GENERATING A TEMPORARY IMAGE

Abstract

A method for generating a temporary image includes acquiring first data of an examination object, and providing at least one initialization image by applying a first processing function and/or a second processing function to the first data. The first processing function and the second processing function are at least partially different. The at least one initialization image is visualized. Further data of the examination object is acquired. Result data is provided by applying the first processing function to the further data. A result image is provided by applying the second processing function to the further data and/or the result data. The result data is provided before the result image. The temporary image is generated based on the result data and the at least one initialization image. The temporary image is visualized, and the result image is visualized.

Claims

1. A method for generating a temporary image, the method comprising: acquiring first data of an examination object using a medical imaging device; providing at least one initialization image, the providing of the at least one initialization image comprising applying a first processing function, a second processing function, or the first processing function and the second processing function to the first data, wherein the first processing function and the second processing function are at least partially different; visualizing, by a presentation apparatus, a graphical representation of the at least one initialization image; acquiring further data of the examination object using the medical imaging device; providing result data, the providing of the result data comprising applying the first processing function to the further data; providing a result image, the providing of the result image comprising applying the second processing function to the further data, the result data, or the further data and the result data, wherein the result data is provided before the result image; generating the temporary image based on the result data and the at least one initialization image; visualizing, by the presentation apparatus, a graphical representation of the temporary image; visualizing, by the presentation apparatus, a graphical representation of the result image; wherein the visualizing of the graphical representation of the at least one initialization image, the visualizing of the graphical representation of the temporary image, and the visualizing of the graphical representation of the result image are successively executed, wherein the acquiring of the further data, the providing of the result data, the providing of the result image, the generating of the temporary image, the visualizing of the graphical representation of the temporary image, and the visualizing of the graphical representation of the result image are executed repeatedly until occurrence of a termination condition, and wherein the result data, the result image, or the result data and the result image are provided as the at least one initialization image during the repeated execution.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the result data comprises applying the first processing function to the further data in a first provisioning duration, the first provisioning duration being shorter than a second provisioning duration of the second processing function for providing the result image.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one initialization image maps the examination object at an initial instant, wherein the result data maps the examination object at a further instant after the initial instant, and wherein the temporary image is generated such that the temporary image maps the examination object at the further instant or at an instant between the initial instant and the further instant.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the result data maps a change in the examination object with respect to the at least one initialization image, wherein generating the temporary image comprises determining a movement model characterizing the change using the at least one initialization image or using the at least one initialization image and the result data, and wherein the temporary image is generated also based on the movement model such that the temporary image maps the change at the further instant or at the instant between the initial instant and the further instant.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the acquiring of the further data, the providing of the result data, the providing of the result image, the generating of the temporary image, the visualizing of the graphical representation of the temporary image, and the visualizing of the graphical representation of the result image are repeated at least once, and wherein determining the movement model comprises determining the movement model using previous initialization images and the respectively current result data.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising receiving a movement signal that describes a physiological movement of the examination object, a movement of a medical object in the examination object, or the physiological movement of the examination object and the movement of a medical object in the examination object, and wherein the movement model is also determined using the movement signal.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the generating of the temporary image comprises generating at least one further temporary image based on the result data and the at least one initialization image, wherein the temporary image and the at least one further temporary image maps the examination object at different instants, the different instants comprising the further instant, the instant between the initial instant and the further instant, or the further instant and the instant between the initial instant and the further instant, and wherein visualizing the graphical representation of the temporary image also comprises visualizing, by the presentation apparatus, a graphical representation of the at least one further temporary image.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein the instant at which the temporary image maps the examination object lies between the initial instant and the further instant, and wherein the graphical representations are successively displayed by the presentation apparatus and at an interval corresponding to the respective instant of the mapping.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first processing function comprises a first image reconstruction, a first artifact reduction, a first movement correction, a first filtering of the first data, the further data, or the first data and the further data, or any combination thereof.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the second processing function comprises: a second image reconstruction; a second artifact reduction; a second movement correction; a second filtering of the first data, the further data, the result data, or any combination thereof; or any combination thereof.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the temporary image comprises weighted, averaging, addition, subtraction, multiplication, interpolation, or any combination thereof of the result data and of the at least one initialization image.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the temporary image comprises applying a trained function to input data, wherein the input data is based on the at least one initialization image and the result data, and wherein at least one parameter of the trained function is adjusted by a comparison of a training temporary image with a comparison temporary image.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the temporary image comprises identifying a portion of the result data, the portion having a deviation with respect to a corresponding portion in the at least one initialization image, wherein generating the temporary image comprises generating the temporary image based on the at least one initialization image and the portion of the result data.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the at least one initialization image comprises: providing a first initialization image, the providing of the first initialization image comprising applying the first processing function to the first data; and providing a second initialization image, the providing of the second initialization image comprising applying the second processing function to the first data (D1), wherein the temporary image is generated based on the result data, the first initialization image, and the second initialization image, and wherein during the repeated execution, the result data is provided as the first initialization image and the result image is provided as the second initialization image.

