Interactive live segmentation with automatic selection of optimal tomography slice

摘要

An apparatus for automatic selection of optimal tomography slices by executing a number of tentative segmentations using the same interactively provided in-slice seed point on some or all available tomography slices. The appropriate segmentation boundaries are then marked and the slice with the best segmentation goodness value (figure of merit) is presented to the user via a viewer. The steps are repeated when the user changes the seed point. The optimal segmentation boundary is displayed on top of a single simulated mammography image, fused from all tomography slice images.

主权项

1. An apparatus for post-processing 2D cross-sectional slice images, the apparatus comprising:
a processor, including:
a graphical user interface controller;a segmenter unit; anda goodness of segmentation evaluator; wherein the graphical user interface controller is configured to generate for display on a screen a graphical user interface, the user interface when so displayed comprising an interactive first window widget displaying on the screen an initial slice based on one or more of the 2D slices, the window widget configured to allow a user to specify position data of a segmentation seed point anywhere on the displayed initial slice; wherein the segmenter unit is configured to access, in response to the user specifying the position data, the 2D slices and to segment each of a plurality of the 2D slices by using the segmentation seed point as a common seed point for each of the segmentations; wherein the goodness of segmentation evaluator is configured to establish from among the plurality of the segmented 2D slices a best slice having a segmentation with a best goodness of segmentation value; and wherein the graphical user interface controller is further configured to update the first window widget to display therein, instead of the initial slice, the best slice or to display therein the best slice with the best segmentation overlaid or to generate for display on the screen in a second window widget the best segmentation overlaid on a second image based on all or a selection of the 2D slices.