Three-dimensional reconstructions of a breast from two X-ray mammographics
First Claim
1. A method of producing a three dimensional representation of an undeformed object, the method comprising:
- using a computer to perform steps including;
combining information from two 2D images taken from different viewpoints of the object under deformation, estimating the volume of the deformed object, and constraining the three dimensional representation of the object to have substantially the same volume, wherein the information from each of the two images is combined by the steps of;
(a) detecting the outline of the object in each of the two images, (b) reducing area of the outlined areas by a predetermined amount, and (c) using the outlines of the reduced areas as profiles from different directions of the three dimensional representation of the object.
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Abstract
Methods are described for the production of a three-dimensional reconstruction of a undeformed object from two different views of the object under deformation using a volume constraint and also by matching corresponding features in the two images. The volume constraint involves assuming that the deformed volume is the same as the undeformed volume, and calculating the deformed volume from one of the images. Further, the deformation of the object can be parameterised by finding corresponding image entities in the each of the images. The method is particularly applicable to breast mammograms in which case the two images are the cranio-caudal (CC) image and medio-lateral oblique (MLO) image whose angular separation varies from 35 to 60 degrees. The image entities which are detected in the two images are microcalcifications, and these are matched by detecting a value representing their volume a looking for matches in this value between the two images.
29 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method of producing a three dimensional representation of an undeformed object, the method comprising:
- using a computer to perform steps including;
combining information from two 2D images taken from different viewpoints of the object under deformation, estimating the volume of the deformed object, and constraining the three dimensional representation of the object to have substantially the same volume, wherein the information from each of the two images is combined by the steps of;
(a) detecting the outline of the object in each of the two images, (b) reducing area of the outlined areas by a predetermined amount, and (c) using the outlines of the reduced areas as profiles from different directions of the three dimensional representation of the object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
- using a computer to perform steps including;
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18. A method of detecting correspondences between microcalcifications in two mammogram images of a breast, the method comprising:
- using a computer to perform steps including;
converting the two images into an hint representation representing the thicknesses of interesting tissue and fat in regions of the breast contributing to the mammograms, calculating a value vint representing the interesting volume for each microcalcification based on a sum of the values of hint for all pixels within the image of the microcalcification, comparing the values of vint for each microcalcification in one image with each microcalcification in the other image to detect as corresponding those whose vint values match to a predetermined degree. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
- using a computer to perform steps including;
Specification