MAMMOGRAPHY/TOMOSYNTHESIS SYSTEMS AND METHODS AUTOMATICALLY DERIVING BREAST CHARACTERISTICS FROM BREAST X-RAY IMAGES AND AUTOMATICALLY ADJUSTING IMAGE PROCESSING PARAMETERS ACCORDINGLY
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A breast x-ray imaging method comprising:
- acquiring one or more initial x-ray images of a patient'"'"'s breast, each of said images being represented by pixel values related to x-rays received at respective image pixel positions of an x-ray imaging receptor;
automatically deriving, from said one or more initial x-ray images of the breast, breast characteristics related to selected properties of the imaged breast;
automatically selecting, based at least in part on the derived breast characteristics, process parameter settings of image processing algorithms having adjustable process parameter settings;
processing said one or more initial breast images with said image processing algorithms using the selected process parameter settings to thereby derive one or more processed breast images;
obtaining one or more display images of the breast from said one or more processed breast images; and
selectively displaying the one or more display images for screening or diagnosis on one or more display devices.
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Abstract
Methods and systems that automatically identify breast characteristics such as x-ray density and breast texture from initial x-ray images of the breast and automatically adjust process parameter setting of image processing algorithms that operate on the initial images to derive processing images suitable for display or further processing.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A breast x-ray imaging method comprising:
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acquiring one or more initial x-ray images of a patient'"'"'s breast, each of said images being represented by pixel values related to x-rays received at respective image pixel positions of an x-ray imaging receptor; automatically deriving, from said one or more initial x-ray images of the breast, breast characteristics related to selected properties of the imaged breast; automatically selecting, based at least in part on the derived breast characteristics, process parameter settings of image processing algorithms having adjustable process parameter settings; processing said one or more initial breast images with said image processing algorithms using the selected process parameter settings to thereby derive one or more processed breast images; obtaining one or more display images of the breast from said one or more processed breast images; and selectively displaying the one or more display images for screening or diagnosis on one or more display devices. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15)
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10. A breast x-ray imaging system comprising:
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an acquisition station including an x-ray source, an x-ray imaging receptor, and a breast platform between the source and the receptor, said receptor acquiring one or more initial x-ray images of a patient'"'"'s breast positioned on said platform and irradiated with x-rays from said source; a processor receiving said initial images and configured to automatically derive therefrom breast characteristics related to selected properties of the imaged breast; said processor being further configured to automatically select, based at least in part on the derived breast characteristics, process parameter settings of image processing algorithms having adjustable process parameter settings; said processor being still further configured to process said one or more initial breast images with said image processing algorithms using the selected process parameter settings to thereby derive one or more processed breast images; and a display processor configures to receive said processed breast images, obtain one or more display images of the breast thereform, and selectively display said display images of the breast for screening or diagnosis. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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16. A computer program product embodied in a physical computer program medium, said computer program product when running in a computer coupled with an x-ray imaging system that supplies the computer with initial x-ray images of a patient'"'"'s breast, causing the computer to:
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automatically derive, form said initial x-ray images of the breast, breast characteristics related to selected properties of the imaged breast; automatically select, based at least in part on the derived breast characteristics, process parameter settings of image processing algorithms having adjustable process parameter settings; process said one or more initial breast images with said image processing algorithms using the selected process parameter settings to thereby derive one or more processed breast images; obtain one or more display images of the breast from said one or more processed breast images; and selectively cause a display device to displaying the one or more display images for screening or diagnosis. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification