U.S. Pat. No. 7,260,249 (Smith) describes a “technique [that] applies pre-programmed rules that specify the manner in which medical image data is to be processed with different rules being based on different doctors' preferences, such as during contrast agent studies. One embodiment of the invention has application in contrast studies, where a contrast agent is applied to the tissues of the patient in order to provide enhanced images that depict tissue behavior during ‘uptake’ and ‘washout’ of the contrast agent. A first set of images is created before the contrast agent is injected. The time at which the contrast agent is injected is carefully tracked, and additional sets of images are created at selected time intervals.”
U.S. 2012/0236995 (Eusemann et al.) describes a “system [that] automatically adaptively determines contrast agent administration parameters for use in a CT scan imaging system. The system includes predetermined information associating a contrast agent type, contrast agent administration parameters, an imaging system X-ray tube voltage, a type of imaging procedure, and an anatomical region to be imaged. The [system] receives data identifying a type of imaging procedure or an anatomical region to be imaged, [and] uses the information in automatically identifying contrast agent parameters and X-ray tube voltage for use [with] a patient.”
U.S. 2013/0274589 (Gross et al) describes injecting ultrasound contrast agent together with CT or MRI contrast agent into the bloodstream. The location of the ultrasound contrast agent is continuously monitored with ultrasound imaging, and CT images are made only when the contrast agent is at the desired location, thereby avoiding the need to make many CT images at frequent time intervals, which would result in a high x-ray dose to the patient. In the case of MRI, the location of the contrast agent, as determined by the ultrasound imaging, can be used to interpret the MRI image, since the location of the contrast agent may change significantly during the long acquisition time of the MRI.
U.S. 2014/0005538 (Florent et al.) describes “normalizing perfusion [image] data based on the amount of contrast agent” present in a blood vessel, which is “deduced from the estimation of the total volume flow at this location.”
U.S. Pat. No. 8,170,306 (Yu et al.) describes “A recognition pipeline [that] automatically partitions a 3D image of the human body into regions of interest (head, rib cage, pelvis, and legs) and correctly labels each region. The recognition is robust to image variations, and does not require the user to provide any knowledge about the contained regions of interest within the image.”
U.S. Pat. No. 6,296,565 (Inbar et al.) describes “a viewbox with a display surface adapted to hold a film. A camera views the display surface and is connected to a controller. The invention is especially suitable for viewing medical images such as X-ray films or transparencies which are produced by hardcopy devices associated with digital medical imaging equipment.” The device can be used for viewing “a chest film, wherein determination of lung position enables the masking out of the abdomen and backbone which is much more transparent than the nearby lungs, so that it dazzles an operator viewing the lungs.” The patent describes automated “methods [that] are used to determine the extent of the lungs.”
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds