Composite image generation and interactive display technology

Abstract

Image processing, creation and analysis techniques include using computer technology to identify a plurality of structures of interest in an image, such as spinal discs in a medical diagnostic image. Such techniques can also be used to improve image creation through the use of localizers which can help identify portions of an image, and the use of computer programs to combine multiple images into a single image for review.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer implemented method comprising:
 (a) obtaining a set of underlying images of a region under study from data obtained from one or more scans;   (b) creating a composite image of the region under study from a plurality of underlying images, wherein creating the composite image of the region under study comprises at least one of the following:
 i) combining spatially coextensive images; or 
 ii) combining adjacent underlying images coextensive in two dimensions; 
   (c) presenting the composite image to a user;   (d) receiving from the user an indication of a region of interest in the composite image;   (e) extracting image intensities from the underlying images within the indicated region of interest;   (f) creating a display of the extracted image intensities.   
     
     
         2 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein, the display of the image intensities further comprises
 a plurality of points displayed in a space defined by the one or more axes, each point representing a voxel combined to create the region of interest; and   wherein the position of each point on each axis from the one or more axes is determined based on the represented voxel's value for a measurement parameter of the axis.   
     
     
         3 . The computer implemented method of  claim 2  wherein the one or more axes comprises:
 (a) a first axis representing a first measurement parameter; and 
 (b) a second axis representing a second measurement parameter; 
 wherein the first measurement parameter is HU at the 140 kVp level; 
 wherein the second measurement parameter is HU at the 80 kVp level. 
 
     
     
         4 . The computer implemented method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 (a) receiving a selection of one or more points from the plurality of points;   (b) in response to receiving the selection, displaying the spatial location of the voxels represented by the selected points on one or more images.   
     
     
         5 . The computer implemented method of  claim 2  wherein the one or more axes comprises:
 a first axis representing a first measurement parameter; 
 a second axis representing a second measurement parameter; and 
 wherein the first axis and the second axis are generated using different energy levels. 
 
     
     
         6 . The computer implemented method of  claim 4 , wherein the spatial origin of selected points are interactively displayed on the orthogonal triplanar reformations passing through the voxels represented by the selected points.