1. A method of performing and assessing a thermal ablation procedure, said method comprising:
performing thermal ablation within a VOI in a patient;
capturing a first post-ablation procedure digital image of said VOI, wherein a first time interval occurs between said performing step and said capturing a first post-ablation procedure digital image step, wherein said first post-ablation procedure digital image is captured with a first x-ray scanner, wherein a first mass is discernable within said first post-ablation procedure digital image;
capturing a second post-ablation procedure digital image of said VOI, wherein a second time interval occurs between said capturing a first post-ablation procedure digital image step and said capturing a second post-ablation procedure digital image step, wherein said second post-ablation procedure digital image is captured with a second x-ray scanner, wherein a second mass is discernable within said second post-ablation procedure digital image;
registering said first post-ablation procedure digital image to said second post-ablation procedure digital image; and
displaying said first post-ablation procedure digital image and said second post-ablation procedure digital image such that at least a portion of differences between said first mass and said second mass are visually discernable.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
capturing, during said performing step, a series of digital images with a third x-ray scanner of said VOI, wherein each image of said series of said digital images is comprised of detected image signal data corresponding with an array of spatial locations substantially throughout said VOI;
calculating image signal data changes for substantially each spatial location within said array between at least two of said series of digital images, wherein said calculating step comprises determining Hounsfield unit changes for substantially each spatial location within said array;
inferring, based at least in part on said calculated image signal data changes, time-temperature profiles at each spatial location within said array during said performing step; and
predicting a coagulation necrosis volume based on said time-temperature profiles.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein said third x-ray scanner is different than at least one of said first x-ray scanner and second x-ray scanner.
4. The method of claim 2, wherein said third x-ray scanner is remote from at least one of said first x-ray scanner and second x-ray scanner.
5. The method of claim 2, further comprising generating a digital necrosis image of said VOI that includes a depiction of said predicted coagulation necrosis volume.
6. The method of claim 5, further comprising displaying said second post-ablation procedure digital image and said digital necrosis image such that at least a portion of differences between said second mass and said predicted coagulation necrosis volume are visually discernable.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein substantially all necrosis caused by said ablation occurs prior to the end of said first time interval.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein said first time interval is at least 1 day.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein said first time interval is between 1 and 30 days.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein said second time interval is at least 30 days.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein said first x-ray scanner is unique from said second x-ray scanner.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein said first x-ray scanner is remote from said second x-ray scanner.
13. The method of claim 1, wherein said first and second x-ray scanners are x-ray CT scanners.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein at least one of said first and second x-ray CT scanners is an x-ray CBCT scanner.
15. The method of claim 1, wherein said displaying step comprises displaying a solid model rendering of said first post-ablation procedure digital image superimposed with a solid model rendering of said second post-ablation procedure digital image.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein each of said solid model renderings is in a unique color.
17. The method of claim 1, wherein said displaying step comprises displaying a solid model rendering of one of said first post-ablation procedure digital image and said second post-ablation procedure digital image superimposed with a wireframe rendering of the other one of said first post-ablation procedure digital image and said second post-ablation procedure digital image.
18. The method of claim 1, wherein said displaying step comprises displaying:
a solid model rendering of said first post-ablation procedure digital image superimposed with a wireframe rendering of said second post-ablation procedure digital image; and
a solid model rendering of said second post-ablation procedure digital image superimposed with a wireframe rendering of said first post-ablation procedure digital image.
19. A method of comparing a predicted coagulation necrosis volume to a post-procedure mass, said method comprising:
performing ablation within a VOI in a patient;
capturing, during said performing step, a series of digital images with a first x-ray scanner of said VOI, wherein each image of said series of said digital images is comprised of detected image signal data corresponding with an array of spatial locations substantially throughout said VOI;
calculating image signal data changes for substantially each spatial location within said array between at least two of said series of digital images;
inferring, based at least in part on said calculated image signal data changes, time-temperature profiles at each spatial location within said array during said performing step;
predicting a coagulation necrosis volume based on said time-temperature profiles;
generating a predicted digital necrosis image of said VOI that includes a depiction of said predicted coagulation necrosis volume;
capturing, at a time subsequent to said performing step, a post-ablation procedure digital image of said VOI, wherein said post-ablation procedure digital image is captured with a second x-ray scanner, wherein a post-ablation mass is discernable within said post-ablation procedure digital image;
registering said predicted digital necrosis image to said post-ablation procedure digital image; and
displaying said registered predicted digital necrosis image and said post-ablation procedure digital image such that at least a portion of differences between said coagulation necrosis volume and said post-ablation mass are visually discernable.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein said series of digital images, said predicted digital necrosis image, and said post-procedural digital image are each three-dimensional.