15. A system comprising: a medical imaging device configured to acquire first data and further data; a provisioning unit configured to: provide at least one initialization image, the provision of the at least one initialization image comprising application of a first processing function, a second processing function, or the first processing function and the second processing function to the first data; provide result data, the provision of the result data comprising application of the first processing function to the further data; provide a result image, the provision of the result image comprising application of the second processing function to the further data, the result data, or the further data and the result data; generate a temporary image based on the result data and the at least one initialization image; and a presentation apparatus configured to successively visualize graphical representations of the at least one initialization image, the temporary image, and the result image, respectively.

16. In a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores instructions executable by one or more processors to generate a temporary image, the instructions comprising: acquiring first data of an examination object using a medical imaging device; providing at least one initialization image, the providing of the at least one initialization image comprising applying a first processing function, a second processing function, or the first processing function and the second processing function to the first data, wherein the first processing function and the second processing function are at least partially different; visualizing, by a presentation apparatus, a graphical representation of the at least one initialization image; acquiring further data of the examination object using the medical imaging device; providing result data, the providing of the result data comprising applying the first processing function to the further data; providing a result image, the providing of the result image comprising applying the second processing function to the further data, the result data, or the further data and the result data, wherein the result data is provided before the result image; generating the temporary image based on the result data and the at least one initialization image; visualizing, by the presentation apparatus, a graphical representation of the temporary image; visualizing, by the presentation apparatus, a graphical representation of the result image; wherein the visualizing of the graphical representation of the at least one initialization image, the visualizing of the graphical representation of the temporary image, and the visualizing of the graphical representation of the result image are successively executed, wherein the acquiring of the further data, the providing of the result data, the providing of the result image, the generating of the temporary image, the visualizing of the graphical representation of the temporary image, and the visualizing of the graphical representation of the result image are executed repeatedly until occurrence of a termination condition, and wherein the result data, the result image, or the result data and the result image are provided as the at least one initialization image during the repeated execution.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein providing the result data comprises applying the first processing function to the further data in a first provisioning duration, the first provisioning duration being shorter than a second provisioning duration of the second processing function for providing the result image.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the at least one initialization image maps the examination object at an initial instant, wherein the result data maps the examination object at a further instant after the initial instant, and wherein the temporary image is generated such that the temporary image maps the examination object at the further instant or at an instant between the initial instant and the further instant.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0092] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are represented in the drawings and will be described in more detail below. Same reference numerals will be used in different figures for same features. In the drawings:

[0093] FIGS. 1 to 4 show schematic representations of different embodiments of a method for generating a temporary image;

[0094] FIG. 5 shows a schematic representation of a progression over time of an embodiment of a method for generating a temporary image;

[0095] FIG. 6 shows a schematic representation of an embodiment of a system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0096] FIG. 1 schematically represents an embodiment of a method for generating GEN-TI a temporary image TI. In a first act a), first data D1 of an examination object may be acquired ACQ-D1 by a medical imaging device. In a second act b), at least one initialization image I2 may be provided by applying a first processing function PF1 and/or a second processing function PF2 to the first data D1. FIG. 1 shows, by way of example, a provision of the at least one initialization image I2 by applying the second processing function PF2 to the first data D1. In a third act c), a graphical representation of the at least one initialization image I2 may be visualized VISU-I by a presentation apparatus. In a fourth act d), further data DF of the examination object may be acquired ACQ-DF by the medical imaging device (e.g., after the acquisition ACQ-D1 of the first data D1). The first data D1 and the further data DF may map an at least partially shared examination region of the examination object. In a fifth act e.1), result data RD may be provided by applying the first processing function PF1 to the further data DF. In a sixth act e.2), a result image RI may be provided by applying the second processing function PF2 to the further data DF and/or the result data RD. The result data RD may be provided before the result image RI. Further, in a seventh act f), a temporary image TI may be generated GEN-TI based on the result data RD and the at least one initialization image I2. In an eighth act g), a graphical representation of the temporary image TI may be visualized VISU-TI by the presentation apparatus. Further, in a ninth act h), a graphical representation of the result image RI may be visualized VISU-RI by the presentation apparatus. At least acts c), g) and h) (e.g., visualizing the graphical representations of the at least one initialization image VISU-I, the temporary image VISU-TI, and the result image VISU-RI, respectively) may be executed successively. In one embodiment, acts d) to h) may be repeated until the occurrence Y of a termination condition A. The result data RD and/or the result image RI may be provided PROV-I during the repeated execution of acts d) to h) as the at least one initialization image I2.

