Image stitching is a prerequisite for obtaining a high-resolution image of scanned parts if an image is too large to fit on a scanner. The TelePax Stitching module is based on a combination of two approaches used in image registration:
1. Fully automated image stitching.
2. Manual image stitching.
The need for stitching is encountered in digital radiography, MRI, ultrasound, and nuclear medicine evaluations, all techniques that are capable of imaging along the axis of possible motion. Unfortunately, stitching of the images is not always straightforward. Because it is not always known how much the patient or the imaging device has moved or how much the patient shifts or rotates between image shots, accurate stitching of the individual images often proves difficult. Thus, the flexibility of the stitching the images is desirable.
One particular use in which stitching is often used is in a scoliosis evaluation. Scoliosis is defined as a substantial lateral curvature of the vertebral column that usually has its onset during periods of rapid growth. Scoliosis curve is determined to be present when a structural vertebral column curve of 11° or more is measured in the coronal plane roentgenogram of the erect patient. Radiologic imaging of the spine has traditionally been used in the identification, classification, and monitoring of scoliosis. Early detection and bracing treatment of juvenile and adolescent idiopathic scoliosis have decreased the need for surgery.