US 11,744,453 B2
Methods and apparatus to detect bleeding vessels
George Wilfred Duval, Sudbury, MA (US); Karim Tarabein, Shaker Heights, OH (US); and Steven Glaser, Charlotte, NC (US)
Assigned to Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc., Maple Grove, MN (US)
Filed by Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc., Maple Grove, MN (US)
Filed on Jun. 11, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/899,085.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/860,962, filed on Jun. 13, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2020/0394792 A1, Dec. 17, 2020
Int. Cl. A61B 1/273 (2006.01); A61B 1/00 (2006.01); G06T 5/40 (2006.01); G06T 7/00 (2017.01)
CPC A61B 1/2736 (2013.01) [A61B 1/000094 (2022.02); A61B 1/000095 (2022.02); A61B 1/00186 (2013.01); G06T 5/40 (2013.01); G06T 7/0012 (2013.01); G06T 2207/10024 (2013.01); G06T 2207/10068 (2013.01); G06T 2207/20024 (2013.01); G06T 2207/30092 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for enhancing medical images, the method comprising:
at a processor device in communication with an endoscopic device, obtaining from the endoscopic device a spectrum image of bleeding in an upper gastrointestinal (GI) area of a patient;
at the processor device, applying a filter to the spectrum image to generate a pre-enhanced image, wherein the filter enhances the spectrum image at one or more light wavelengths in the light spectrum, and the pre-enhanced image includes three spectral filters at 490 nm, 630 nm, and 640 nm;
analyzing the pre-enhanced image to identify an area of interest, wherein the area of interest represents a portion of the upper GI area with an active bleed;
applying a contrast enhancement technique to the area of interest in the pre-enhanced image to generate an enhanced contrast image; and
applying spatial filters to the enhanced contrast image to produce a final colorized image with defined blood vessels in the upper GI area of the patient.