Apparatus and method for cone beam computed tomography breast imaging
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A device for producing an image of a breast of a patient, the device comprising:
- a gantry frame;
at least one motor for moving the gantry frame to form a data acquisition geometry in which image data are taken;
a source of a beam of radiation attached to the gantry frame to move with the gantry frame;
a two-dimensional (2D) digital detector attached to the gantry frame to move with the gantry frame, the 2D digital detector being disposed in a path of the beam of radiation;
at least one computer system for controlling a volume scan of the breast, performing reconstruction of the image of the breast and performing image analysis on the image; and
a table on which the patient rests while the image data are taken, the table supporting the patient such that the breast is disposed between the source of cone-beam radiation and the 2D digital detector, the table having a hole through which the breast extends and being configured such that an entirety of the breast extending through the hole is in the path of the beam of radiation;
wherein the at least one motor moves the gantry frame so that the 2D digital detector takes the volume scan of the breast; and
wherein the volume scan of the breast acquires a set of 2D cone beam projection images or multiple sets of 2D cone beam projection images for cone beam tomographic reconstruction, and wherein a three-dimensional cone beam volume CT image is formed from the image signals by performing a cone beam volume CT reconstruction on the cone beam projection images to produce a three-dimensional attenuation coefficient distribution of the breast.
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Abstract
Cone beam volume CT breast imaging is performed with a gantry frame on which a cone-beam radiation source and a digital area detector are mounted. The patient rests on an ergonomically designed table with a hole or two holes to allow one breast or two breasts to extend through the table such that the gantry frame surrounds that breast. The breast hole is surrounded by a bowl so that the entire breast can be exposed to the cone beam. Spectral and compensation filters are used to improve the characteristics of the beam. A materials library is used to provide x-ray linear attenuation coefficients for various breast tissues and lesions.
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Citations
61 Claims
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1. A device for producing an image of a breast of a patient, the device comprising:
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a gantry frame; at least one motor for moving the gantry frame to form a data acquisition geometry in which image data are taken; a source of a beam of radiation attached to the gantry frame to move with the gantry frame; a two-dimensional (2D) digital detector attached to the gantry frame to move with the gantry frame, the 2D digital detector being disposed in a path of the beam of radiation; at least one computer system for controlling a volume scan of the breast, performing reconstruction of the image of the breast and performing image analysis on the image; and a table on which the patient rests while the image data are taken, the table supporting the patient such that the breast is disposed between the source of cone-beam radiation and the 2D digital detector, the table having a hole through which the breast extends and being configured such that an entirety of the breast extending through the hole is in the path of the beam of radiation; wherein the at least one motor moves the gantry frame so that the 2D digital detector takes the volume scan of the breast; and wherein the volume scan of the breast acquires a set of 2D cone beam projection images or multiple sets of 2D cone beam projection images for cone beam tomographic reconstruction, and wherein a three-dimensional cone beam volume CT image is formed from the image signals by performing a cone beam volume CT reconstruction on the cone beam projection images to produce a three-dimensional attenuation coefficient distribution of the breast. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 43, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 58)
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15. A device for producing an image of a breast of a patient, the device comprising:
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a gantry frame; at least one motor for moving the gantry frame to form a data acquisition geometry in which image data are taken; a source of a beam of radiation attached to the gantry frame to move with the gantry frame, the source comprising a beam compensation filter for compensating the beam in accordance with a non-uniform thickness of the breast; a two-dimensional (2D) digital detector attached to the gantry frame to move with the gantry frame, the 2D digital detector being disposed in a path of the beam of radiation; and at least one computer system for controlling a volume scan of the breast, performing reconstruction of the image of the breast and performing image analysis on the image; wherein the at least one motor moves the gantry frame so that the 2D digital detector takes the volume scan of the breast; and wherein the volume scan of the breast acquires a set of 2D cone beam projection images or multiple sets of 2D cone beam projection images for cone beam tomographic reconstruction, and wherein a three-dimensional cone beam volume CT image is formed from the image signals by performing a cone beam volume CT reconstruction on the cone beam projection images to produce a three-dimensional attenuation coefficient distribution of the breast. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 44)
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19. A device for producing an image of a breast of a patient, the device comprising:
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a gantry frame; at least one motor for moving the gantry frame to form a data acquisition geometry in which image data are taken; a source of a beam of radiation attached to the gantry frame to move with the gantry frame; a two-dimensional (2D) digital detector attached to the gantry frame to move with the gantry frame, the two-dimensional (2D) digital detector being disposed in a path of the beam of radiation; and at least one computer, receiving an output from the detector, for forming the image in accordance with the volume scan, the computing device comprising storage for storing a material library comprising attenuation data for a plurality of breast tissue and lesion types, and wherein the computer forms the image in accordance with the material library; wherein the at least one motor moves the gantry frame so that the two-dimensional (2D) digital detector takes a volume scan of the breast; and wherein the volume scan of the breast acquires a set of 2D cone beam projection images or multiple sets of 2D cone beam projection images for cone beam tomographic reconstruction, and wherein a three-dimensional cone beam volume CT image is formed from the image signals by performing a cone beam volume CT reconstruction on the cone beam projection images to produce a three-dimensional attenuation coefficient distribution of the breast. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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21. A method for producing an image of a breast of a patient, the method comprising:
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(a) providing a source of a beam of radiation and a two-dimensional (2D) digital detector which is disposed in a path of the beam of radiation; (b) disposing the breast in the path of the beam of radiation between the source and the detector such that an entirety of the breast is disposed in the path of the beam; (c) using the source and the detector to obtain a volume scan of the breast, the volume scan resulting in image data; and (d) forming the image from the image data; wherein the volume scan of the breast acquires a set of 2D cone beam projection images or multiple sets of 2D cone beam projection images for cone beam tomographic reconstruction, and wherein a three-dimensional cone beam volume CT image is formed from the image data by performing a cone beam volume CT reconstruction on the cone beam projection images to produce a three-dimensional attenuation coefficient distribution of the breast. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 57, 59, 60, 61)
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37. A method for producing an image of a breast of a patient, the method comprising:
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(a) providing a source of a beam of radiation and a two-dimensional (2D) digital detector which is disposed in a path of the beam of radiation, the source comprising a beam compensation filter for compensating the beam in accordance with a non-uniform thickness of the breast; (b) disposing the breast in the path of the beam of radiation between the source and the detector such that an entirety of the breast is disposed in the path of the beam; (c) using the source and the detector to obtain a volume scan of the breast, the volume scan resulting in image data; and (d) forming the image from the image data; wherein the volume scan of the breast acquires a set of 2D cone beam projection images or multiple sets of 2D cone beam projection images for cone beam tomographic reconstruction, and wherein a three-dimensional cone beam volume CT image is formed from the image data by performing a cone beam volume CT reconstruction on the cone beam projection images to produce a three-dimensional attenuation coefficient distribution of the breast. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40)
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41. A method for producing an image of a breast of a patient, the method comprising:
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(a) providing a source of a beam of radiation and a two-dimensional (2D) digital detector which is disposed in a path of the beam of radiation; (b) disposing the breast in the path of the beam of radiation between the source and the two-dimensional (2D) digital detector such that an entirety of the breast is disposed in the path of the beam; (c) using the source and the detector to obtain a volume scan of the breast, the volume scan resulting in image data; (d) storing a material library comprising attenuation data for a plurality of breast tissue and lesion types; and (e) forming the image from the image data in accordance with the material library; wherein the volume scan of the breast acquires a set of 2D cone beam projection images or multiple sets of 2D cone beam projection images for cone beam tomographic reconstruction. - View Dependent Claims (42)
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Specification