EP-4738275-A1 - IMAGING AREA OUTPUT APPARATUS, IMAGING AREA OUTPUT METHOD, AND IMAGING APPARATUS

EP4738275A1EP 4738275 A1EP4738275 A1EP 4738275A1EP-4738275-A1

Abstract

An imaging area output apparatus according to an embodiment includes a processing circuitry. The processing circuitry acquires a template for searching an imaging area. The processing circuitry generates, based on pixel information of each of pixels, an appropriateness map representing an appropriateness degree as the imaging area for each of the pixels. The processing circuitry generates an integral map of the appropriateness map, and calculates an evaluation value as the imaging area of the template by utilizing the integral map with respect to each of disposition ranges of the template to the appropriateness map. The processing circuitry searches a specific disposition range in which the evaluation value satisfies a separately determined condition, and outputs identification data of the imaging area corresponding to the specific disposition range.

Inventors

TAKESHIMA, HIDENORI

Assignees

Canon Medical Systems Corporation

Dates

Publication Date: 20260506
Application Date: 20251031

Claims (20)

An imaging area output apparatus comprising a processing circuitry configured to: acquire a template for searching an imaging area; generate, based on pixel information of each of pixels, an appropriateness map representing an appropriateness degree as the imaging area for each of the pixels; generate an integral map of the appropriateness map; calculate an evaluation value as the imaging area of the template by utilizing the integral map with respect to each of disposition ranges of the template to the appropriateness map, and search a specific disposition range in which the evaluation value satisfies a separately determined condition; and output identification data of the imaging area corresponding to the specific disposition range.
The imaging area output apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pixel value includes a segmentation value representing a segmentation result for each of the pixels, a shimming value representing an error from a reference frequency, a signal value, and/or a monochromatic or color gradient based on the signal value.
The imaging area output apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to: calculate a total value of appropriateness degrees allocated to the pixels included in the disposition range of the template, by utilizing the integral map; and calculate the evaluation value, based on the total value.
The imaging area output apparatus of claim 3, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to calculate the evaluation value, based on a correction value obtained by correcting the total value by a size of the template.
The imaging area output apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to change the disposition range of the template with respect to the appropriateness map by varying a combination of the position of disposition, a rotational angle, dimensions, and/or a shape of the template with respect to the appropriateness map.
The imaging area output apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to calculate the evaluation value with respect to the position of disposition while changing the position of disposition of the template in a search position range that is set on the appropriate degree map.
The imaging area output apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to: calculate the evaluation value while changing a position of disposition and/or a rotational angle with respect to each of the templates with different combinations of shapes and dimensions, and select a plurality of disposition ranges corresponding to the templates; and determine, based on the selected disposition ranges, the specific disposition range in which the evaluation value satisfies the condition.
The imaging area output apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to execute calculation of the evaluation value and selection of the specific disposition range while changing in multiple stages a search range of the position of disposition, the rotational angle, the dimensions and/or the shape.
The imaging area output apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to: rotate the appropriateness map at a plurality of rotational angles in an absolute coordinate system; generate the integral map of the rotated appropriateness map in the absolute coordinate system with respect to each of the rotational angles; dispose the template on the rotated appropriateness map in such a manner that at least one side of the template is parallel to any one of coordinate axes of the absolute coordinate system, and calculate the evaluation value of the template in the disposition range; and select the specific disposition range in which the evaluation value satisfies the condition.
The imaging area output apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to apply to the evaluation value a penalty for making smaller the evaluation value as a difference between a length of each of axes of the template and a desired length becomes larger.
The imaging area output apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to: input an input data string that is a data string of two or more dimensions; generate a converted input data string by applying separately determined one-to-one conversion to the input data string; generate an integral data string that is a data string acquired by integrating the converted input data string in one or more dimensions; and calculate, by utilizing the integral data string, an integral value of data values of the input data string in the disposition range of the template disposed on the converted input data string.
The imaging area output apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to: calculate an evaluation value based on the integral value, by utilizing the integral data string with respect to each of the disposition ranges; and search a specific disposition range in which the evaluation value satisfies a separately determined condition.
The imaging area output apparatus of claim 12, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to: generate the converted input data string acquired by reversely rotating the input data string by a predetermined rotational angle, thereby to search the specific disposition range by using the template that is forwardly rotated by the predetermined rotational angle relative to the input data string; and dispose the template, which is unrotated, on the converted input data string.
The imaging area output apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to: generate the converted input data strings that are reversely rotated by a plurality of rotational angles; and search the specific disposition range with respect to each of the converted input data strings, and specify a disposition range in which the evaluation value is highest among the specific disposition ranges of the converted input data strings.
The imaging area output apparatus of claim 11, wherein the one-to-one conversion is affine transformation.
