Patent Document ID: 9536318
Application ID: 14646044
Patent Status: 1

Claim One:
1. An image processing device for detecting anatomical line structures in an image data set, comprising: a processor that: defines a line model of an anatomical line structure to be detected, said line model comprising a number of voxels; and said line model configured to define a two-dimensional rectangular line model having a predetermined length and width; calculates, per voxel of interest of said image data set, several correlation values of a correlation between said line model and an image area around said voxel of interest, said image area comprising a corresponding number of voxels as said line model, wherein for each of a number of different relative orientations of said line model with respect to said image area a respective correlation value is calculated, and wherein said processor is configured to calculate, per pixel of interest of two-dimensional image data set, several correlation values of a correlation between said two-dimensional rectangular line model and a two-dimensional image area around said pixel of interest; determines, per voxel of interest, a maximum correlation value from said calculated correlation values, which detects the anatomical line structure, and a corresponding optimal orientation at which said maximum correlation value is obtained; and identifies within the image data set areas of voxels for which substantially the same optimal orientation has been found, determines, per voxel of interest, a local orientedness value and multiplies, per voxel of interest, said local orientedness value with the maximum correlation value to obtain an amplified maximum correlation value.