EPO granted patent EP4452070A1 to Guerbet and Institut Gustave-Roussy for a method of processing medical images before and after contrast agent injection. The patent covers image processing techniques for G06V computer vision applications in healthcare settings (G16H 30/20, 30/40, 50/20, 50/50, 50/70), applicable to diagnostic imaging including CT and MRI (A61B 6/00, G01R 33/56). The designated states cover all EPO member states including DE, FR, GB, IT, NL, ES, and 25 other countries.

This patent publication is informational and does not impose compliance obligations on healthcare providers or medical device manufacturers. Entities developing contrast-enhanced imaging software may need to conduct freedom-to-operate analyses to avoid infringement. No immediate action is required, but R&D teams working in medical image processing should review the patent claims when designing new diagnostic imaging products.