Tomosynthesis system for breast imaging
First Claim
1. System for performing digital tomosynthesis on an object region, comprising:
- a stationary x-ray detector for detecting x-ray radiation transmitted through the object region and for producing image data representative of the intensity of the radiation;
a moveable x-ray source for generating the x-ray radiation;
a motion controller for moving the x-ray source to a plurality of positions defining an arc about the region; and
a data processor for determining x-ray absorption points within the region based upon an image data set having image data corresponding to each of the positions.
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Abstract
The invention includes both systems and methods for tomosynthesis x-ray imaging. An x-ray source is moved at various positions in an arc around an object, e.g., a breast, to illuminate a stationary digital detector (or its equivalent) placed at an image plane behind the object. A digital image data processor collects data from the detector and a motion controller moves the source around the object. As the source moves along the arc, the detector generates, for a succession of points along the arc, a corresponding succession of image data sets, each set being representative of the intensity of x-rays incident on the detector for the then current position of the source. The image data processor is responsive to the image data sets to generate an output image signal representative of the x-ray absorption of points within the object region. The processor transforms the image plane data to a form corresponding to that which would have been generated had the x-ray source moved in a linear motion in a source plane parallel to the image plane, rather than an arc. The resultant image data thus corresponds in form to that produced by a conventional linear motion, e.g., Twinning-type, system, so that conventional techniques and equipment may be used to produce a final representation of the x-ray absorption of the object region.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. System for performing digital tomosynthesis on an object region, comprising:
- a stationary x-ray detector for detecting x-ray radiation transmitted through the object region and for producing image data representative of the intensity of the radiation;
a moveable x-ray source for generating the x-ray radiation;
a motion controller for moving the x-ray source to a plurality of positions defining an arc about the region; and
a data processor for determining x-ray absorption points within the region based upon an image data set having image data corresponding to each of the positions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
- a stationary x-ray detector for detecting x-ray radiation transmitted through the object region and for producing image data representative of the intensity of the radiation;
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25. A method for tomosynthesis x-ray imaging of an object, comprising the steps of:
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(A) irradiating the object, with x-ray radiation, from a series of positions defining an arc about the region, the arc spanning a plane intersecting the object and having an axis of rotation on a line in the plane and perpendicular to the array, (B) detecting the radiation transmitted through the object with a stationary detector array and storing image data for each of the positions, the image data being representative of x-ray intensity values, and (C) determining x-ray absorption points within the object based upon an image data set having image data corresponding to each of the positions. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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27. In a mammography system of the type having an x-ray source that rotates in an arc about the breast to irradiate the breast from different positions on the arc, the arc having an axis of rotation and spanning a plane that intersects the breast, the improvement comprising:
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a stationary x-ray detector for detecting x-ray radiation transmitted through the breast and for producing image data representative of the intensity of the radiation; and a data processor for determining x-ray absorption points within the breast based upon an image data set having image data corresponding to positions along the arc, the processor having means for transforming the image data, at each of the positions, to a form representative of the expected intensity of x-ray radiation generated by the source at an offset position defined by the intersection between (a) a line in the plane that is substantially parallel to the detector, and (b) a line in the plane defined by the axis of rotation and by one of the positions corresponding to the image data.
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Specification