TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to a system for determining a type of cancer. In particular, this invention relates to a system for determining a type of cancer depicted in an image through comparison of the image to a database.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, there is provided a system for determining a type of cancer including: - a receiving means for receiving data from an ultrasound device; a categorising means for categorising the data; a comparison means for comparing the categorised data with empirical data; and an analysing means for analysing information generated by the comparison means, the analysing means being configured to use the information generated by the comparison means to determine a likelihood of the cancerous tissue being a particular type of cancer.

The receiving means may be configured to receive data from a plurality of ultrasound devices. The receiving means may be configured to receive data in the form of ultrasound imaging relating to a scanned area of interest of a patient. The receiving means may be configured to receive ultrasound imaging captured by the ultrasound device using a signal which is generated by the ultrasound device and which gets reflected back to the ultrasound device by the scanned area of interest of the patient. The ultrasound device may use any conventional signal generating mode to generate the signal, which may be selected from any one or more of the group including in A-mode, B-mode, C-mode, M-mode, pulse inversion mode, and harmonic mode, preferably being B-mode. The receiving means may be configured to receive an identifier from the ultrasound device for identifying the ultrasound device. The receiving means may be configured to receive a plurality of identifiers from a plurality of ultrasound devices for identifying each ultrasound device to determine from which ultrasound device data was received. The receiving means may be configured to receive the identifier via internet communication. The identifier may be in the form of a specified IP address.

A converting means may be provided for converting the data from any conventional ultrasound device into a form that can be interrogated by the categorising means. The converting means may be arranged to convert the data before and/or after it is received by the receiving means. The converting means may be arranged to convert the data into a pixelated form according to an intensity of the signal generated by the ultrasound device. The intensity may be in the form of a value of intensity, preferably RGB values or grayscale values, further preferably being grayscale values. The values may have any suitable range wherein a lowest value of the range is associated with a black pixel as a result of low intensity of the signal and a highest value of the range is associated with a white pixel as a result of high intensity of the signal. In particular, the values may have a range of 0 to 255 wherein 0 is associated with a black pixel as a result of low intensity of the signal and 255 is associated with a white pixel as a result of high intensity of the signal. The data, in the pixelated form, may be arranged to form an image which may be stored in the form of an image file format which may be selected from the group including a jpeg, dicom, tiff, png, gif, psd, raw and html.

The categorising means may be configured to categorise the data according to predetermined ranges of intensity. The predetermined ranges may have any suitable increment, preferably being in increments of 10 from 0 to 255. The categorising means may be configured to determine the predetermined range within which each intensity value falls. The categorising means may be configured to determine a number of intensity values falling into the predetermined range. The comparison means may be configured to determine a degree of similarity between the categorised data and the empirical data. The empirical data may be in the form of ultrasound images of different types of cancerous tissue, preferably cancerous breast tissue. The ultrasound images may be formed from pixels. Each pixel may be associated with an intensity value. The intensity values are categorised into the predetermined ranges of intensity and a number of intensity values for each predetermined range of intensity is determined. The comparison means may be configured to compare the number of intensity values within each predetermined range for the categorised data to those of the empirical data.

The analysing means may be configured to analyse the information generated by the comparison means and link it to a type of cancer, preferably a type of breast cancer. Typically, a large number of intensity values falling within a particular predetermined range may indicate a likelihood of a particular type of cancer being present in the ultrasound image. Preferably, a large number of intensity values falling with in a range of 24 to 36 indicates a likelihood of lobular carcinoma being present and a large number of intensity values falling with in a range of 54 to 89 indicates a likelihood of ductal carcinoma being present.

A data storage means may be provided which is arranged in communication with the receiving means and/or the converting means for allowing the received and/or converted data to be stored and/or captured thereon. The data storage means may be in the form of any one or more of the group including an external hard drive, magnetic type hard drive, a solid-state drive, a network attached storage, a flash or USB drive and an optical drive. The data may be stored by the data storage means using any suitable conventional number of bits, preferably 8 bits.

A display device may be provided for displaying to a user information generated by the analysing means. The display device may be arranged in communication with any one or more the receiving means, converting means, categorising means, comparison means and analysing means for allowing receipt of data therefrom in order to display the data.

The receiving means, data storage means and/or display device may form part of a processor. The processor may be in the form of any suitable conventional processor of the group including a computer, mobile phone, tablet, server, and smart device.

The converting means, categorising means, comparison means and/or analysing means may be in the form if any suitable software and/or application which is run by the processor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

A system for determining a type of cancer in accordance with the invention will now be described by way of the following, non-limiting examples with reference to the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing: -

Figure 1 is a schematic showing a process diagram of the system for determining a type of cancer in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawing, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention a system for determining a type of cancer 10 includes a receiving means 12 for receiving data 14 from an ultrasound device 16, a categorising means 18 for categorising the data 14, a comparison means 20 for comparing the categorised data 22 to empirical data 24 and an analysing means 26 for analysing the information generated by the comparison means 20, the analysing means 26 being configured to use the information generated by the comparison means 20 to determine a likelihood of the cancerous tissue being a particular type of cancer 26.

