Establishing a contour of a structure based on image information

Abstract

A system for establishing a contour of a structure is disclosed. An initialization subsystem ( 1 ) is used for initializing an adaptive mesh representing an approximate contour of the structure, the structure being represented at least partly by a first image, and the structure being represented at least partly by a second image. A deforming subsystem ( 2 ) is used for deforming the adaptive mesh, based on feature information of the first image and feature information of the second image. The deforming subsystem comprises a force-establishing subsystem ( 3 ) for establishing a force acting on at least part of the adaptive mesh, in dependence on the feature information of the first image and the feature information of the second image. A transform-establishing subsystem ( 4 ) is used for establishing a coordinate transform reflecting a registration mismatch between the first image, the second image, and the adaptive mesh.

1 . A system for establishing a contour of a structure, comprising
 an initialization subsystem ( 1 ) for initializing an adaptive mesh representing an approximate contour of the structure, the structure being represented at least partly by a first image, and the structure being represented at least partly by a second image; and   a deforming subsystem ( 2 ) for deforming the adaptive mesh, based on feature information of the first image and feature information of the second image.   
     
     
         2 . The system according to  claim 1 , the deforming subsystem comprising a force-establishing subsystem ( 3 ) for establishing a force acting on at least part of the adaptive mesh in dependence on the feature information of the first image and the feature information of the second image. 
     
     
         3 . The system according to  claim 2 , the force-establishing subsystem ( 3 ) being arranged for establishing the force acting on the at least part of the adaptive mesh also in dependence on a type of the first image and/or a type of the second image. 
     
     
         4 . The system according to  claim 1 , the deforming subsystem ( 3 ) comprising a feature information-extracting subsystem ( 11 ) for extracting feature information from the respective images, using respective models trained for the particular imaging modalities or protocols used to acquire the respective images. 
     
     
         5 . The system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a transform-establishing subsystem ( 4 ) for establishing a first coordinate transform defining a registration between the adaptive mesh and at least one of the first image and the second image, based on feature information in the respective image and the adaptive mesh. 
     
     
         6 . The system according to  claim 5  the transform establishing a subsystem ( 4 ) being arranged for establishing a second coordinate transform defining a relation between a coordinate system of the first image and a coordinate system of the second image, based on the first transform. 
     
     
         7 . The system according to  claim 5  the coordinate transform being an affine transform. 
     
     
         8 . The system according to  claim 1 , further comprising
 a general outline-providing subsystem ( 5 ) for providing a shape model representing a general outline of the structure;   the deforming subsystem ( 2 ) being arranged for deforming the adaptive mesh based also on the shape model.   
     
     
         9 . The system according to  claim 1 , the first image and the second image having been acquired using at least one imaging modality from the group of X-ray, CT, MR, Ultrasound, PET, SPECT, and magnetic particle imaging. 
     
     
         10 . The system according to  claim 1 , the first and second image having been acquired using two different imaging modalities. 
     
     
         11 . The system according to  claim 1 , the first image having been acquired while a particular object was visible in the imaged subject, the second image having been acquired while that particular object was not visible in the imaged subject. 
     
     
         12 . A medical imaging workstation comprising the system according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         13 . A medical imaging acquisition apparatus comprising a scanner for acquiring the first image and the system according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         14 . A method of establishing a contour of a structure, comprising
 initializing ( 201 ) an adaptive mesh representing an approximate contour of the structure, the structure being represented at least partly by a first image, and the structure being represented at least partly by a second image; and   deforming ( 202 ) the adaptive mesh, based on feature information of the first image and feature information of the second image.   
     
     
         15 . A computer program product comprising instructions for causing a processor system to perform the steps of the method according to  claim 14 .