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SlicerUltrasound DICOM Anonymizer
Key Investigators
- Tina Kapur (BWH, USA)
- Tamas Ungi (Queens, Canada)
- Fahimeh Fooladgar (UBC, Canada)
- Shreyas Puducheri (BWH, USA)
- Matt Alves (BWH, USA)
- Caroline Schissel (Lahey, USA)
- Maha Kesibi (Queens, Canada)
- David Dinh (SlicerUltrasound Team, USA)
- Atin Malaviya (SlicerUltrasound Team, USA)
- Sam Horvath (Kitware, USA)
- Jean-Christophe Fillion-Robin (Kitware, USA)
Project Description
SlicerUltrasound is a 3D Slicer extension that currently includes two modules: Annotate, which supports expert labeling of image findings, and Anonymize, which removes both metadata-embedded PHI and burned-in text from DICOM images. The Anonymize module, the focus of this project, has been used at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH), Lahey Hospital, and Indiana Methodist to remove PHI from over 1,000 patient exams. The Anonymizer module allows users to import DICOM ultrasound images from a local network folder and apply probe-specific masking templates to remove burned-in identifiers. Users specify the transducer type—curvilinear or phased array—which determines the expected fan shape. By marking three or four points on the image, the module interpolates the imaging sector and masks any visual PHI outside this region while preserving diagnostically relevant content. This flexible, semi-automated approach supports consistent anonymization across large datasets while accommodating variations in ultrasound geometry.
Objective
Our team members are onsite as well as working virtually to fix open issues in the software to make it more user friendly, and to test AI models for automated fan segmentation.
Approach and Plan
We will be working on the open issues list and happy to discuss it with any PW43 participants who are interested.
Progress and Next Steps
Will add on Thursday night!
Illustrations