The receiving means 12 is configured to receive data 14 from a plurality of ultrasound devices 16. The receiving means 12 is configured to receive data in the form of ultrasound imaging 14 relating to a scanned area of interest of a patient (not shown). The receiving means 12 is configured to receive ultrasound imaging 14 captured by the ultrasound device 16 using a signal (not shown) which is generated by the ultrasound device 16 and which gets reflected back to the ultrasound device 16 by the scanned area of interest of the patient (not shown). The ultrasound device 16 uses any conventional signal generating mode 28 to generate the signal (not shown), which is selected from any one or more of the group including in A-mode, B-mode, C- mode, M-mode, pulse inversion mode, and harmonic mode, in particular being B- mode. It is to be appreciated that each of the signal generating modes 28 differ in how the signal generated thereby is displayed. In A-mode a single transducer emits the signal which can then be displayed as amplitude versus time. In B-mode a plurality of transducers emits signals simultaneously and the signals are displayed as a function of brightness versus amplitude. In C-mode the image is formed in the plane normal to B-mode image. In M-mode the transducers emit the signals in quick succession. In pulse inversion mode the transducer emits two successive pulses with opposite signs which are then subtracted from each other. Further it is to be appreciated that in the harmonic mode the transducer emits a signal a deep penetrating fundamental frequency allowing signal noise and to be reduced. The receiving means 12 is configured to receive an identifier 30 from the ultrasound device 16 for identifying the ultrasound device 16. The receiving means 12 is configured to receive a plurality of identifiers 30 from a plurality of ultrasound devices 16 for identifying each ultrasound device 16 to determine from which ultrasound device 16 data 14 was received. The receiving means 12 is configured to receive the identifier 30 via internet communication. The identifier is in the form of a specified IP address 30.

A converting means 32 is provided for converting the data 14 from any conventional ultrasound device 16 into a form that can be interrogated by the categorising means 18. The converter 32 is arranged to convert the data 14 before or after it is received by the receiving means 12. The converter 32 is arranged to convert the data 14 into a pixelated form (not shown) according to an intensity of the signal (not shown) generated by the ultrasound device 16. The intensity is in the form of a value of intensity, in particular RGB values or grayscale values, further particularly grayscale values 34. The values 34 has any suitable range wherein a lowest value of the range is associated with a black pixel (not shown) as a result of low intensity of the signal (nto shown) and a highest value of the range is associated with a white pixel (not shown) as a result of high intensity of the signal (not shown). In particular, the values 34 have a range of 0 to 255 wherein 0 is associated with a black pixel (not shown) as a result of low intensity of the signal (not shown) and 255 is associated with a white pixel (not shown) as a result of high intensity of the signal (not shown). The data, in the pixelated form (not shown), is arranged to form an image 36 which is stored in an image format which is selected from the group including a jpeg, dicom, tiff, png, gif, psd, raw and html.

The categorising means 18 is configured to categorise the data 34 according to predetermined ranges of intensity 40. The predetermined ranges have any suitable increment, preferably being in increments of 10 from 0 to 255. The categorising means 18 is configured to determine the predetermined range within which each intensity value 34 falls. The categorising means is configured to determine a number 42 of intensity values 34 falling into the predetermined range 40.

The comparison means 20 which is configured to determine a degree of similarity between the categorised data 22 and the empirical data 24. The empirical data is in the form of ultrasound images 24 of different types of cancerous tissue, in particular cancerous breast tissue. The ultrasound images 24 are formed from pixels 43. Each pixel 43 is associated with an intensity value 44. The intensity values 44 are categorised into the predetermined ranges of intensity 40 and a number of intensity values 46 for each predetermined range of intensity 40 is determined. The comparison means is configured to compare the number of intensity values 34 within each predetermined range 40 for the categorised data 22 to those of the empirical data 24. The analysing means 26 which is configured to link the information generated by the comparison means 20 to a type of cancer, particularly a type of breast cancer 48. Typically, a large number of intensity values 34 falling within a particular predetermined range 40 indicates a likelihood of a particular type of cancer being present in the ultrasound image 36. In particular, a large number of intensity values 34 falling with in a range of 24 to 36 indicates a likelihood of lobular carcinoma 50 being present and a large number of intensity values 34 falling with in a range of 54 to 89 indicates a likelihood of ductal carcinoma 52 being present.

A data storage means 38 is provided which is arranged in communication with the receiving means 12 or the converter 32 for allowing the received or converted data 14 to be stored and captured thereon. The data storage means 38 is in the form of any one or more of the group including an external hard drive or magnetic type hard drive, a solid-state drive, a network attached storage, a flash or USB drive and an optical drive. The data 14 is stored by the solid-state drive 38 using any suitable conventional number of bits, typically being 8 bits.

A display device (not shown) is provided for displaying to a user information generated by the analysis means 26. The display device is arranged in communication with any one or more the receiving means 12, converter 32, categorising means 18, comparison means 20 and analysing means 26 for allowing receipt of data therefrom.

The receiving means 12, data storage means 38 and display (not shown) forms part of a processor (not shown). The processor is in the form of any suitable conventional processor of the group including a computer, mobile phone, tablet, server, and smart device. The converter 32, categorising means 18, comparison means 20 and analysing means 26 is in the form of any suitable software (not shown) or application (not shown) which is run by the processor (not shown).

It is, of course, to be appreciated that the system for determining a type of cancer 10 in accordance with the invention is not limited to the precise constructional and functional details as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings and which may be varied as desired.

Although only certain embodiments of the invention have been described herein, it will be understood by any person skilled in the art that other modifications, variations, and possibilities of the invention are possible. Such modifications, variations and possibilities are therefore to be considered as falling within the spirit and scope of the invention and hence form part of the invention as herein described and/or exemplified. It is further to be understood that the examples are provided for illustrating the invention further and to assist a person skilled in the art with understanding the invention and is not meant to be construed as unduly limiting the reasonable scope of the invention.

The inventor believes that the system for determining a type of cancer 10 in accordance with the present invention is advantageous in that it allows a type of cancer to be determined from an analysis of the cancerous tissue depicted by an ultrasound image.