the image data often requires measuring objects describing anatomical and pathological structures visualized in the image. To this end, the physician needs a tool which allows her/him to assess the diameter of a blood vessel or the size of a tumor, for example. In most applications, to measure an object, the user determines two points in a three-dimensional image data space, hereinafter referred to as 3D points, and the application is arranged to calculate the distance between these 3D points. A line segment connecting the determined 3D points may be displayed. 
         [0003]    Unfortunately, it is not always possible to accurately determine two points on the surface of a measured structure such as a blood vessel, for example. This is because the surface, on which a point is to be selected, is typically perpendicular to the viewing plane.  FIG. 1  illustrates the problem of the prior art method. The goal is to measure the diameter of the blood vessel  11 . Two points, connected by a line segment  12 , are selected on the two opposite edges in the rendered image of the blood vessel. The diameter of the vessel  11  is typically underestimated, as shown on the zoomed-in vessel segment  13 . 
         [0004]    To overcome this problem, in current applications, the user needs to make edges in the rendered image of the blood vessel clearly visible. This is achieved by positioning the blood vessel in the image to make the first edge visible and determining the first point. Then the user repositions the vessel to make the second edge visible and determines the second point. Alternatively, the user can zoom in the vessel, select the two points, and zoom out the vessel to its original position. Unfortunately, these operations require extra user interaction to measure the blood vessel. A further problem is that the drawn line segment may be not aligned perpendicularly to the vessel axis, as it should be. 
         [0005]    To measure objects visualized in two-dimensional images, an on-screen caliper may be used. An implementation of such a caliper is offered on-line by Inico at http://www.iconico.com/caliper/index.aspx, retrieved Jul. 12, 2007. This caliper, however, obstructs the view of structures visualized in an image. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    It would be advantageous to have a system that requires less user interaction without compromising accuracy of the measurement. 
         [0007]    To better address this issue, in an aspect of the invention, a user interface for measuring an object viewed in an image computed from image data is provided, the user interface comprising: 
         [0008]    an image unit for visualizing the image data in the image for displaying on a display; 
         [0009]    a deployment unit for deploying a caliper in an image data space; 
         [0010]    a scaling unit for scaling the caliper by a scaling factor in a direction in the image data space; 
         [0011]    a translation unit for translating the caliper in the image data space; and 
         [0012]    a caliper unit for visualizing the caliper in the image; 
         [0000]    wherein the caliper comprises a knot for measuring the object, and wherein the object is measured based on the scaling factor. 
         [0013]    The phrase “the caliper comprises a knot” should be interpreted to mean that the knot is a distinguishable component of the caliper. The knot may be a circle—the simplest knot. The caliper may be the circle, a disc defined by the circle, or a spherical cap of a given curvature bordered by the circle. An introduction to the mathematics of knots can be found in an article published at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knot_(mathematics), retrieved Jul. 12, 2007. It is also possible that the caliper comprises a knot for measuring the object and another structural or functional element, e.g., the caliper may comprise a circle, a line segment with both ends on the circle, and/or a rotation axis perpendicular to the plane of the circle and crossing this plane at a point inside the circle. In another embodiment, the caliper may comprise two concentric circles of different radiuses. 
         [0014]    The caliper comprising the knot, which determines the shape of the caliper, is a simple reference object of known geometry and size. Looking at the image data and the caliper visualized in the image, the user may easily place the caliper in the image data space and adjust the size of the caliper to match the size of the measured object. Unlike the prior art methods, which are based on selecting two points and measuring the distance between them, there is no need to change the view of the image data in order to place and/or adjust the size of the caliper. Therefore, the caliper of the invention typically reduces the amount of manual interactions needed to measure the object. Advantageously, the caliper of the invention may improve the visual experience of the user. 
         [0015]    In an embodiment, the user interface further comprises a rotation unit for rotating the caliper in the image data space. The rotation unit allows rotating the caliper, such as an ellipse, for example. The rotation may be defined as a planar rotation in the viewing plane, with one degree of freedom parameterized, e.g., by an azimuthal angle, or as a three-dimensional rotation in the image data space, with three degrees of freedom parameterized, e.g., by three Euler angles. The additional degrees of freedom allow to better position the caliper relative to the viewed object. 
