Simultaneous Dual Window/Level Settings for Improved Viewing of CT Colongraphy Images

Reference #:

2007-009

Inventors/Contributors

Armando Manduca Ph.D., Michael J. Carston, C. Daniel Johnson M.D.

Description

Currently, radiologists interpreting CT colonography exams find it most efficient to view colons primarily in a 2D axial mode, scrolling these slices up and down the abdomen. Typically, the entire colon is scanned twice on the computer screen, first with a "lung" window/level setting (analogous to contrast/brightness) that clearly shows protrusions into the lumen and identifies most typical polyps. A second pass is then made in the reverse direction at a "tissue" window/level setting to look for areas of wall thickening that are indicative of flat lesions. The invention is an alternative viewing strategy that displays images with different window/level settings in different areas; "lung" in the lumen, "tissue" further than some distance from the lumen with a smooth transition between these. This ideally enables the identification of both types of objects in a single pass.

Patent Status

Pending