21. The method of claim 19, wherein said calculating step comprises determining Hounsfield unit changes for substantially each spatial location within said array.
22. The method of claim 19, further comprising capturing a digital image of a mass within said VOI prior to said generating step, wherein said generating step includes combining said predicted coagulation necrosis volume with said digital image of said mass such that said digital necrosis image includes data related to said predicted necrosis volume and said mass.
23. The method of claim 19, wherein said first x-ray scanner is remote from said second x-ray scanner.
24. The method of claim 19, wherein said displaying step comprises displaying a solid model rendering of one of said digital necrosis image and said post-ablation procedure digital image superimposed with a wireframe rendering of the other one of said digital necrosis image and said post-ablation procedure digital image.
25. A method of assessing the effectiveness of a thermal ablation procedure, said method comprising:
capturing a first digital image of a VOI of a patient with a first x-ray CT scanner, wherein said first digital image includes a mass at a first stage;
performing thermal ablation within said VOI;
capturing, at a time subsequent to said performing step and said capturing a first digital image step, a second digital image of said VOI, wherein said capturing a second digital image step is performed with a second x-ray CT scanner, wherein said second digital image includes said mass at a second stage;
registering said first digital image to said second digital image; and
displaying said first and second digital images such that at least a portion of differences between said mass at said first and second stages are visually discernable.
26. The method of claim 25, wherein said first x-ray CT scanner is remote from said second x-ray CT scanner.
27. The method of claim 26, wherein at least one of said first and second x-ray CT scanners is an x-ray CBCT scanner.
28. A method of displaying a progression of a cryoablation procedure, said method comprising:
performing cryoablation within a VOI in a patient;
capturing, during said performing step, a series of digital images of said VOI with an x-ray scanner, wherein each image of said series of digital images is comprised of detected image signal data corresponding with an array of spatial locations substantially throughout said VOI;
calculating image signal data changes for substantially each spatial location within said array between at least two of said series of digital images;
identifying a region of said VOI undergoing transition from non-frozen to frozen; and
displaying said region of said VOI undergoing transition from non-frozen to frozen such that said region is visually discernable from other regions of said VOI, wherein said other regions of said VOI include non-frozen regions and frozen regions.
29. The method of claim 28, wherein said x-ray scanner is an x-ray CT scanner.
30. The method of claim 29, wherein said x-ray CT scanner is an x-ray CBCT scanner.
31. The method of claim 28, wherein said calculating step comprises determining Hounsfield unit changes for substantially each spatial location within said array.
32. The method of claim 28, wherein said region undergoing transition from non-frozen to frozen is displayed as a color-coded thin region between said non-frozen and frozen regions.
33. The method of claim 32, wherein said displaying step includes displaying a three-dimensional image of said region undergoing transition from non-frozen to frozen.
34. The method of claim 28, further comprising repeating said capturing, calculating, identifying, and displaying steps a plurality of times during said performing step to produce a series of images showing the progression of said region of said VOI undergoing transition from non-frozen to frozen during said performing of cryoablation.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A mobile communication terminal for receiving downlink signals from a desired base station by orthogonal frequency division multiple access, comprising:
multiple receiving antennas for receiving electric wave;
an interference rejection combining processor adapted for obtaining a received signal vector with regard to each of multiple resource elements from signals derived from electric wave received by the multiple receiving antennas, and adapted for calculating receiving weights so as to suppress influence to a desired beam of electric wave sent from the desired base station by other beams, on the basis of the received signal vectors;
a non-interference-rejection receiving weight calculator adapted for calculating receiving weights so as not to suppress influence to the desired beam of electric wave sent from the desired base station by other beams;
a signal separator adapted for separating a signal destined for the mobile communication terminal from signals destined for other mobile communication terminals among signals derived from electric wave received at the multiple receiving antennas; and
an interference rejection combining determiner adapted for determining whether the receiving weights calculated by the interference rejection combining processor or the receiving weights calculated by the non-interference-rejection receiving weight calculator should be used for signal separation by the signal separator, on the basis of an index representing a relationship between reception quality of a downlink transmission signal from the desired base station to the mobile communication terminal and reception quality of an interfering signal sent from another base station and received by the mobile communication terminal.
2. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 1, further comprising:
a reception quality measurer adapted for measuring reception qualities of signals sent from different base stations and received by the mobile communication terminal in order to facilitate searching the desired base station to which the mobile communication terminal should connect; and
a quality ratio calculator adapted for calculating a ratio of a reception quality of a signal from the desired base station measured by the reception quality measurer to a reception quality of a signal from another base station measured by the reception quality measurer, wherein
the interference rejection combining determiner is adapted for comparing the ratio calculated by the quality ratio calculator with a threshold, for determining that the receiving weights calculated by the interference rejection combining processor should be used for signal separation by the signal separator if the ratio is less than the threshold, and for determining that the receiving weights calculated by the non-interference-rejection receiving weight calculator should be used for signal separation by the signal separator, instead of the receiving weights calculated by the interference rejection combining processor, if the ratio is greater than the threshold.
3. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 1, further comprising:
a reception quality measurer adapted for measuring reception qualities of signals sent from at least three different base stations and received by the mobile communication terminal in order to facilitate searching the desired base station to which the mobile communication terminal should connect; and
a quality ratio calculator adapted for calculating a ratio of a reception quality of a signal from the desired base station measured by the reception quality measurer to a reception quality of a signal from each of at least two base stations measured by the reception quality measurer, wherein
the interference rejection combining determiner is adapted for comparing the ratios calculated by the quality ratio calculator with a threshold, for determining that the receiving weights calculated by the interference rejection combining processor should be used for signal separation by the signal separator if the number of the ratios that are less than the threshold is equal to or greater than a predetermined number, and for determining that the receiving weights calculated by the non-interference-rejection receiving weight calculator should be used for signal separation by the signal separator, instead of the receiving weights calculated by the interference rejection combining processor, if the number of the ratios that are less than the threshold is less than the predetermined number.
4. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 1, further comprising a channel quality indicator calculator adapted for calculating a channel quality indicator on the basis of power of a signal received from the desired base station and power of the interfering signal, wherein
the interference rejection combining determiner is adapted for comparing the channel quality indicator calculated by the channel quality indicator calculator with a threshold, for determining that the receiving weights calculated by the interference rejection combining processor should be used for signal separation by the signal separator if the channel quality indicator is less than the threshold, and for determining that the receiving weights calculated by the non-interference-rejection receiving weight calculator should be used for signal separation by the signal separator, instead of the receiving weights calculated by the interference rejection combining processor, if the channel quality indicator is greater than the threshold.
5. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 4, wherein the interference rejection combining processor is adapted for calculating the receiving weights for each of multiple subcarriers allocated to downlink transmission from the desired base station to the mobile communication terminal, or the receiving weights for a resource block including the subcarriers,
wherein the channel quality indicator calculator is adapted for calculating the channel quality indicator for each of multiple subcarriers allocated to downlink transmission from the desired base station to the mobile communication terminal, and
wherein the interference rejection combining determiner is adapted for comparing the channel quality indicator for each of the multiple subcarriers calculated by the channel quality indicator calculator with a threshold, for determining that the receiving weights calculated by the interference rejection combining processor should be used for signal separation by the signal separator for the subcarriers in which the channel quality indicator is less than the threshold, and for determining that the receiving weights calculated by the non-interference-rejection receiving weight calculator should be used for signal separation by the signal separator, instead of the receiving weights calculated by the interference rejection combining processor, for the subcarriers in which the channel quality indicator is greater than the threshold.
6. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 4, wherein the interference rejection combining processor is adapted for calculating the receiving weights for each of multiple subcarriers allocated to downlink transmission from the desired base station to the mobile communication terminal, or the receiving weights for a resource block including the subcarriers,
wherein the channel quality indicator calculator is adapted for calculating the channel quality indicator for a subband including multiple subcarriers allocated to downlink transmission from the desired base station to the mobile communication terminal, and
wherein the interference rejection combining determiner is adapted for comparing the channel quality indicator for the subband calculated by the channel quality indicator calculator with a threshold, for determining that the receiving weights calculated by the interference rejection combining processor should be used for signal separation by the signal separator if the channel quality indicator for the subband is less than the threshold, and for determining that the receiving weights calculated by the non-interference-rejection receiving weight calculator should be used for signal separation by the signal separator, instead of the receiving weights calculated by the interference rejection combining processor, if the channel quality indicator for the subband is greater than the threshold.
7. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 1, further comprising:
a modulation-and-coding-scheme detector adapted for detecting a modulation-and-coding scheme applied to a data signal received from the desired base station; and
a reception quality level estimator adapted for estimating a reception quality level at the mobile communication terminal from the modulation-and-coding scheme detected by the modulation-and-coding-scheme detector, wherein
the interference rejection combining determiner is adapted for comparing the reception quality level estimated by the reception quality level estimator with a threshold, for determining that the receiving weights calculated by the interference rejection combining processor should be used for signal separation by the signal separator if the reception quality level is less than the threshold, and for determining that the receiving weights calculated by the non-interference-rejection receiving weight calculator should be used for signal separation by the signal separator, instead of the receiving weights calculated by the interference rejection combining processor, if the reception quality level is greater than the threshold.
8. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 2, further comprising a threshold setter adapted for setting the threshold at a lower level if the desired base station is a macro-cell base station, and for setting the threshold at a higher level if the desired base station is not a macro-cell base station.
9. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 8, wherein the threshold setter is adapted for setting the threshold on the basis of a cell ID signaled from the desired base station to the mobile communication terminal.
10. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 8, further comprising
an offset recognizer adapted for recognizing an offset signaled from a base station that is not a macro-cell base station, the offset being added to a reception quality or a reception electric power of a signal sent from the base station that is not a macro-cell base station when a reception quality or a reception electric power of a signal sent from a base station to which the mobile communication terminal is currently connecting is compared with a reception quality or a reception electric power of a signal sent from another base station in order to determine whether or not a new base station to which the mobile communication terminal should newly connect should be selected, wherein
the threshold setter is adapted for setting the threshold increased if the offset recognizer has recognized the offset and the desired base station has sent the offset.
11. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 2, further comprising:
a demodulator adapted for demodulating the signal destined for the mobile communication terminal separated by the signal separator with the use of the receiving weights calculated by the interference rejection combining processor;
an error decider adapted for deciding existence or non-existence of errors in the signal demodulated by the demodulator; and
a threshold setter adapted for setting the threshold on the basis of error decision by the error decider.
12. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 1, further comprising:
a channel quality indicator calculator adapted for calculating a channel quality indicator on the basis of power of a signal received from the desired base station and power of the interfering signal;
a modulation-and-coding-scheme detector adapted for detecting a modulation-and-coding scheme applied to a data signal received from the desired base station; and
a reception quality level estimator adapted for estimating a reception quality level at the mobile communication terminal from the modulation-and-coding scheme detected by the modulation-and-coding-scheme detector, wherein
the interference rejection combining determiner is adapted for determining that the receiving weights calculated by the interference rejection combining processor should be used for signal separation by the signal separator if the channel quality indicator calculated by the channel quality indicator calculator is less than a first threshold, for determining that the receiving weights calculated by the interference rejection combining processor should be used for signal separation by the signal separator if the reception quality level estimated by the reception quality level estimator is less than a second threshold, and for determining that the receiving weights calculated by the non-interference-rejection receiving weight calculator should be used for signal separation by the signal separator, instead of the receiving weights calculated by the interference rejection combining processor, if the channel quality indicator calculated by the channel quality indicator calculator is greater than the first threshold and if the reception quality level estimated by the reception quality level estimator is greater than the second threshold.
13. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 1, further comprising:
a channel quality indicator calculator adapted for calculating a channel quality indicator on the basis of power of a signal received from the desired base station and power of the interfering signal;
a modulation-and-coding-scheme detector adapted for detecting a modulation-and-coding scheme applied to a data signal received from the desired base station; and
a reception quality level estimator adapted for estimating a reception quality level at the mobile communication terminal from the modulation-and-coding scheme detected by the modulation-and-coding-scheme detector, wherein the interference rejection combining determiner is adapted for determining that the receiving weights calculated by the interference rejection combining processor should be used for signal separation by the signal separator if the channel quality indicator calculated by the channel quality indicator calculator is less than a first threshold and if the reception quality level estimated by the reception quality level estimator is less than a second threshold, for determining that the receiving weights calculated by the non-interference-rejection receiving weight calculator should be used for signal separation by the signal separator, instead of the receiving weights calculated by the interference rejection combining processor, if the channel quality indicator calculated by the channel quality indicator calculator is greater than the first threshold, and for determining that the receiving weights calculated by the non-interference-rejection receiving weight calculator should be used for signal separation by the signal separator, instead of the receiving weights calculated by the interference rejection combining processor, if the reception quality level estimated by the reception quality level estimator is greater than the second threshold.
14. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 12, further comprising a threshold setter adapted for setting each of the first threshold and the second threshold at a lower level if the desired base station is a macro-cell base station, and for setting each of the first threshold and the second threshold at a higher level if the desired base station is not a macro-cell base station.
15. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 14, wherein the threshold setter is adapted for setting the first threshold and the second threshold on the basis of a cell ID signaled from the desired base station to the mobile communication terminal.
16. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 14, further comprising
an offset recognizer adapted for recognizing an offset signaled from a base station that is not a macro-cell base station, the offset being added to a reception quality or a reception electric power of a signal sent from the base station that is not a macro-cell base station when a reception quality or a reception electric power of a signal sent from a base station to which the mobile communication terminal is currently connecting is compared with a reception quality or a reception electric power of a signal sent from another base station in order to determine whether or not a new base station to which the mobile communication terminal should newly connect should be selected, wherein
the threshold setter is adapted for setting the first threshold and the second threshold increased if the offset recognizer has recognized the offset and the desired base station has sent the offset.
17. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 12, further comprising:
a demodulator adapted for demodulating the signal destined for the mobile communication terminal separated by the signal separator;
an error decider adapted for deciding existence or non-existence of errors in the signal demodulated by the demodulator; and
a threshold setter adapted for setting the first threshold and the second threshold on the basis of error decision by the error decider.
18. A mobile communication terminal for receiving downlink signals from a desired base station by orthogonal frequency division multiple access, comprising:
multiple receiving antennas for receiving electric wave;
an interference rejection combining processor adapted for obtaining a received signal vector with regard to each of multiple resource elements from signals derived from electric wave received by the multiple receiving antennas, and adapted for calculating receiving weights so as to suppress influence to a desired beam of electric wave sent from the desired base station by other beams, on the basis of the received signal vectors;
a first signal separator adapted for separating a signal destined for the mobile communication terminal from signals destined for other mobile communication terminals among signals derived from electric wave received at the multiple receiving antennas, with the use of the receiving weights calculated by the interference rejection combining processor;
a first demodulator adapted for demodulating the signal destined for the mobile communication terminal separated by the first signal separator;
a first error decider adapted for deciding existence or non-existence of errors in the signal demodulated by the first demodulator;
a non-interference-rejection receiving weight calculator adapted for calculating receiving weights so as not to suppress influence to the desired beam of electric wave sent from the desired base station by other beams;
a second signal separator adapted for separating a signal destined for the mobile communication terminal from signals destined for other mobile communication terminals among signals derived from electric wave received at the multiple receiving antennas, with the use of the receiving weights calculated by the non-interference-rejection receiving weight calculator and without use of the receiving weights calculated by the interference rejection combining processor;
a second demodulator adapted for demodulating the signal destined for the mobile communication terminal separated by the second signal separator;
a second error decider adapted for deciding existence or non-existence of errors in the signal demodulated by the second demodulator; and
an interference rejection combining determiner adapted for determining whether the signal demodulated by the first demodulator or the signal demodulated by the second demodulator should be output, on the basis of error decision by the first error decider and error decision by the second error decider.