Realtime digital diagnostic image processing system
First Claim
1. Apparatus for processing a fluoroscopic image comprising:
- a. a television camera operating at a frame rate of at least 30 frames per second providing an analog video output;
b. means to digitize series of individual frames of said analog video output to provide frames of digital image information representative of the analog signal;
c. a plurality of frame processors coupled in series for carrying out arithmetic and logical operations on said frames of digital image information coupled to receive the output of said digitizer;
d. a 2-D digital finite impulse response filter operable on said individual frames of digital image information coupled to said frame processors;
e. means to convert frames of digital image information processed in said frame processors and 2-D filter back into frames of an analog signal; and
f. a television display coupled to the output of said means to convert for displaying said processed signal.
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Abstract
A fluoroscopic image is processed digitally using a television camera operating at a frame rate of at least 30 frames per second viewing the image and providing an analog video output, a digitizer which digitizes the analog video output to provide digital information representative of the analog signal, a plurality of frame processors which carry out arithmetic and logical operations on the digital image information and are operable at the frame rate of the television camera coupled to the output of the digitizer, a 2-D filter operable at the frame rate of the television camera coupled to said frame processors, a converter and interface to convert digital image information processed in the frame processors and 2-D filter back into an analog signal and television display coupled to the output of the converter for displaying the processed signal.
83 Citations
29 Claims
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1. Apparatus for processing a fluoroscopic image comprising:
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a. a television camera operating at a frame rate of at least 30 frames per second providing an analog video output; b. means to digitize series of individual frames of said analog video output to provide frames of digital image information representative of the analog signal; c. a plurality of frame processors coupled in series for carrying out arithmetic and logical operations on said frames of digital image information coupled to receive the output of said digitizer; d. a 2-D digital finite impulse response filter operable on said individual frames of digital image information coupled to said frame processors; e. means to convert frames of digital image information processed in said frame processors and 2-D filter back into frames of an analog signal; and f. a television display coupled to the output of said means to convert for displaying said processed signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 26, 27, 28)
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5. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein each of said frame processors is capable of performing the following arithmetical and logical operations:
- add, subtract, exclusive or, negate and image intensity transformation, each frame processor including its own microprocessor controller for controlling which of the functions said frame processor performs.
- View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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24. A method of performing a diagnostic procedure on a person comprising:
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a. passing a radio opaque medium through a body passage in the person being examined and irradiating the area of the body containing said body passage with X-radiation while doing so; b. converting said X-radiation to a visible image and viewing said visible image with a television camera having a frame rate of at least 30 frames per second; c. digitizing the output of said television camera at a frame rate of at least 30 frames per second in real time to obtain individual frames of digitized image information representative of said body passage containing said radio opaque medium; d. filtering said individual frames of said digitized image information in a 2-D filter; and e. displaying said filtered image. - View Dependent Claims (25, 29)
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Specification