The imaging area output apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to generate the integral data string that is a data string acquired by integrating the converted input data string in all dimensions of the converted input data string.
The imaging area output apparatus of claim 11, wherein the input data string is image data.
The imaging area output apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to: search the specific disposition range while changing a position of disposition of the template, dimensions of the template, and a rotational angle of the input data string, change, each time the rotational angle of the input data string is changed, the position of disposition of the template with respect to a combination selected by a separately determined method of the dimensions of the template, and search the specific disposition range; and the separately determined method uses a method of any one of a first-dimensional search, a second-dimensional search, a third-dimensional complete search, a multi-stage search and a diamond search in regard to a position, and uses a method of any one of a first-dimensional search, a second-dimensional search, a third-dimensional complete search and a multi-stage search in regard to dimensions.
An imaging area output method comprising: acquiring a template for searching an imaging area; generating, based on pixel information of each of pixels, an appropriateness map representing an appropriateness degree as the imaging area for each of the pixels; generating an integral map of the appropriateness map; calculating an evaluation value as the imaging area of the template by utilizing the integral map with respect to each of disposition ranges of the template to the appropriateness map, and searching a specific disposition range in which the evaluation value satisfies a separately determined condition; and outputting identification data of the imaging area corresponding to the specific disposition range.
An imaging apparatus comprising an imaging unit configured to perform imaging on an imaging area corresponding to identification data of the imaging area that is output from the imaging area output apparatus of claim 1.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from prior Japanese Patent Application No.2024-193101, filed November 1,2024, No.2024-193107, filed November 1,2024, and No.2025-074423, filed April 28,2025, the entire contents of all of which are incorporated herein by reference. FIELD Embodiments described herein relate generally to an imaging area output apparatus, an imaging area output method, and an imaging apparatus. BACKGROUND In MR spectroscopy, some automatic search methods relating to a VOI (Volume Of Interest) are known. As one example, there is a method in which a template of the VOI is fitted to a normal brain. In this method, the VOI is quickly determined by utilizing a known shape of the brain and the template of the VOI. However, in this method, since the shape of the brain varies from person to person, the fitting of the template is difficult, and there is concern that the VOI is set on another tissue that is similar in shape. As another example, there is a method in which a VOI is locally searched by utilizing a segmentation result of abnormality classification. In this method, segmentation of abnormality classification is applied to an image, and a tumor that is an abnormal region is specified. A small template is disposed on the center of the specified tumor, and an operation of one-dimensionally modifying the position of disposition, the dimensions, the rotational angle and the like of the template is repeated three times, thereby determining the VOI. However, in this method, since the position of disposition of the template is not determined globally, it is not ensured that the VOI is set at a suitable position. SUMMRY In relation to the embodiments, the following matters are disclosed as one aspect and a selective feature of the present invention. (Supplementary Note 1) An imaging area output apparatus including: an acquisition unit configured to acquire a template for searching an imaging area;a suitability map generation unit configured to generate, based on pixel information of each of pixels, a suitability map representing a suitability degree as the imaging area for each of the pixels;an integral map generation unit configured to generate an integral map of the suitability map;a search unit configured to calculate an evaluation value as the imaging area of the template by utilizing the integral map with respect to each of disposition ranges of the template to the suitability map, and to search a specific disposition range in which the evaluation value satisfies a separately determined condition; andan output unit configured to output identification data of the imaging area corresponding to the specific disposition range. (Supplementary Note 2) The imaging area output apparatus of Supplementary Note 1, wherein the pixel value includes a segmentation value representing a segmentation result for each of the pixels, a shimming value representing an error from a reference frequency, a signal value, and/or a monochromatic or color gradient based on the signal value. (Supplementary Note 3) The imaging area output apparatus of Supplementary Note 2, wherein the suitability map generation unit is configured to generate, for each of the pixels, the suitability degree, based on a value acquired by multiplying the segmentation value, the signal value or the gradient by the shimming value. (Supplementary Note 4) The imaging area output apparatus of Supplementary Note 1, wherein the search unit is configured to calculate a total value of suitability degrees allocated to the pixels included in the disposition range of the template, by utilizing the integral map, and to calculate the evaluation value, based on the total value. (Supplementary Note 5) The imaging area output apparatus of Supplementary Note 4, wherein the search unit is configured to calculate the evaluation value, based on a correction value obtained by correcting the total value by a size of the template. (Supplementary Note 6) The imaging area output apparatus of Supplementary Note 1, wherein the search unit is configured to change the disposition range of the template with respect to the suitability map by varying a combination of the position of disposition, a rotational angle, dimensions, and/or a shape of the template with respect to the suitability map. (Supplementary Note 7) The imaging area output apparatus of Supplementary Note 6, wherein as regards two or more disposition ranges having a relationship of rotational angles of 0 degrees, 90 degrees, 180 degrees and 270 degrees, the search unit is configured to apply the evaluation value of one of the two or more disposition ranges to the evaluation values of the other disposition ranges of the two or more disposition ranges. (Supplementary Note 8) The imaging area output apparatus of Supplementary Note 7, wherein shapes of the two or more templates corresponding to the two or more disposition ranges are right-angled t