Method for producing an X-ray image

• US 10,052,079 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2014
• Issued: 08/21/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sirona Dental Systems GmbH (Sirona Dental Systems Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Sirona Dental Systems GmbH (Sirona Dental Systems Incorporated)
• Inventors: Abkai, Ciamak, Lindenberg, Kai
• Primary Examiner(s): Kao, Glen
• Application Number:
  US14/905,596
• Publication Number:
  US 20160166226A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,498 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3937 Visible markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/032 Transmission computed tomography [CT]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/0492 using markers or indicia for aiding patient positioning
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4435 the source unit and the detector unit being coupled by a rigid structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/501 for diagnosis of the head, e.g. neuroimaging or craniography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/52 Devices using data or image processing specially adapted for radiation diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/5294 involving using additional data, e.g. patient information, image labeling, acquisition parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/547 involving tracking of position of the device or parts of the device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/584 determining position of components of the apparatus or device using images of the phantom
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/589 Setting distance between source unit and patient

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing an x-ray image (1) of an object (2) by means of an x-ray device (3). An x-ray source (4) and an x-ray detector (5) are moved about an object (2) during an at least partial circulation (8, 9), and the x-ray beams (10) which are generated by the x-ray source (4) and pass through the object (2) are detected from multiple different directions by means of the x-ray detector (5). In the process, at least one optical camera (13, 14) captures the object (2) during the circulation, wherein an optical image (15, 17) is produced. The optical camera (13, 14) has a rigidly defined position relative to the x-ray source (4) and/or the x-ray detector (5). The optical image (15, 17) is then used to determine a movement trajectory of the object (2) relative to the x-ray source (4) and/or the x-ray detector (5).

Claims

1. An x-ray imaging method, comprising:

causing an x-ray source and an x-ray detector to move about an object to a plurality of different positions;

generating a two-dimensional x-ray image of the object at each of the plurality of different positions;

generating a plurality of optical images of the object using an optical camera during the movement of the x-ray source and the x-ray detector about the object;

determining a movement trajectory of the object relative to the x-ray detector based on the plurality of optical images; and

calculating a three-dimensional x-ray image of the object based on the plurality of two-dimensional x-ray images and the movement trajectory of the object relative to the x-ray detector.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining a deformation of a carrying arm, on which the x-ray source and the x-ray detector are mounted, that occurs during the movement of the x-ray source and the x-ray detector about the object based on the plurality of optical images,

wherein the deformation of the carrying arm is used in the determining of the movement trajectory of the object relative to the x-ray detector.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the optical camera has a known positional relationship to the x-ray source and/or to the x-ray detector.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

generating another plurality of optical images of the object using another optical camera during the movement of the x-ray source and the x-ray detector about the object; and

determining a movement trajectory of the object relative to the x-ray source based on the other plurality of optical images,

wherein the three-dimensional x-ray image of the object is further calculated, in the calculating, based on the movement trajectory of the object relative to the x-ray source.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the other optical camera has a known positional relationship to the optical camera.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

detecting one or more prominent structures of the object in each of the plurality of optical images; and

determining, for each of the plurality of different positions, a positional relationship of the object relative to the x-ray source or to the x-ray detector based on the one or more prominent structures detected in a corresponding optical image, and

wherein the positional relationships of the object relative to the x-ray source or to the x-ray detector at the plurality of positions are used in the determining of the movement trajectory of the object relative to the x-ray detector.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

detecting one or more optical marks on the object in each of the plurality of optical images;

determining, for each of the plurality of different positions, a positional relationship of the object relative to the x-ray source or to the x-ray detector based on the one or more optical marks detected in a corresponding optical image,

wherein the positional relationships of the object relative to the x-ray source or to the x-ray detector at the plurality of positions are used in the determining of the movement trajectory of the x-ray detector relative to the object.

8. A dental imaging system, comprising:

an x-ray source constructed to emit x-ray beams towards an object;

an x-ray detector constructed to detect x-ray beams, wherein the x-ray source and the x-ray detector are configured to move about the object and generate a plurality of two-dimensional x-ray images respectively corresponding to a plurality of different positions;

an optical camera configured to generate a plurality of optical images of the object during the movement of the x-ray source and the x-ray detector about the object; and

a computer configured to;

determine a movement trajectory of the object relative to the x-ray detector based on the plurality of optical images of the object generated by the optical camera during the movement of the x-ray source and the x-ray detector about the object, and

calculate a three-dimensional x-ray image of the object based on the plurality of two-dimensional x-ray images and the movement trajectory of the object relative to the x-ray detector.