         [0016]    In an embodiment of the user interface, the knot is an unknot An unknot is a circle continuously embedded in the three-dimensional (3D) image data space modeled by the 3D Euclidean space, for example. Examples of unknots comprise, but are not limited to, a circle, the edge of a square, and an ellipse. A caliper comprising an unknot is easy to manipulate and its position in the image data space is easy to comprehend by a user. 
         [0017]    In an embodiment of the user interface, the knot is substantially planar. Planar knots, e.g., a circle, are still easier to manipulate and understand by the user than non-planar unknots. 
         [0018]    In an embodiment of the user interface, the image data and the caliper are rendered using the perspective projection method. In the perspective projection method, the size and/or the shape of the caliper depend on the location of the caliper in the 3D image data space to match the structures visualized in the image computed from the image data. 
         [0019]    In an embodiment of the user interface, the knot is a circle. Advantageously, the circle is isotropic with respect to rotations in the circle plane about the centre. Thus, translations are completely sufficient to place the circle at a desired location when the circle plane and the viewing plane are substantially parallel. 
         [0020]    In an embodiment, the user interface is used for measuring the diameter of a blood vessel. Measuring vessel diameters with the caliper of the invention is easier than using a prior art caliper. 
         [0021]    In a further aspect of the invention, the user interface according to the invention is comprised in an image acquisition apparatus. 
         [0022]    In a further aspect of the invention, the user interface according to the invention is comprised in a workstation. 
         [0023]    In a further aspect of the invention, a method of measuring an object viewed in an image computed from image data is provided, the method comprising: 
         [0024]    an image step for visualizing the image data in the image for displaying on a display; 
         [0025]    a deployment step for deploying a caliper in an image data space; 
         [0026]    a scaling step for scaling the caliper by a scaling factor in a direction in the image data space; 
         [0027]    a translation step for translating the caliper in the image data space; and 
         [0028]    a caliper step for visualizing the caliper in the image; 
         [0000]    wherein the caliper comprises a knot for measuring the object and wherein the object is measured based on the scaling factor. 
         [0029]    In a further aspect of the invention, a computer program product to be loaded by a computer arrangement is provided, the computer program product comprising instructions for measuring an object viewed in an image computed from image data, the computer arrangement comprising a processing unit and a memory, the computer program product, after being loaded, providing said processing unit with the capability to carry out the following tasks: 
         [0030]    visualizing the image data in the image for displaying on a display; 
         [0031]    deploying a caliper in an image data space; 
         [0032]    scaling the caliper by a scaling factor in a direction in the image data space; 
         [0033]    translating the caliper in the image data space; and 
         [0034]    visualizing the caliper in the image; 
         [0000]    wherein the caliper comprises a knot for measuring the object and wherein the object is measured based on the scaling factor. 
         [0035]    It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that two or more of the above-mentioned embodiments, implementations, and/or aspects of the invention may be combined in any way deemed useful. 
         [0036]    Modifications and variations of the image acquisition apparatus, of the workstation, of the method, and/or of the computer program product, which correspond to the described modifications and variations of the user interface, can be carried out by a skilled person on the basis of the present description. 
         [0037]    The skilled person will appreciate that the user interface may be applied to view reports comprising multidimensional image data, e.g., 2-dimensional, 3-dimensional, or 4-dimensional images, acquired by various acquisition modalities such as, but not limited to, standard X-ray Imaging, Computed Tomography (CT), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Ultrasound (US), Positron Emission Tomography (PET), Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT), Digital Tomosynthesis, and Nuclear Medicine (NM). 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0038]    These and other aspects of the invention will become apparent from and will be elucidated with respect to the implementations and embodiments described hereinafter and with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0039]      FIG. 1  illustrates the problem of the prior art caliper; 
           [0040]      FIG. 2  illustrates an embodiment of the caliper of the invention; 
           [0041]      FIG. 3  schematically shows a block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of the user interface; 
           [0042]      FIG. 4  illustrates multiple measurements of the same object; 
           [0043]      FIG. 5  illustrates using a caliper for measuring the diameter of the base of a colon polyp; 
           [0044]      FIG. 6  schematically illustrates an implementation of the circular caliper in the perspective and parallel projections; 
           [0045]      FIG. 7  shows a flowchart of an exemplary implementation of the method; 
           [0046]      FIG. 8  schematically shows an exemplary embodiment of the image acquisition apparatus; and 
           [0047]      FIG. 9  schematically shows an exemplary embodiment of the workstation. 
