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Method and apparatus for diagnosis of breast tumors

  • US 5,260,871 A
  • Filed: 07/31/1991
  • Issued: 11/09/1993
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/31/1991
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A method for distinguishing benign from malignant tumors in ultrasonic images of candidate tissue taken from a patient, comprising:

  • digitizing selected ultrasonic images from a plurality of patients generating an array of pixel intensity values;

    entering into a computer said digitized ultrasonic images and target data based on excisional biopsy results for each of said patients where the candidate tissue is identified as malignant or benign;

    locating and defining a region of interest in said digitized ultrasonic images, which includes substantially all of the candidate tissue and excludes substantially all normal tissue;

    generating a first feature value from said arrays of pixels corresponding to an angular second moment of said pixel intensity values;

    generating a second feature value from said arrays of pixels corresponding to an inverse contrast of said pixel intensity values;

    generating a third feature value from said arrays of pixels corresponding to a short run emphasis of said pixel intensity values;

    applying a set of weights to said first, second, and third feature values for generating values between an upper and lower value, whereby said output values tend toward said upper value when the candidate tissue is malignant and said output values tend toward said lower value when the candidate tissue is benign;

    calculating a deviation between said output values with said target data; and

    altering said weights until said deviation is reduced to a predetermined value.

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