Method and apparatus for editing abdominal CT angiographic images for blood vessel visualization

摘要

A method for automatically editing a plurality of CT image slices to provide a three dimensional view of a selected object located within a patient's body comprises providing at least one slab of CT image slices produced by CT scanning system and computing a top MIP image of the slab. An undesirable object is automatically removed from the top MIP image by first detecting all the pixels having illuminating intensity values which represent the undesirable object. Then all the pixels of the object to be removed are set to a substantially zero illuminating intensity value in order to remove the object from the top MIP image of the slab. After the undesirable object is removed from the top MIP image, the edits made thereto are applied to each CT image slice in the slab. The present invention also includes apparatus for performing a 3D reconstruction of CT angiographic images to visualize a selected object located within a patient's body. The apparatus comprises an x-ray tube for projecting energy into a layer of interest in the patient's body and a detector for detecting changes in the projected energy as it exits the layer of interest. The changes detected in the projected energy are indicative of various objects including the selected object that are located within the layer of interest of the patient's body. Moreover, the x-ray tube and detector operate in conjunction to provide at least one slab of CT image slices.