       
    
    
       [0048]    Identical reference numerals are used to denote similar parts throughout the Figures. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       [0049]      FIG. 2  illustrates an embodiment of the caliper of the invention. Here the caliper  21  is a knot—a planar circle. The caliper  21  is used to measure the diameter of a blood vessel  22 . After placing the caliber, the length  23  of the diameter of the circle is displayed. 
         [0050]    In an embodiment of the user interface, the size of the caliper  21  is adjusted by rotating a mouse wheel. There are two speeds for changing the size of the caliper  21 . When the user presses and rotates the mouse wheel, the speed is high. The size of the caliper  21  changes in steps of 4 mm. When the user rotates the mouse wheel without pressing it, the speed is low and the size of the caliper  21  changes in steps of 0.5 mm. The same scaling method with other speeds may be implemented in further embodiments. During this scaling, the center of the circle does not move. 
         [0051]    Alternatively, in an embodiment, the user may select any point on the display as the scaling center. When the selected point is not at the center of the circle, rotating the mouse wheel will result in scaling the circle. The center of the circle translates along the line joining the selected point and the circle center. The ratio of the distance between the center of the scaled circle and the selected point to the distance between the center of the circle before scaling and the selected point is equal to the scaling factor. 
         [0052]    To translate the circle in the horizontal direction, the user uses the “drag and drop” operation of the mouse: he/she places the mouse pointer inside the circle, presses a mouse button and then moves the mouse while pressing the mouse button. The mouse pointer moves on the screen and “drags” the circle. When the user releases the mouse button, the circle is “dropped”, i.e., released, in its current location. The caliper  21  provides more accurate measurements with less manual interaction. 
         [0053]    In an embodiment, the user interface  300  comprises a “caliper on” button. After the user presses and activates the caliper by pressing the button, the caliper becomes attached to the mouse pointer. When the user moves the mouse, the mouse pointer and the caliper move accordingly. The user may release the caliper in a desired location by pressing a mouse button. 
         [0054]    The skilled person will understand that there are many possible embodiments of the caliper  21 . For example, the shape of the caliper  21  may be different, e.g., the knot comprised in the caliper  21  may be the edge of a square, an ellipse, a non-planar closed curve topologically equivalent to a circle, or a trefoil knot. In an embodiment, the knot is determined based on a user input. Further, the caliper  21  may be a surface bounded by the knot. Such a surface may be defined, for example, as a union of all intervals whose first end is a pre-defined point on the knot and whose second end is another point on the knot. Alternatively, the knot may be mapped by a one-to-one continuous map, whose inverse is also continuous, on a surface. A part of the surface bounded by the mapped knot may be the caliper. All these embodiments illustrate the invention and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims. 
         [0055]      FIG. 3  schematically shows a block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of the user interface  300  for measuring an object viewed in an image computed from image data, the user interface comprising: 
         [0056]    an image unit  310  for visualizing the image data in the image for displaying on a display; 
         [0057]    a deployment unit  320  for deploying a caliper  21  in an image data space; 
         [0058]    a scaling unit  330  for scaling the caliper  21  by a scaling factor in a direction in the image data space; 
         [0059]    a translation unit  340  for translating the caliper  21  in the image data space; and 
         [0060]    a caliper unit  350  for visualizing the caliper in the image; 
         [0000]    wherein the caliper  21  comprises a knot for measuring the object and wherein the object is measured based on the scaling factor. 
         [0061]    The exemplary embodiment of the user interface  300  further comprises the following units: 
         [0062]    a rotation unit  345  for rotating the caliper  21  in the image data space; and 
         [0063]    a memory unit  370  for storing data. 
         [0064]    In an embodiment of the user interface  300 , there are three input connectors  381 ,  382  and  383  for the incoming data. The first input connector  381  is arranged to receive data coming in from a data storage means such as, but not limited to, a hard disk, a magnetic tape, a flash memory, or an optical disk. The second input connector  382  is arranged to receive data coming in from a user input device such as, but not limited to, a mouse or a touch screen. The third input connector  383  is arranged to receive data coming in from a user input device such as a keyboard. The input connectors  381 ,  382  and  383  are connected to an input control unit  380 . 
