X-ray apparatus and system

• US 10,172,578 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2016
• Issued: 01/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Byeong-won, Song, Jeong-yong, Oh, Do-kwan, Oh, Hyun-hwa, Choi, Choong-Hwan
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaworecki, Mark R
• Application Number:
  US15/218,455
• Publication Number:
  US 20170020469A1
• Time in Patent Office: 897 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/08 Auxiliary means for directing the radiation beam to a particular spot, e.g. using light beams
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4417 related to combined acquisition of different diagnostic modalities
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4452 the source unit and the detector unit being able to move relative to each other
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4464 the source unit or the detector unit being mounted to ceiling
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4476 related to motor-assisted motion of the source unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/463 characterised by displaying multiple images or images and diagnostic data on one display
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/52 Devices using data or image processing specially adapted for radiation diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/54 Control of apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/545 involving automatic set-up of acquisition parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/587 Alignment of source unit to detector unit

Abstract

An X-ray apparatus performs image processing on an image of an object photographed by using a camera, and uses the image-processed image as an image marker in an X-ray image. A display is configured to display the X-ray image and the image marker on the region of the X-ray image.

Claims

1. An X-ray apparatus for obtaining an X-ray image of an object by X-ray imaging the object, the X-ray apparatus comprising:

an X-ray source configured to emit X-rays to the object;

an image obtainer attached to the X-ray source and configured to obtain a representative still image of the object by photographing the object;

an X-ray detector configured to receive X-rays transmitted through the object to obtain the X-ray image of the object;

a controller configured to generate an image marker by applying image processing to the representative still image, and to generate the X-ray image; and

an image output unit configured to display the image marker so that the image marker overlaps a region of the X-ray image,

wherein the controller is further configured to detect a first feature of the object in the representative still image to which the image processing has been applied, select a pre-stored image containing a second feature similar to the first feature, among images pre-stored in a memory, and generate the image marker based on the pre-stored image.

2. The X-ray apparatus of claim 1, wherein the image obtainer is further configured to obtain a plurality of still images of the object by photographing the object, and

the controller is further configured to select, among the plurality of still images, the representative still image as an image that represents a candidate body part of the object, the candidate body part being a part of the object to be X-rayed.

3. The X-ray apparatus of claim 1, wherein the representative still image is obtained by photographing the object immediately prior to obtaining the X-ray image of the object.

4. The X-ray apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to adjust an orientation in which the representative still image is displayed on the image output unit.

5. The X-ray apparatus of claim 4, wherein the controller is further configured to adjust the orientation in which the representative still image is displayed based on a certain direction information.

6. The X-ray apparatus of claim 4, wherein the controller is further configured to adjust the orientation in which the representative still image is displayed by using a geometric information of the X-ray apparatus and an image algorithm.

7. The X-ray apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to generate the image marker by performing the image processing that blurs or mosaics the representative still image.

8. The X-ray apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to generate the image marker by performing the image processing that transforms the representative still image into a cartoon image.

9. The X-ray apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to detect a shape of a candidate body part of the object by performing the image processing on the representative still image, select the pre-stored image similar to the shape of the candidate body part of the object, and generate the image marker based on the pre-stored image, and

the candidate body part is a part of the object to be X-rayed.

10. The X-ray apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to generate a guide image indicating a direction of the object or a positional relationship of the object in the image marker.

11. A method of imaging an object by using an X-ray apparatus, the method comprising:

obtaining a representative still image of the object by photographing the object;

generating an image marker by performing image processing on the representative still image; and

obtaining an X-ray image of the object and displaying the image marker on the X-ray image so that the image marker overlaps a region of the X-ray image,

wherein the generating the image marker comprises;

detecting a first feature of the object in the representative still image to which the image processing has been applied;

selecting a pre-stored image containing a second feature similar to the first feature, among images pre-stored in the X-ray apparatus; and

generating the image marker based on the pre-stored image.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the obtaining the representative still image comprises:

obtaining a plurality of still images of the object by photographing the object; and

selecting the representative still image that represents a candidate body part of the object, among the plurality of still images, and

wherein the candidate body part is a part of the object to be X-rayed.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising adjusting an orientation in which the representative still image is displayed, after the selecting the representative still image.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the adjusting the orientation of the representative still image further comprises:

adjusting the orientation of the representative still image based on a direction information preset in the X-ray apparatus.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the obtaining the representative still image comprises obtaining the representative still image by photographing the object immediately prior to the obtaining the X-ray image of the object.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the generating the image marker further comprises:

generating the image marker by performing the image processing that blurs or mosaics the representative still image.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the generating the image marker further comprises generating the image marker by performing the image processing that transforms the representative still image into a cartoon image.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the generating the image marker further comprises:

detecting a shape of a candidate body part of the object by performing the image processing on the representative still image, the candidate body part being a part of the object to be X-rayed;

selecting the pre-stored image similar to the shape of the candidate body part of the object; and

generating the image marker based on the pre-stored image.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising generating a guide image indicating a direction of the object or a positional relationship of the object in the image marker.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program which, when executed by a computer system, causes the computer system to execute the method of claim 11.