System and method for improving workflow efficiency in tomosynthesis medical image data interpretation

摘要

Disclosed are systems and methods for forming a newly synthesized two-dimensional image of an anatomical region such as the chest. A two-dimensional region of interest (ROI) such as a chunk is extracted from three-dimensional medical image data such as a volume reconstructed by digital tomosynthesis. Next, using an image processing technique, the ROI is blended with the two-dimensional image information of the anatomical region to form a composite two-dimensional image. This arrangement and the resulting image preferably improve the workflow of medical image data interpretation by a physician. This is because the composite two-dimensional image provides details that could only be seen conventionally by examining three-dimensional medical image data.