Visualizing different types of airway wall abnormalities

摘要

A method for visualizing airway wall abnormalities includes acquiring /Dual Energy Computed Tomography (DECT) imaging data comprising one or more image volumes representative of a bronchial tree. An iodine map is derived using the DECT imaging data and the bronchial tree is segmented from the image volume(s). A tree model representative of the bronchial tree is generated. Then, for each branch, this tree model is used to determine an indicator of normal or abnormal thickness. Locations corresponding to bronchial walls in the bronchial tree using the tree model are identified. Next, for each branch, the locations corresponding to bronchial walls in the bronchial tree and the iodine map are used to determine an indicator of normal or abnormal inflammation. A visualization of the bronchial tree may be presented with visual indicators at each of the locations corresponding to bronchial walls indicating whether a bronchial wall is thickened and/or inflamed.

主权项

1. A computer-implemented method for visualizing airway wall abnormalities, the method comprising:
acquiring Dual Energy Computed Tomography (DECT) imaging data comprising one or more image volumes representative of a bronchial tree; deriving an iodine map using the DECT imaging data; segmenting the bronchial tree from the one or more image volumes; generating a tree model representative of the bronchial tree; for each branch, using the tree model to determine an indicator of normal or abnormal thickness for the branch; identifying locations corresponding to bronchial walls in the bronchial tree using the tree model; for each branch, using the locations corresponding to bronchial walls in the bronchial tree and the iodine map to determine an indicator of normal or abnormal inflammation as measured by iodine uptake on the branch; and presenting a visualization of the bronchial tree with visual indicators at each of the locations corresponding to bronchial walls indicating whether a bronchial wall is thickened, inflamed, or both thickened and inflamed.