         [0065]    In an embodiment of the user interface  300 , there are two output connectors  391  and  392  for the outgoing data. The first output connector  391  is arranged to output the data to a data storage means such as a hard disk, a magnetic tape, a flash memory, or an optical disk. The second output connector  392  is arranged to output the data to a display device. The output connectors  391  and  392  receive the respective data via an output control unit  390 . 
         [0066]    The skilled person will understand that there are many ways to connect input devices to the input connectors  381 ,  382  and  383  and the output devices to the output connectors  391  and  392  of the user interface  300 . These ways comprise, but are not limited to, a wired and a wireless connection, a digital network such as, but not limited to, a Local Area Network (LAN) and a Wide Area Network (WAN), the Internet, a digital telephone network, and an analog telephone network. 
         [0067]    In an embodiment of the user interface  300 , the user interface  300  comprises a memory unit  370 . The user interface  300  is arranged to receive input data from external devices via any of the input connectors  381 ,  382 , and  383  and to store the received input data in the memory unit  370 . Loading the input data into the memory unit  370  allows quick access to relevant data portions by the units of the user interface  300 . The input data may comprise, for example, the image data. The memory unit  370  may be implemented by devices such as, but not limited to, a Random Access Memory (RAM) chip, a Read Only Memory (ROM) chip, and/or a hard disk drive and a hard disk. The memory unit  370  may be further arranged to store the output data. The output data may comprise, for example, data for displaying the caliper  21 . The memory unit  370  may be also arranged to receive data from and deliver data to the units of the user interface  300  comprising the image unit  310 , the deployment unit  320 , the scaling unit  330 , the translation unit  340 , the rotation unit  345 , and the caliper unit  350 , via a memory bus  375 . The memory unit  370  is further arranged to make the output data available to external devices via any of the output connectors  391  and  392 . Storing data from the units of the user interface  300  in the memory unit  370  may advantageously improve performance of the units of the user interface  300  as well as the rate of transfer of the output data from the units of the user interface  300  to external devices. 
         [0068]    Alternatively, the user interface  300  may comprise no memory unit  370  and no memory bus  375 . The input data used by the user interface  300  may be supplied by at least one external device, such as an external memory or a processor, connected to the units of the user interface  300 . Similarly, the output data produced by the user interface  300  may be supplied to at least one external device, such as an external memory or a processor, connected to the units of the user interface  300 . The units of the user interface  300  may be arranged to receive the data from each other via internal connections or via a data bus. 
         [0069]    The image unit  310  of the user interface  300  is arranged for visualizing the image data in the image for displaying on a display. The tasks to be performed by the image unit  310  include, for example, determining a viewport for displaying the image. The skilled person will know typical functions, which can be implemented in embodiments of the image unit  310 . 
         [0070]    There are many ways of computing a view of a 3D region of image data space. The view may be computed using, for example, maximum intensity projection (MIP), iso-surface projection (ISP), and direct volume rendering (DVR). In MIP, a 3D location of maximum intensity along a projection ray is found. The ray is cast from a viewing plane. The intensity value of the pixel on the viewing plane may be set to the found maximum intensity value along the ray. In ISP, projection rays are terminated when they cross the iso-surface of interest. The iso-surface is defined as the level set of the intensity function, i.e. as the set of all voxels having the same intensity value. More information on MIP and ISP can be found in a book by Barthold Lichtenbelt, Randy Crane, and Shaz Naqvi, entitled “Introduction to Volume Rendering”, published by Hewlett-Packard Professional Books, Prentice Hall; Bk&amp;CD-Rom edition (1998). In DVR, a transfer function assigns a renderable property, such as opacity, to intensity values comprised in the image data. An implementation of DVR is described in an article by T. He et al. entitled “Generation of Transfer Functions with Stochastic Search Techniques” in Proceedings of IEEE Visualization, pages 227-234, 1996. 
         [0071]    Objects such as iso-surfaces may be identified in the image data and may be used to define objects in model coordinate systems of a graphics processor. A graphics pipeline of the graphics processor may be used to compute the view of the objects comprised in the model coordinate systems. The graphics pipeline is described in a book by J. D. Foley et al, entitled “Computer graphics: Principles and practice”, 2 nd  Ed., Addison-Wesley, Reading, Mass., USA, 1996. 
         [0072]    The skilled person will understand that there are many methods that may be employed for computing a view of a 3D region of image data space from the image data. The choice of the method of computing the view of the 3D region of the image data space does not limit the scope of the claims. 
