Method and apparatus for adjusting read-out conditions and/or image processing conditions for radiation images, radiation image read-out apparatus, and radiation image analyzing method and apparatus

• US 5,999,638 A
• Filed: 01/29/1996
• Issued: 12/07/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Ito, Wataru, Shimura, Kazuo, Takeo, Hideya
• Primary Examiner(s): Bella, Matthew C.
• Application Number:
  US08/591,934
• Time in Patent Office: 1,408 Days
• Field of Search: 382/128, 382/132, 382/159, 382/156, 382/168, 364/413.13, 395/21, 395/22, 250/484.4, 250/580, 250/581, 250/584, 250/587
• US Class Current: 382/132
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/2014 Reading out of stimulable sheets, e.g. latent image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10116 X-ray image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20084 Artificial neural networks [ANN]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/60 using machine learning, e.g. neural networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/92 based on global image properties

Abstract

A first image signal representing a radiation image of an object is obtained by exposing a stimulable phosphor sheet, on which the radiation image has been stored, to stimulating rays, which cause the stimulable phosphor sheet to emit light in proportion to the amount of energy stored thereon during its exposure to radiation, the emitted light being detected. A second image signal representing the radiation image is thereafter obtained by again exposing the stimulable phosphor sheet to stimulating rays, the light emitted by the stimulable phosphor sheet being detected. Read-out conditions, under which the second image signal is to be obtained, and/or image processing conditions, under which the second image signal having been obtained is to be image processed, are adjusted on the basis of the first image signal. A storage device stores information representing a standard pattern of radiation images. A signal transforming device transforms the first image signal representing the radiation image into a transformed image signal representing the radiation image, which has been transformed into the standard pattern. A condition adjuster is provided with a neural network, which receives the transformed image signal and feeds out information representing the read-out conditions and/or the image processing conditions.

Claims

1. A method for adjusting read-out conditions and/or image processing conditions for a radiation image, wherein a first image signal representing a radiation image of an object is obtained by exposing a stimulable phosphor sheet, on which the radiation image has been stored, to stimulating rays, which cause the stimulable phosphor sheet to emit light in proportion to the amount of energy stored thereon during its exposure to radiation, the emitted light being detected,

a second image signal representing the radiation image is thereafter obtained by again exposing the stimulable phosphor sheet to stimulating rays, the light emitted by the stimulable phosphor sheet being detected, and

read-out conditions, under which the second image signal is to be obtained, and/or image processing conditions, under which the second image signal having been obtained is to be image processed, are adjusted on the basis of the first image signal,

the method for adjusting read-out conditions and/or image processing conditions for a radiation image comprising the steps of:

i) feeding information, which represents a probability density function of said first image signal, into a neural network, and

ii) feeding out information representing the read-out conditions and/or the image processing conditions from said neural network.

2. An apparatus for adjusting read-out conditions and/or image processing conditions for a radiation image, wherein a first image signal representing a radiation image of an object is obtained by exposing a stimulable phosphor sheet, on which the radiation image has been stored, to stimulating rays, which cause the stimulable phosphor sheet to emit light in proportion to the amount of energy stored thereon during its exposure to radiation, the emitted light being detected,

a second image signal representing the radiation image is thereafter obtained by again exposing the stimulable phosphor sheet to stimulating rays, the light emitted by the stimulable phosphor sheet being detected, and

read-out conditions, under which the second image signal is to be obtained, and/or image processing conditions, under which the second image signal having been obtained is to be image processed, are adjusted on the basis of the first image signal,

the apparatus for adjusting read-out conditions and/or image processing conditions for a radiation image comprising:

i) a probability density function creating means for creating a probability density function of said first image signal and feeding out information, which represents said probability density function, and

ii) a neural network for receiving said information, which represents said probability density function, from said probability density function creating means, adjusting the read-out conditions and/or the image processing conditions on the basis of said probability density function, and feeding out information representing the read-out conditions and/or the image processing conditions, which have thus been adjusted.