9. The dental imaging system according to claim 8, wherein the computer is further configured to:

determine a deformation of a carrying arm, on which the x-ray source and the x-ray detector are mounted, that occurs during the movement of the x-ray source and the x-ray detector about the object based on the plurality of optical images,

wherein the deformation of the carrying arm is used to determine the movement trajectory of the object relative to the x-ray detector.

10. The dental imaging system according to claim 8, wherein the optical camera has a known positional relationship to the x-ray source and/or to the x-ray detector.

11. The dental imaging system according to claim 8, further comprising:

another optical camera configured to generate another plurality of optical images of the object during the movement of the x-ray source and the x-ray detector about the object,

wherein the computer is further configured to;

determine a movement trajectory of the object relative to the x-ray source based on the other plurality of optical images, and

calculate the three-dimensional x-ray image of the object based on the movement trajectory of the object relative to the x-ray source.

12. The dental imaging system according to claim 11, wherein the other optical camera has a known positional relationship to the optical camera.

13. The dental imaging system according to claim 8, wherein the computer is further configured to:

detect one or more prominent structures of the object in each of the plurality of optical images, and

determine, for each of the plurality of different positions, a positional relationship of the object relative to the x-ray source or to the x-ray detector based on the one or more prominent structures detected in a corresponding optical image,

wherein the positional relationships of the object relative to the x-ray source or to the x-ray detector at the plurality of positions are used by the computer to determine the movement trajectory.

14. The dental imaging system according to claim 8, wherein the computer is further configured to:

detect one or more optical marks on the object in each of the plurality of optical images, and

determine, for each of the plurality of different positions, a positional relationship of the object relative to the x-ray source or to the x-ray detector based on the one or more optical marks detected in a corresponding optical image, and

wherein the positional relationships of the object relative to the x-ray source or to the x-ray detector at the plurality of positions are used by the computer to determine the movement trajectory.

15. A dental imaging apparatus, comprising:

a computer configured to;

receive a plurality of two-dimensional x-ray images of an object generated during a movement of an x-ray source and an x-ray detector about the object, wherein the plurality of two-dimensional x-ray images respectively correspond to a plurality of different positions,

receive a plurality of optical images from an optical camera of the object generated during the movement of the x-ray source and the x-ray detector about the object,

determine a movement trajectory of the object relative to the x-ray detector based on the plurality of optical images, and

calculate a three-dimensional x-ray image of the object based on the plurality of two-dimensional x-ray images and the movement trajectory of the object relative to the x-ray detector.

16. The dental imaging apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the computer is further configured to:

determine a deformation of a carrying arm, on which the x-ray source and the x-ray detector are mounted, during the movement of the x-ray source and the x-ray detector about the object based on the plurality of optical images,

wherein the deformation of the carrying arm is used to determine the movement trajectory of the object relative to the x-ray detector.

17. The dental imaging apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the optical camera has a known positional relationship to the x-ray source and/or to the x-ray detector.

18. The dental imaging apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising:

another optical camera configured to generate another plurality of optical images of the object during the movement of the x-ray source and the x-ray detector about the object,

wherein the computer is further configured to;

determine a movement trajectory of the object relative to the x-ray source based on the other plurality of optical images, and

calculate the three-dimensional x-ray image of the object based on the movement trajectory of the object relative to the x-ray source.

19. The dental imaging apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the other optical camera has a known positional relationship to the optical camera.

20. The dental imaging apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the computer is further configured to:

detect one or more prominent structures of the object in each of the plurality of optical images, and

determine, for each of the plurality of different positions, a positional relationship of the object relative to the x-ray source or to the x-ray detector based on the one or more prominent structures detected in a corresponding optical image,

wherein the positional relationships of the object relative to the x-ray source or to the x-ray detector at the plurality of positions are used by the computer to determine the movement trajectory.

21. The dental imaging apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the computer is further configured to:

detect one or more optical marks on the object in each of the plurality of optical images, and

determine, for each of the plurality of different positions, a positional relationship of the object relative to the x-ray source or to the x-ray detector based on the one or more optical marks detected in a corresponding optical image, and

wherein the positional relationships of the object relative to the x-ray source or to the x-ray detector at the plurality of positions are used by the computer to determine the movement trajectory.

22. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing program instructions that when executed cause a computer to:

receive a plurality of two-dimensional x-ray images of an object generated during a movement of an x-ray source and an x-ray detector about the object, wherein the plurality of two-dimensional x-ray images respectively correspond to a plurality of different positions,

receive a plurality of optical images of the object generated during the movement of the x-ray source and the x-ray detector about the object,

determine a movement trajectory of the object relative to the x-ray detector based on the plurality of optical images, and

calculate a three-dimensional x-ray image of the object based on the plurality of two-dimensional x-ray images and the movement trajectory of the object relative to the x-ray detector.