Breast tomosynthesis with display of highlighted suspected calcifications
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of acquiring and displaying x-ray images comprising:
- acquiring x-ray tomosynthesis image data Tp representative of projection images Tp taken at different angles of an origin of imaging x-rays relative to a patient'"'"'s breast;
computer-processing at least a subset of the acquired Tp data into reconstructed tomosynthesis image data Tr representative of images Tr of slices of the breasts that have selected orientations and thicknesses;
identifying one or more suspected abnormalities that meet selected criteria of size, location and other properties by computer-processing said Tr data; and
selectively displaying a representation of the identified suspected abnormalities in association with displaying selected images related to said Tr data.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods that facilitate the presentation and assessment of selected features in projection and/or reconstructed breast images, such as calcifications that meet selected criteria of size, shape, presence in selected slice images, distribution of pixels that could be indicative of calcification relative to other pixels or of other image features of clinical interest.
218 Citations
47 Claims
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1. A method of acquiring and displaying x-ray images comprising:
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acquiring x-ray tomosynthesis image data Tp representative of projection images Tp taken at different angles of an origin of imaging x-rays relative to a patient'"'"'s breast; computer-processing at least a subset of the acquired Tp data into reconstructed tomosynthesis image data Tr representative of images Tr of slices of the breasts that have selected orientations and thicknesses; identifying one or more suspected abnormalities that meet selected criteria of size, location and other properties by computer-processing said Tr data; and selectively displaying a representation of the identified suspected abnormalities in association with displaying selected images related to said Tr data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of acquiring and displaying x-ray images comprising:
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acquiring x-ray tomosynthesis image data Tp representative of projection images Tp taken at different angles of an origin of imaging x-rays relative to a patient'"'"'s breast; computer-processing at least a subset of the acquired Tp data into reconstructed tomosynthesis image data Tr representative of images Tr of slices of the breasts that have selected orientations and thicknesses; identifying one or more suspected abnormalities that meet selected criteria of size, location and other properties by computer-processing said Tp and/or Tr data; and selectively displaying a representation of the identified calcification in association with displaying selected images related to said Tr data. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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11. A method of acquiring and displaying x-ray images comprising:
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acquiring x-ray tomosynthesis image data Tp representative of projection images Tp taken at different angles of an origin of imaging x-rays relative to a patient'"'"'s breast; computer-processing at least a subset of the acquired Tp data into reconstructed tomosynthesis image data Tr representative of images Tr of slices of the breasts that have selected orientations and thicknesses; identifying one or more suspected abnormalities that meet selected criteria of one or more of number, size, location and other properties by computer-processing said Tr and/or Tp data; and selectively displaying only images of those slices of the breast that contain suspected abnormalities identified in said identifying step. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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13. A method of acquiring and displaying x-ray images comprising:
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acquiring x-ray tomosynthesis image data Tp representative of projection images taken at different angles of an origin of imaging x-rays relative to a patient'"'"'s breast; computer-processing at least a subset of the acquired Tp data into reconstructed tomosynthesis image data Tr representative of images Tr of slices of the breasts that have selected orientations and thicknesses; identifying suspected abnormalities that correspond to suspected calcifications and suspected masses in the breast that meet selected criteria of number, size, location and other properties by computer-processing said Tr and/or Tp data; and selectively displaying images of breast slices with visible indications therein of (1) identified abnormalities that are in a currently displayed image of a slice, and (2) identified abnormalities a are in another image of a slice.
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14. A method of acquiring and displaying x-ray images comprising:
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acquiring x-ray tomosynthesis image data Tp representative of projection images taken at different angles of an origin of imaging x-rays relative to a patient'"'"'s breast; computer-processing at least a subset of the acquired Tp data into reconstructed tomosynthesis image data Tr representative of images Tr of slices of the breasts that have selected orientations and thicknesses; identifying one or more breast image portions that correspond to suspected calcifications and/or masses in the breast that meet selected criteria of number, size, location and other properties by computer-processing said Tr and/or Tp data through a process that also identifies geometric relationships between identified abnormalities found in different slice images; and selectively displaying images of breast slices with visible indications therein of suspected abnormalities that span more than one breast slice.