[0097] In one embodiment, the at least one initialization image I2 may map the examination object at an initial instant. Further, the result data RD may map the examination object at a further instant after the initial instant. In addition, the temporary image TI may be generated GEN-TI in act f) such that the temporary image TI maps the examination object at the further instant or at an instant between the initial and the further instant.

[0098] In one embodiment, in act f), at least one further temporary image may be generated based on the result data RD and the at least one initialization image I2. The temporary image TI and the at least one further temporary image may map the examination object at different instants. The different instants include the further instant and/or an instant between the initial instant and the further instant. Further, in act g), a graphical representation of the at least one further temporary image may still be visualized by the presentation apparatus.

[0099] If the temporary image TI maps the examination object at an instant between the initial instant and the further instant, the graphical representations may be visualized VISU-I, VISU-TI and VISU-RI in acts c), g) and h) by the presentation apparatus in, for example, direct, chronological order and at an interval corresponding to the respective instant of the mapping.

[0100] In one embodiment, the first processing function PF1 may include a first image reconstruction, a first artifact reduction, a first movement correction, and/or a first filtering of the first data D1 and/or the further data DF. Further, the second processing function PF2 may include a second image reconstruction, a second artifact reduction, a second movement correction, and/or a second filtering of the first data D1, the further data DF, and/or the result data RD.

[0101] Further, the temporary image TI may be generated GEN-TI in act f) by, for example, weighted, averaging and/or addition and/or subtraction and/or multiplication and/or interpolation of the result data RD and of the at least one initialization image I2.

[0102] Alternatively, the temporary image TI may be generated GEN-TI in act f) by applying a trained function to input data. The input data of the trained function may be based on the at least one initialization image I2 and the result data RD. Further, at least one parameter of the trained function may be adjusted by way of a comparison of a training temporary image with a comparison temporary image.

[0103] FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of a further embodiment of a method for generating GEN-TI a temporary image TI. The result data RD may map a change in the examination object with respect to the at least one initialization image I2. In act f), a movement model MM characterizing the change may be determined DET-MM using the at least one initialization image I2 or using the at least one initialization image I2 and the result data RD. In addition, the temporary image TI may be generated GEN-TI also based on the movement model MM such that the temporary image TI maps the change at the further instant or at the instant between the initial and the further instant.

[0104] In one embodiment, acts d) to h) may be repeated at least once. The movement model MM may be determined DET-MM using the previous initialization images I2 and the respectively current result data RD.

[0105] Further, a movement signal SIG may be received REC-SIG. The movement signal SIG describes a physiological movement of the examination object and/or a movement of a medical object in the examination object. The movement model MM may also be determined DET-MM using the movement signal SIG.

[0106] FIG. 3 schematically represents a further embodiment of a method for generating GEN-TI a temporary image TI. Act f) may include identifying ID-TB a portion TB of the result data RD. The portion TB has a deviation with respect to a corresponding portion in the at least one initialization image I2. The temporary image TI may be generated based on the at least one initialization image I2 and the portion TB of the result data RD.

[0107] FIG. 4 shows a schematic representation of a further embodiment of a method for generating GEN-TI a temporary image TI. In act b), a first initialization image I1 may be provided by applying the first processing function PF1 to the first data D1 and a second initialization image I2 by applying the second processing function PF2 to the first data D1. Further, the temporary image TI may be generated GEN-TI in act f) based on the result data RD, the first initialization image I1, and the second initialization image I2. In addition, during the repeated execution of acts d) to h), the result data RD may be provided PROV-I as the first initialization image I1, and the result image RI may be provided as the second initialization image I2.

[0108] In one embodiment, act f) may include (e.g., weighted) subtraction of the first initialization image I1 from the result data RD, with a differential image being provided. Further, act f) may include (e.g., weighted) addition of the second initialization image I2 and of the differential image. Image regions of the result data RD that are unchanged with respect to the first initialization image I1 may be removed by the subtraction of the first initialization image I1 from the result data RD. The constant image portions with a higher image quality may be added from the second initialization image I2 to the temporary image TI by the addition of the second initialization image I2 and the differential image:

TI=I.sub.2−α.Math.I.sub.1+β.Math.RD  (1),

where α, β∈[0, 1] (e.g., α=β=0.5) are weighting factors for the addition and subtraction.

[0109] FIG. 5 shows a schematic representation of a progression over time of an embodiment of the method for generating GEN-TI a temporary image TI. The time dimension is illustrated by a horizontal arrow in FIG. 5. Further, the result data RD may be provided by applying the first processing function PF1 to the further data DF in a first provisioning duration. The first provisioning duration is shorter than a second provisioning duration of the second processing function PF2 for providing the result image RI.

