CT Image Single Display and Contrast Enhancement
Innovative Products and Technologies
Technology Offer
CT Image Single Display and Contrast Enhancement
- RAMOT at Tel Aviv University Ltd.
- From Israel
- Responsive
- Innovative Products and Technologies
Summary of the technology
CT scans are a basic tool of most medical centers and are in constant use. However, tissues with significant X-ray attenuation coefficient differences cannot be viewed in a single CT display window. Dr. Spitzer has developed an algorithm for simultaneous viewing of all relevant anatomical features, with improved contrast. Implementation would not only save valuable analysis time and procedures, but would also aid diagnostics in presenting better images.
The algorithm is comprised of two processes: preprocessing and companding. The preprocessing phase has a unique method of enhancing and stretching the image. Following the preprocessing, there is companding (compressing and expanding) of the High Dynamic Range image (HDR) into a single low dynamic range image. The extracted image contains all the required CT information currently displayed in commercial devices in four windows. The process is completely automatic.
Project ID : 8-2008-70
Details of the Technology Offer
The Invention
An improved algorithm for handling CT scan information which enables the display of all relevant anatomical features in a single image.
Potential Applications
CT scans are a basic tool of most medical centers and are in constant use.An improved algorithm for simultaneous viewing of all relevant anatomical features would not only save valuable analysis time, but would also be an aid to evaluation, as seeing features together in a single image adds an important dimension to information extraction. The algorithm has been evaluated by collaborating radiololigsts with promising reactions.
The Need
An important clinical problem in radiology is the inability to see abnormalities in tissues with marked differences between their X-ray attenuation coefficients in a single CT window. When viewed by a radiologist the same CT image slice must be examined four times, each time focusing on a different tissue's window. This process is time-consuming and inconvenient. Our algorithm is comprised of two phases: 1. The preprocessing phase, a unique method of enhancing and stretching the image. 2. The major-processing phase, involving companding (compressing and expanding) the HDR (High Dynamic Range) CT image into a single low dynamic range image. The extracted image contains all the required CT information included in all the four windows mentioned above; the process is completely automatic.
Patent
Patent pending in US and Europe