Prostate Imaging

Patient-Specific MR-TRUS Registration for Image-Guided Prostate Interventions

Application

Registration software for higher accuracy in magnetic resonance (MR) and transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) imaging.

Key Benefits

Increased accuracy of prostate radiotherapy by combining two imaging modalities that include identifying patient-specific prostate variations.

Market Summary

Current methods for the treatment of prostate cancer include magnetic resonance (MR) and transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) guided radiotherapy; however, available software does not adequately merge the MR and TRUS images for successful image-guided prostate radiation therapy. MR-TRUS image registration is challenging due to the intrinsic differences between the two image modalities and the presence of artifacts, particularly in the TRUS images. An effective algorithm that successfully merges MR and TRUS images could drastically improve prostate cancer interventions.

Technical Summary

The standard approaches to MR-TRUS registration often perform poorly since an ideal relationship for merging MR and TRUS imaging usually does not exist due to differences in intensity. Emory researchers have overcome this traditional obstacle by developing a non-intensity-based algorithm which facilitates a successful merger of the two imaging modalities. The available MR-TRUS registration method consists of three major components: (1) the ability to calculate a 3D prostate elasticity map obtained from TRUS images; (2) the use of a surface-based registration between the MR and TRUS prostate surfaces to capture the prostate transformation; and (3) the ability to combine the elasticity map into surface-based transformation to constrain the volumetric deformation of the prostate gland.