3. A method for adjusting read-out conditions and/or image processing conditions for a radiation image, wherein a first image signal representing a radiation image of an object is obtained by exposing a stimulable phosphor sheet, on which the radiation image has been stored, to stimulating rays, which cause the stimulable phosphor sheet to emit light in proportion to the amount of energy stored thereon during its exposure to radiation, the emitted light being detected,

a second image signal representing the radiation image is thereafter obtained by again exposing the stimulable phosphor sheet to stimulating rays, the light emitted by the stimulable phosphor sheet being detected, and

read-out conditions, under which the second image signal is to be obtained, and/or image processing conditions, under which the second image signal having been obtained is to be image processed, are adjusted on the basis of the first image signal,

the method for adjusting read-out conditions and/or image processing conditions for a radiation image comprising the steps of:

i) feeding information, which represents a probability density function of said first image signal, and subsidiary information, which gives specifics about said radiation image stored on said stimulable phosphor sheet, into a neural network, and

ii) feeding out information representing the read-out conditions and/or the image processing conditions from said neural network.

4. An apparatus for adjusting read-out conditions and/or image processing conditions for a radiation image, wherein a first image signal representing a radiation image of an object is obtained by exposing a stimulable phosphor sheet, on which the radiation image has been stored, to stimulating rays, which cause the stimulable phosphor sheet to emit light in proportion to the amount of energy stored thereon during its exposure to radiation, the emitted light being detected,

a second image signal representing the radiation image is thereafter obtained by again exposing the stimulable phosphor sheet to stimulating rays, the light emitted by the stimulable phosphor sheet being detected, and

read-out conditions, under which the second image signal is to be obtained, and/or image processing conditions, under which the second image signal having been obtained is to be image processed, are adjusted on the basis of the first image signal,

the apparatus for adjusting read-out conditions and/or image processing conditions for a radiation image comprising:

i) a probability density function creating means for creating a probability density function of said first image signal and feeding out information, which represents said probability density function,

ii) a subsidiary information feed-out means for feeding out subsidiary information, which gives specifics about said radiation image stored on said stimulable phosphor sheet, and

iii) a neural network for receiving said information, which represents said probability density function, from said probability density function creating means, receiving said subsidiary information from said subsidiary information feed-out means, adjusting the read-out conditions and/or the image processing conditions on the basis of said probability density function and said subsidiary information, and feeding out information representing the read-out conditions and/or the image processing conditions, which have thus been adjusted.

5. A method for adjusting image processing conditions for a radiation image, wherein image processing conditions, under which an image signal is to be image processed, are adjusted on the basis of the image signal representing a radiation image of an object,

the method for adjusting image processing conditions for a radiation image comprising the steps of:

i) feeding information, which represents a probability density function of said image signal, into a neural network, and

ii) feeding out information representing the image processing conditions from said neural network.

6. An apparatus for adjusting image processing conditions for a radiation image, wherein image processing conditions, under which an image signal is to be image processed, are adjusted on the basis of the image signal representing a radiation image of an object,

the apparatus for adjusting image processing conditions for a radiation image comprising:

i) a probability density function creating means for creating a probability density function of said image signal and feeding out information, which represents said probability density function, and

ii) a neural network for receiving said information, which represents said probability density function, from said probability density function creating means, adjusting the image processing conditions on the basis of said probability density function, and feeding out information representing the image processing conditions, which have thus been adjusted.

7. A method for adjusting image processing conditions for a radiation image, wherein image processing conditions, under which an image signal is to be image processed, are adjusted on the basis of the image signal representing a radiation image of an object,

the method for adjusting image processing conditions for a radiation image comprising the steps of:

i) feeding information, which represents a probability density function of said image signal, and subsidiary information, which gives specifics about said radiation image, into a neural network, and

ii) feeding out information representing the image processing conditions from said neural network.

8. An apparatus for adjusting image processing conditions for a radiation image, wherein image processing conditions, under which an image signal is to be image processed, are adjusted on the basis of the image signal representing a radiation image of an object,

the apparatus for adjusting image processing conditions for a radiation image comprising:

i) a probability density function creating means for creating a probability density function of said image signal and feeding out information, which represents said probability density function,

ii) a subsidiary information feed-out means for feeding out subsidiary information, which gives specifics about said radiation image, and

iii) a neural network for receiving said information, which represents said probability density function, from said probability density function creating means, receiving said subsidiary information from said subsidiary information feed-out means, adjusting the image processing conditions on the basis of said probability density function and said subsidiary information, and feeding out information representing the image processing conditions, which have thus been adjusted.