Method for producing an x-ray image

• US 6,940,945 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2003
• Issued: 09/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Healthineers AG (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Maschke, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Church, Craig E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Artman, Thomas R.
• Application Number:
  US10/681,596
• Publication Number:
  US 20040071265A1
• Time in Patent Office: 699 Days
• Field of Search: 378/65, 378/98.12
• US Class Current: 378/98.12
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4225 using image intensifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/3205 using subtraction imaging techniques

Abstract

In a method for producing an x-ray image, during two time-separated examination dates, a first x-ray image and a second x-ray image of a body region of an organism are respectively generated. The x-ray image datasets associated with the two x-ray images are subtracted from one another, so that a further image dataset ensues. Subsequently, the image information of the image dataset is emphasized and superimposed with the image information of the second x-ray image dataset.

Claims

1. A method for producing an x-ray image, comprising the steps of:

at respective time-separated times, generating a first x-ray image dataset containing image information of a body region of a subject and generating a second x-ray image dataset containing image information of substantially the same body region, at a same projection for each of said first and second x-ray image datasets;

subtracting the image information in one of said first and second x-ray image datasets from the image information in the other of said first and second x-ray image datasets to produce a subtraction image dataset containing image information;

emphasizing the image information in said subtracted image dataset to obtain emphasized image information; and

superimposing the emphasized image information of said subtraction image dataset on said image information of said second x-ray image dataset.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising emphasizing the image information of said subtraction image dataset in color.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising emphasizing said image information of said subtraction image dataset by intensification.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising selecting a thorax of a living subject as said body region.