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US-20260128162-A1 - SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR COMPARING MEDICAL IMAGES

US20260128162A1US 20260128162 A1US20260128162 A1US 20260128162A1US-20260128162-A1

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for comparing medical images may include obtaining image data produced by multiple imaging devices indicative of anatomical features associated with an arthroplasty procedure, preprocessing the image data, including projecting three dimensional image data produced by a first imaging device of the multiple imaging devices to a plane represented by two dimensional image data produced by a second imaging device of the multiple imaging devices, identifying one or more landmarks associated with the anatomical features for comparison between images in the image data, comparing the identified one or more landmarks across the images to determine whether the images represent different individuals, and producing a notification indicative of a result of the determination of whether the images represent different individuals.

Inventors

  • Bethany Grant
  • Christopher Hunt
  • Jackson R. Heavener

Assignees

  • DEPUY IRELAND UNLIMITED COMPANY

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20250918

Claims (20)

  1. 1 . A computer-implemented method for comparing medical images, the method comprising: obtaining, with a compute device, image data produced by multiple imaging devices indicative of anatomical features associated with an arthroplasty procedure; preprocessing, with the compute device, the image data, including projecting three dimensional image data produced by a first imaging device of the multiple imaging devices to a plane represented by two dimensional image data produced by a second imaging device of the multiple imaging devices; identifying, with the compute device, one or more landmarks associated with the anatomical features for comparison between images in the image data; comparing, with the compute device, the identified one or more landmarks across the images to determine whether the images represent different individuals; and producing, with the compute device, a notification indicative of a result of the determination of whether the images represent different individuals.
  2. 2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining image data produced by multiple imaging devices comprises obtaining two dimensional X-ray image data produced by a fluoroscope and three dimensional computed tomography image data produced by a computed tomography imaging device.
  3. 3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining image data comprises obtaining preoperative, intraoperative, or postoperative image data of one or more joints.
  4. 4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the one or more joints comprise a joint of a pelvis or a spine.
  5. 5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein projecting the three dimensional image data to a plane represented by the two dimensional image data comprises projecting the three dimensional image data to a sagittal plane, a coronal plane, a transverse plan, or an oblique plane represented in the two dimensional image data.
  6. 6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein preprocessing the image data comprises establishing a common scale among the images in the image data.
  7. 7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein establishing a common scale comprises establishing a common pixel density among the images in the image data.
  8. 8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying one or more landmarks to compare comprises identifying one or more landmarks based on a predefined set of landmarks to be identified.
  9. 9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying one or more landmarks to compare comprises identifying one or more landmarks to compare based on a degree to which each landmark in a set of possible landmarks is represented in the images.
  10. 10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein identifying one or more landmarks to compare based on a degree to which each landmark is represented in the images comprises identifying the one or more landmarks based on one or more of a clarity of each landmark in each of the images or an anatomical plane represented in each of the images.
  11. 11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying one or more landmarks comprises identifying a sacral endplate.
  12. 12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising determining, with the compute device, a distance between opposite edges of the sacral endplate.
  13. 13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying one or more landmarks comprises identifying an anterior superior iliac spine (ASIS) and a pubic symphysis.
  14. 14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising determining, by the compute device, a distance between the ASIS and the pubic symphysis.
  15. 15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying one or more landmarks comprises identifying a femoral head center and a sacral slope midpoint.
  16. 16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising determining, by the compute device, a distance between the femoral head center and the sacral slope midpoint.
  17. 17 . The method of claim 1 , wherein comparing the identified one or more landmarks across the images comprises determining differences in locations of the landmarks across the images.
  18. 18 . The method of claim 1 , wherein comparing the identified one or more landmarks across the images comprises determining differences in distances between the landmarks across the images.
  19. 19 . The method of claim 1 , wherein comparing the identified one or more landmarks across the images comprises determining whether differences in the landmarks across the images satisfy a similarity threshold.
  20. 20 . The method of claim 1 , wherein producing a notification comprises producing a notification indicative of differences in the one or more landmarks across the images in response to a determination that the images represent different individuals.

Description

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/715,204, filed Nov. 1, 2024, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to the analysis of medical images and more specifically to determining whether a set of medical images represent the same individual. BACKGROUND For medical procedures, such as surgeries to restore the function of a joint, or other orthopedic procedures, a medical practitioner may review anatomical images of a patient produced by one or more imaging devices. Those images may be utilized for preoperative, intraoperative, and/or postoperative purposes, such as for selecting, configuring, and fitting an implant (e.g., an artificial joint or component of an artificial joint) and/or subsequently analyzing the performance of the implant in the patient's body. Without robust analysis and planning in these phases, complications may arise during or after the operation. For example, in the case of a total hip arthroplasty, the complications may include leg length discrepancies, impingement, movement limitations, discomfort, component dislocation, and/or premature component failure. Some systems, such as VELYS Hip Navigation, from DePuy Synthes, may perform an analysis of medical images for such preoperative, intraoperative, or postoperative purposes based on a collection of medical images selected by a user (e.g., a medical practitioner). Those images may be selected from a larger set of images that may have been produced by multiple imaging devices and that may include medical images for multiple different patients. As such, to ensure that the analysis system receives the correct images, a medical practitioner may expend considerable time verifying that a collection of images to be analyzed do indeed represent the same individual. Presently disclosed embodiments provide automated analysis of medical images to determine whether the medical images all represent the same individual. SUMMARY According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a computer-implemented method for comparing medical images may comprise obtaining (with a compute device) image data produced by multiple imaging devices indicative of anatomical features associated with an arthroplasty procedure, preprocessing (with the compute device) the image data, including projecting three dimensional image data produced by a first imaging device of the multiple imaging devices to a plane represented by two dimensional image data produced by a second imaging device of the multiple imaging devices, identifying (with the compute device) one or more landmarks associated with the anatomical features for comparison between images in the image data, comparing (with the compute device) the identified one or more landmarks across the images to determine whether the images represent different individuals, and producing (with the compute device) a notification indicative of a result of the determination of whether the images represent different individuals. In some embodiments, obtaining image data produced by multiple imaging devices may comprise obtaining two dimensional X-ray image data produced by a fluoroscope and three dimensional computed tomography image data produced by a computed tomography imaging device. In some embodiments, obtaining image data may comprise obtaining preoperative, intraoperative, or postoperative image data of one or more joints. In some embodiments, the one or more joints may comprise a joint of a pelvis or a spine. In some embodiments, projecting the three dimensional image data to a plane represented by the two dimensional image data may comprise projecting the three dimensional image data to a sagittal plane, a coronal plane, a transverse plan, or an oblique plane represented in the two dimensional image data. In some embodiments, preprocessing the image data may comprise establishing a common scale among the images in the image data. In some embodiments, establishing a common scale may comprise establishing a common pixel density among the images in the image data. In some embodiments, identifying one or more landmarks to compare may comprise identifying one or more landmarks based on a predefined set of landmarks to be identified. In some embodiments, identifying one or more landmarks to compare may comprise identifying one or more landmarks to compare based on a degree to which each landmark in a set of possible landmarks is represented in the images. In some embodiments, identifying one or more landmarks to compare based on a degree to which each landmark is represented in the images may comprise identifying the one or more landmarks based on one or more of a clarity of each landmark in each of the images or an anatomical plane represented in each of the images. In some embodiments, identifying one or more landmarks may comprise identifying a sacral endplate. In some embodiments, the method may further comprise det