         [0073]    The deployment unit  320  of the user interface  300  is arranged for deploying a caliper  21  in an image data space. The caliper is deployed in a pre-defined location of the image data space or in a location specified by the user. Optionally, the deployment unit  320  may be arranged to receive a user input for specifying a caliper  21  of a plurality of calipers for deployment. 
         [0074]    The scaling unit  330  of the user interface  300  is arranged for scaling the caliper  21  by a scaling factor in a direction in the image data space. The scaling unit  330  may be arranged to receive a user input from a user input device, such as a keyboard, a mouse, or a trackball, for example, and compute the size of the caliper  21  on the basis of this user input. The scaling of the caliper  21  may be isotropic or anisotropic. For example, scaling of the caliper  21  defined by the circle shown in  FIG. 2  is isotropic. Scaling of a caliper  21  comprising an ellipse may be anisotropic and may occur in the direction of an axis of the ellipse. Scaling of a 3D caliper  21  may occur in a plurality of directions. Optionally, a plurality of scaling factors may be determined, e.g., one scaling factor for each scaling direction. Optionally, the mode of scaling may be selectable and may be determined by the user. 
         [0075]    The translation unit  340  of the user interface  300  is arranged for translating the caliper  21  in the image data space. The translation unit  340  may be arranged to receive a user input from a user input device, such as a keyboard, a mouse, or a trackball, for example, and to compute the translated location of the caliper  21  on the basis of this user input. In an embodiment, the translation vectors are substantially parallel to the viewing plane. In another embodiment, translations in all directions in the image data space are implemented. Optionally, the user may also be able to zoom in and out the caliper  21 , when a perspective projection technique is used by the image unit  310  to compute the view of the region of the image data space. 
         [0076]    The caliper unit  350  of the user interface is arranged for visualizing the caliper  21  in the image. The caliper unit  350  is arranged to obtain data from the deployment unit  320 , scaling unit  330 , and translation unit  340 . Based on this data, the caliper unit  350  is further arranged to compute the image of the caliper  21  in the image data space for visualizing the caliper  21  in the image. Optionally, the caliper unit  350  may be a component of, or may receive data from, the image unit  310  to determine how the caliper should be located in the 3D image data space. For example, the caliper unit  350  may receive the depth value of a pixel displayed at the center of the circle to compute the size of the caliper at this depth in the perspective projection. 
         [0077]    In an embodiment, the user interface  300  comprises a rotation unit  345  for rotating the caliper  21  in the image data space. Any number of rotation axes may be used by the rotation unit  345 . For each rotation, a rotation axis and/or angle are determined by the user, and user input data specifying the rotation axis and/or angle is obtained by the rotation unit  345 . A rotation axis may be one of the three Cartesian axes of a reference system in the image data space. Alternatively, a rotation axis may be an axis of the caliper. The caliper unit  350  may be arranged to obtain data from the rotation unit  345 . Based on this data, the caliper unit  350  may be further arranged to compute the image of the rotated caliper  21  in the image data space for visualizing the caliper  21  in the image. 
         [0078]      FIG. 4  illustrates multiple measurements of the same object—vertebra  41 . Using the caliper  21  the user may easily measure various parameters of the vertebrae  41 . 
         [0079]      FIG. 5  illustrates using a caliper for measuring the diameter of the base of a colon polyp. The caliper visualization is performed in an unfolded cube projection  51  with strong perspective deformation.  FIG. 5  shows that the implementation of the caliper properly describes images with perspective projections. The size of the caliper parts  21 - 1  and  21 - 2  changes at different depths. The shape of the circular caliper needs to deform accordingly. Thus, the projection of the caliper in a perspective is not a circle. This feature is very useful for virtual colonoscopy users. 
         [0080]      FIG. 6  schematically illustrates an implementation of the circular caliper  21  in a perspective and parallel projection. Given a 2D location in the viewing plane, typically the location of the mouse pointer, a 3D location P in the image data space is determined by the image unit  310 , for example. The 2D location represents the center of the circle of an image  22  of the circular caliper  21 . For a perspective projection, shown in the top image  61 , the actual radius of the circle  22  for displaying on a display is determined based on the 3D location P, namely, based on the distance of the 3D location P from the viewer position point VP. For an orthographic projection, the radius of the actual circle  21  is identical to the radius of the displayed circle  22 , irrespective of the 3D location P. 