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15. A method of acquiring and displaying tomosynthesis images comprising:
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acquiring projection x-ray images of a patient'"'"'s breast at different angles and reconstruction initial breast slice images in a reconstruction process using at least the projection images; identifying pixels that are in respective initial slice images and correspond to suspected abnormalities at least in part by computer-processing at least some of said images; combining initial slice images into final slice images using a computer-implemented slabbing process that combines pixels that correspond to suspected abnormalities in a different manner from pixels that do not; and displaying the final slab images in a manner that enhances slabbed pixels that correspond to suspected abnormalities. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of acquiring and displaying tomosynthesis images comprising:
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acquiring projection x-ray images of a patient'"'"'s breast at different angles and reconstruction breast slice images in a reconstruction process using at least the projection images; identifying pixels in the projection and/or reconstructed images that correspond to suspected abnormalities in breast tissue at least in part by computer-processing at least some of said images; and computer-processing the identified pixels to facilitate visualization of at least a subset of the identified pixels in a display; and displaying at least selected slice images containing said subset of the identified pixels for screening and/or diagnosis by a user. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A system for acquiring and displaying tomosynthesis images comprising:
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an x-ray acquisition unit acquiring projection x-ray images of a patient'"'"'s breast at different angles; a processing and image reconstruction unit coupled with said acquisition unit and configured to receive said projection images therefrom and reconstruct breast slice images in a reconstruction process using at least said projection images; said processing and image reconstruction unit being further configured to identify pixels in the projection and/or reconstructed slices images that correspond to suspected abnormalities in breast tissue and to process the identified pixels to facilitate visualization of at least a subset of the identified pixels in a display; and an image display unit displaying at least selected slice images containing said subset of the identified pixels for screening and/or diagnosis by a user. - View Dependent Claims (30)
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31. A computer program product embodied in an information storage device and containing instructions to a processing system to:
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receive information describing projection x-ray images of a patient'"'"'s breast acquired at different angles and reconstruct breast slice images in a reconstruction process using at least the projection images; identify pixels in the projection and/or reconstructed images that correspond to suspected abnormalities in breast tissue; process the identified pixels to facilitate visualization of at least a subset of the identified pixels in a display, and deliver information describing for display at least selected slice images containing at least said subset of the identified pixels for screening and/or diagnosis by a user. - View Dependent Claims (32)
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33. A method of acquiring and displaying x-ray images comprising:
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acquiring x-ray tomosynthesis image data Tp representative of projection images taken at different angles of an origin of imaging x-rays relative to a patient'"'"'s breast; computer-processing at least a subset of the acquired Tp data into reconstructed tomosynthesis image data Tr representative of images Tr of slices of the breasts that have selected orientations and thicknesses; selectively displaying a subset of Tr data that contain selected features of interest in tissue of said breast present in said image data Tp and/or Tr. - View Dependent Claims (34)
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35. A method of acquiring and displaying x-ray images comprising:
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acquiring x-ray tomosynthesis image data Tp representative of projection images Tp taken at different angles of an origin of imaging x-rays relative to a patient'"'"'s breast; computer-processing at least a subset of the acquired Tp data into reconstructed tomosynthesis image data Tr representative of images Tr of slices of the breasts that have selected orientations and thicknesses; identifying one or more suspected abnormalities in said images Tp and/or Tr that meet selected criteria of at least a subset of number, size, location and other properties of pixels by computer-processing said Tr data; and selectively displaying a representation of the identified suspected abnormalities in association with displaying selected images related to said Tr data. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38)
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39. A method of acquiring and displaying x-ray images comprising:
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acquiring x-ray tomosynthesis image data Tp representative of projection images taken at different angles of an origin of imaging x-rays relative to a patient'"'"'s breast; computer-processing at least a subset of the acquired Tp data into reconstructed tomosynthesis image data Tr representative of images Tr of slices of the breasts that have selected orientations and thicknesses; identifying one or more portions of the breast abnormalities that correspond to suspected abnormalities in the breast that meet selected criteria of one or more of number, size, location and other properties by computer-processing said Tr and/or Tp data; and selectively displaying images of breast slices with visible indications therein of (1) identified suspected abnormalities that are in a currently displayed image of a slice, and (2) identified suspected abnormalities that are in another image of a slice. - View Dependent Claims (40)
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41. A method of acquiring and displaying x-ray images comprising:
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acquiring x-ray tomosynthesis image data Tp representative of projection images taken at different angles of an origin of imaging x-rays relative to a patient'"'"'s breast; computer-processing at least a subset of the acquired Tp data into reconstructed tomosynthesis image data Tr representative of images Tr of slices of the breasts that have selected orientations and thicknesses; identifying one or more portions of the breast that correspond to suspected abnormalities in the breast that meet selected criteria of one or more of number, size, location and other properties by computer-processing said Tr and/or Tp data through a process that also identifies geometric relationships between identified abnormalities found in different slice images; and selectively displaying images of breast slices with visible indications therein of clusters of abnormalities that span more than one breast slice. - View Dependent Claims (42)
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43. A method of acquiring and displaying x-ray images comprising:
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acquiring two-dimensional (2D) x-ray image data of a patient'"'"'s breast, including tomosynthesis image data Tp representative of projection images Tp taken at different angles of an origin of imaging x-rays relative to the breast; computer-processing at least a subset of the acquired 2D x-ray image data into reconstructed tomosynthesis image data Tr representative of images Tr of slices of the breasts that have selected orientations and thicknesses; identifying suspected abnormalities that meet selected criteria of one or more of number, size, location and other properties at least in part by computer-processing at least a subset of said 2D image data; and automatically identifying and displaying under user control Tr images showing the suspected abnormalities identified in said Tp images. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45)
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46. A method of acquiring and displaying x-ray images comprising:
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acquiring two-dimensional (2D) x-ray image data of a patient'"'"'s breast, including tomosynthesis images data Tp representative of projection images Tp taken at different angles of an origin of imaging x-rays relative to the breast; computer-processing at least a subset of the acquired 2D x-ray image data into reconstructed tomosynthesis image data Tr representative of images Tr of slices of the breasts that have selected orientations and thicknesses; selectively displaying one or more 2D images based on at least of subset of said 2D image data and identifying, at least in part through computer processing of at least some of said 2D images, one or more features in the displayed 2D images in response to user designation of said features; and automatically identifying and displaying under user control Tr images showing the one or more features identified in said displayed 2D images. - View Dependent Claims (47)
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Specification