[0110] With an exemplary acquisition rate of the first data D1 and the further data DF of 30 frames per second (fps), a time difference (e.g., a frame duration) between the initial instant and the further instant is approximately 33.3 ms. If at 23.3 ms, for example, the first provisioning duration of the first processing function PF1 is faster, for example, by half a frame duration (e.g., 16.7 ms) than the second provisioning duration, which is, for example, 40 ms, the visualization VISU-TI of the graphical representation of the temporary image TI may take place as early as before providing the result image RI. If the temporary image TI and the result image RI map the examination object respectively at the further instant, the latency between the acquisition ACQ-DF of the further data DF and the visualization of a graphical representation of a mapping of the examination object at the further instant may be reduced by the visualization VISU-TI of the graphical representation of the temporary image TI.

[0111] FIG. 6 shows a schematic representation of an embodiment of a system. The system may have a medical imaging device, a provisioning unit PRVS, and a presentation apparatus 41. The system may be configured to carry out an embodiment of the method for generating GEN-TI a temporary image TI.

[0112] FIG. 6 schematically represents, by way of example for a medical imaging device, a medical C-arm X-ray device 37. The medical C-arm X-ray device 37 may include a detector 34 (e.g., an X-ray detector) and an X-ray source 33. An arm 38 of the C-arm X-ray device 37 may be positioned to move around one or more axes in order to acquire the first data D1 and the further image data DF. Further, the medical C-arm X-ray device 37 may include a movement apparatus 39 that enables a movement of the C-arm X-ray device 37 in the space. The medical C-arm X-ray device 37 may be configured to successively acquire ACQ-D1 and ACQ-DF the first data D1 and the further data DF.

[0113] The provisioning unit PRVS may send a signal 24 to the X-ray source 33 in order to acquire the first data ACQ-D1 and the further image data ACQ-DF from the examination object 31, arranged on a patient-positioning facility 32. The X-ray source 33 may then emit an X-ray beam bundle. When the X-ray beam bundle, after interaction with the examination object 31, impinges on a surface of the detector 34, the detector 34 may send a signal 21 to the provisioning unit PRVS. The provisioning unit PRVS may receive the first data D1 and/or the further data DF using the signal 21, for example.

[0114] Further, the system may have an input unit 42 (e.g., a keyboard) and the presentation apparatus 41 (e.g., a monitor and/or display and/or projector). The input unit 42 may be integrated in the presentation apparatus 41 (e.g., in the case of a capacitive and/or resistive input display). An input of the user at the input unit 42 may enable control of the medical C-arm X-ray device 37 (e.g., of the method for generating GEN-TI a temporary image TI). For this, the input unit 42 may send, for example, a signal 26 to the provisioning unit PRVS.

[0115] The provisioning unit PRVS may be configured to provide the at least one initialization image I1 and/or I2 by applying the first processing function PF1 and/or the second processing function PF1 to the first data D1. In addition, the provisioning unit PRVS may be configured to provide the result data RD by applying the first processing function PF1 to the further data DF. Further, the provisioning unit PRVS may be configured to provide the result image RI by applying the second processing function PF2 to the further data DF and/or the result data RD. Further, the provisioning unit PRVS may be configured to generate GEN-TI the temporary image TI based on the result data RD and the at least one initialization image I2. The presentation apparatus 41 may be configured to successively visualize VISU-I, VISU-TI and VISU-RI the graphical representation of the at least one initialization image I2, the temporary image TI, and the result image RI. For this, the provisioning unit PRVS may provide the presentation apparatus 41 with the at least one initialization image I2, the temporary image TI, and the result image RI using a signal 25.

[0116] The schematic representations contained in the described figures do not in any way depict a scale or size ratio.

[0117] In conclusion, reference will be made once again to the fact that the methods and apparatuses described in detail above are merely exemplary embodiments that may be modified in a wide variety of ways by a person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. Further, use of the indefinite article “a” or “an” does not preclude the relevant features from also being present several times. Similarly, the terms “unit” and “element” do not preclude the relevant components from being composed of a plurality of interacting sub-components that may optionally also be spatially distributed.

[0118] The elements and features recited in the appended claims may be combined in different ways to produce new claims that likewise fall within the scope of the present invention. Thus, whereas the dependent claims appended below depend from only a single independent or dependent claim, it is to be understood that these dependent claims may, alternatively, be made to depend in the alternative from any preceding or following claim, whether independent or dependent. Such new combinations are to be understood as forming a part of the present specification.

[0119] While the present invention has been described above by reference to various embodiments, it should be understood that many changes and modifications can be made to the described embodiments. It is therefore intended that the foregoing description be regarded as illustrative rather than limiting, and that it be understood that all equivalents and/or combinations of embodiments are intended to be included in this description.