Medical image imaging device for positioning an imaging slice

Abstract

A technique in a medical imaging apparatus being capable of setting any plane in three-dimensional space as an imaging slice is provided, allowing an automatically-set imaging slice to be configured to suit user's preferences, and determine a position of the imaging slice being configured, with respect to an imaging target subject automatically with a high degree of accuracy. Reference information for specifying the imaging slice, set by the user for each imaging site, is associated with the anatomical feature of the imaging site, so as to generate an imaging slice parameter. Upon actual imaging, the imaging slice parameter and the anatomical feature of the imaging target subject obtained by scout imaging are used to determine the imaging slice position of the imaging target subject.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A medical imaging apparatus capable of imaging any slice in three-dimensional space comprising:
 a standard imaging slice setter for obtaining a standard imaging slice associated with an imaging site and generating one or more parameters for the imaging site, the standard imaging slice setter comprising:
 a reference information acceptor for receiving at least two reference points as information specifying the inclination of the standard imaging slice; 
 a generator of the one or more parameters for the imaging site, wherein the one or more parameters are generated based on one or more anatomical features in proximity to the at least two reference points on the imaging site and a difference value of each of the reference points, relative to each of the one or more anatomical features in proximity thereto; and 
 a real imaging slice position calculator for, automatically and without manual intervention, calculating a real imaging slice position for the imaging site by using a scout image, the real imaging slice position calculator further comprising:
 an anatomical feature extractor for receiving the one or more parameters generated by the standard imaging slice setter, extracting the one or more anatomical features on the scout image and calculating the real imaging slice position based on the one or more parameters for the imaging site; and 
 a display part for displaying to a user, the calculated real imaging slice position, as a recommended imaging slice.