US 12,277,718 B2
Computer-implemented method for visualization of an elongated anatomical structure
Karthik Krishnan, Bangalore (IN); Celine Firtion, Surat (IN); Subhendu Seth, Bangalore (IN); Pallavi Vajinepalli, Bangalore (IN); and David Nigel Roundhill, Woodinville, WA (US)
Assigned to KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V., Eindhoven (NL)
Appl. No. 17/915,183
Filed by KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V., Eindhoven (NL)
PCT Filed Mar. 24, 2021, PCT No. PCT/EP2021/057514
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 28, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/197948, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 7, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/004,547, filed on Apr. 3, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0124879 A1, Apr. 20, 2023
Int. Cl. G06T 7/30 (2017.01); A61B 8/00 (2006.01); A61B 8/08 (2006.01); G06T 3/10 (2024.01); G06T 7/00 (2017.01)
CPC G06T 7/30 (2017.01) [A61B 8/0866 (2013.01); A61B 8/0875 (2013.01); A61B 8/463 (2013.01); A61B 8/483 (2013.01); A61B 8/5253 (2013.01); G06T 3/10 (2024.01); G06T 7/0012 (2013.01); G06T 2207/10136 (2013.01); G06T 2207/20221 (2013.01); G06T 2207/30012 (2013.01); G06T 2207/30044 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A computer-implemented method for visualization of an elongated anatomical structure (20) using ultrasound, the method comprising the steps of:
receiving a plurality of 3D ultrasound image volumes, each image volume depicting at least a portion of an elongated anatomical structure having a curved longitudinal extension;
on each 3D ultrasound image volume, automatically or semi-automatically fitting a parametric curve to the depicted portion of the elongated anatomical structure along its longitudinal extension, the parametric curve being defined by curve parameters;
reformatting each 3D ultrasound image volume by applying a transformation which straightens the parametric curve along at least one axis, so as to generate a plurality of reformatted image volumes and reformatted parametric curves;
registering the reformatted image volumes with one another by determining the joining point of their respective parametric curves; and
fusing the reformatted image volumes with one another to yield a fused image depicting the whole elongated anatomical structure or a larger portion thereof than the 3D ultrasound image volumes.