         [0081]    The skilled person will understand that other embodiments of the user interface  300  are also possible. It is possible, among other things, to redefine the units of the user interface  300  and to redistribute their functions. Although the described embodiments apply to medical images, other applications of the user interface  300 , outside the medical domain, are also possible. 
         [0082]    The skilled person will further recognize that the user interface  300  described in the current document may be a valuable tool for assisting a physician in many aspects of her/his job. 
         [0083]    The units of the user interface  300  may be implemented using a processor. Normally, their functions are performed under the control of a software program product. During the execution, the software program product is normally loaded into a memory, like a RAM, and executed from there. The program may be loaded from a background memory, such as a ROM, hard disk, or magnetic and/or optical storage, or may be loaded via a network like the Internet. Optionally, an application-specific integrated circuit may provide the described functionality. 
         [0084]      FIG. 7  shows a flowchart of an exemplary implementation of the method  700  of measuring an object viewed in an image computed from image data. The method  700  begins with an image step  710  for visualizing the image data in the image. After the image step  710 , the method  700  continues to a deployment step  720  for deploying a caliper  21  in an image data space. After the deployment step  720 , the method  700  continues to a caliper step  750  for visualizing the caliper  21  in the image. After the caliper step, the method  700  allows the user to manipulate the caliper. This is achieved in a manipulation step  725  comprising a scaling step  730  for scaling the caliper  21  by a scaling factor in a direction in the image data space, a translation step  740  for translating the caliper  21  in the image data space, and a rotation step  745  for rotating the caliper  21  in the image data space. After the manipulation step  725 , the method  700  continues to the caliper step  750 . After the caliper step  750 , the method  700  returns to the manipulation step  725  for more manipulation of the caliper in the image data space, or terminates. The caliper  21  of the method  700  comprises a knot for measuring the object. The object is measured based on the scaling factor used for scaling the caliper. 
         [0085]    The skilled person may change the order of some steps or perform some steps concurrently using threading models, multi-processor systems or multiple processes without departing from the concept as intended by the present invention. Optionally, two or more steps of the method  700  of the current invention may be combined into one step. Optionally, a step of the method  700  of the current invention may be split into a plurality of steps. 
         [0086]      FIG. 8  schematically shows an exemplary embodiment of the image acquisition apparatus  800  employing the user interface  300 , said image acquisition apparatus  800  comprising a CT image acquisition unit  810  connected via an internal connection with the user interface  300 , an input connector  801 , and an output connector  802 . This arrangement advantageously increases the capabilities of the image acquisition apparatus  800 , providing said image acquisition apparatus  800  with advantageous capabilities of the user interface  300 . 
         [0087]      FIG. 9  schematically shows an exemplary embodiment of the workstation  900 . The workstation comprises a second user interface bus  901 . A processor  910 , a memory  920 , a disk input/output (I/O) adapter  930 , and a second user interface (UI)  940  are operatively connected to the second user interface bus  901 . A disk storage device  931  is operatively coupled to the disk I/O adapter  930 . A keyboard  941 , a mouse  942 , and a display  943  are operatively coupled to the UI  940 . The user interface  300  of the invention, implemented as a computer program, is stored in the disk storage device  931 . The workstation  900  is arranged to load the program and input data into memory  920  and execute the program on the processor  910 . The user can input information to the workstation  900  using the keyboard  941  and/or the mouse  942 . The workstation is arranged to output information to the display device  943  and/or to the disk  931 . The skilled person will understand that there are numerous other embodiments of the workstation  900  known in the art and that the present embodiment serves the purpose of illustrating the invention and must not be interpreted as limiting the invention to this particular embodiment. 
         [0088]    It should be noted that the above-mentioned embodiments illustrate rather than limit the invention and that those skilled in the art will be able to design alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In the claims, any reference signs placed between parentheses shall not be construed as limiting the claim. The word “comprising” does not exclude the presence of elements or steps not listed in a claim or in the description. The word “a” or “an” preceding an element does not exclude the presence of a plurality of such elements. The invention can be implemented by means of hardware comprising several distinct elements and by means of a programmed computer. In the user interface claims enumerating several units, several of these units can be embodied by one and the same item of hardware or software. The usage of the words first, second and third, etc., does not indicate any ordering. These words are to be interpreted as names.