IMAGE-BASED DETERMINATION OF COMPRESSION ELEMENT DEFLECTION

• US 20140226786A1
• Filed: 08/31/2012
• Published: 08/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: Goossen, Andre, Heese, Harald Sepp Sr.
• Granted Patent: US 9,532,752 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 378/37
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/025 Tomosynthesis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/0414 with compression means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/0492 using markers or indicia for aiding patient positioning
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/502 for diagnosis of breast, i.e. mammography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/5217 extracting a diagnostic or physiological parameter from medical diagnostic data

Abstract

The invention relates to X-ray imaging technology as well as image post-processing and analyzing. An X-ray imaging system element (3), an X-ray imaging system (2), the use of a system element in an X-ray imaging system and the method (40) of determining a deflection of a compression element is disclosed. The X-ray imaging system element (3) comprises two compression elements (8a, 8b), which are movable relative to one another. An object (10) is introducible and compressible between the compression elements. At least one of the compression elements is adapted to alter its geometrical shape and/or alignment relative to the other during compression. At least one partly X-ray opaque marker element (24) is provided on one of the compression elements, which marker element is adapted to allow detection of an alteration of the geometrical shape of the respective compression element (8a, b).

Claims

1. An X-ray imaging system element for determining a geometrical parameter of an object, comprising

a first compression element;

and

a second compression element;

wherein the first compression element and the second compression element are movable relative to one another;

wherein an object is introducible between the first compression element and the second compression element;

wherein the object is compressible between the first compression element and the second compression element;

wherein at least one the first compression element and the second compression element is adapted to alter its geometrical shape and/or alignment relative to the further compression element of the first compression element and the second compression element when the object is compressed between the first compression element, and the second compression element;

wherein X-radiation may penetrate the first compression element, the object and the second compression element;

wherein at least one of the first compression element and the second compression element comprises at least one at least partly X-ray opaque marker element;

wherein the marker element is adapted to allow detection of an alteration of the geometrical shape of the respective compression element.

2. The system element according to claim 1,

wherein the compression element is a planar compression element.

3. The system element according to claim 1,

wherein the first compression element and the second compression element are a paddle element, in particular for a mammography system, and an X-ray detector.

4. The system element according to claim 1, comprising at least 3 marker elements arranged in a single marker line.

5. The system element according to claim 4, comprising a plurality of non-identical marker lines, each marker line comprising at least three marker elements.

6. The system element according to claim 4, comprising at least seven marker elements arranged least three non-identical marker lines.

7. The system element according to claim 4, comprising one combination of seven marker elements and five non-identical marker lines;

eight marker elements and six non-identical marker lines;

nine marker elements and eight non-identical marker lines; and

nine marker elements and nine non-identical marker lines.

8. The system element according to claim 1,

wherein the marker element is a lead marker element.

9. The system element according to claim 1,

wherein the marker element is circularly or spherically shaped.

10. The system element according to claim 1,

wherein the object is arrangeable asymmetrically between the first compression element and the second compression element, thereby defining an object proximal region comprising the object and an object distal region not comprising the object of the first compression element and the second compression element;

and

wherein the marker element is arranged in the object distal region.

11. The system element according to claim 1,

wherein the detection of an alteration of the geometrical shape of the respective compression element allows determining a geometrical parameter of the object, in particular a height of the object or a distance of the first compression element and the second compression element.

12. An X-ray imaging system, in particular a mammography system, comprising a system element according to claim 1.

13. (canceled)

14. A Method of determining a deflection of a compression element, comprising:

receiving image information of an object being compressed between a first compression element and a second compression element while performing image acquisition, wherein the image information comprises image information of at least one marker element; and

determining a geometrical alteration of at least one compression element by analyzing the marker element image information in the received image information.

15. The Method according to claim 14, further comprising

determining from the geometrical alteration of at least one compression element a thickness of the object compressed between the first compression element and the second compression element, in particular for an object density assessment.