Systems, methods and apparatus for dual mammography image detection

• US 20060074287A1
• Filed: 09/30/2004
• Published: 04/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Vafi, Habib, Neumann, David C.
• Application Number:
  US10/955,040
• Publication Number:
  US 20060074287A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/407
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/04 Positioning of patients; Tiltable beds or the like operating tables A61G13/00; operating chairs A61G15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4266 characterised by using a plurality of detector units A61B6/4014 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/502 for diagnosis of breast, i.e. mammography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/548 Remote control of the apparatus or devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0825 for diagnosis of the breast, e.g. mammography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4209 by using holders, e.g. positioning frames
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4218 characterised by articulated arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/483 involving the acquisition of a 3D volume of data
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/565 involving data transmission via a network
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/58 Testing, adjusting or calibrating the diagnostic device

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided by which a mammography imaging system offers X-ray and ultrasound imaging that allows sharing of common hardware such as the computer and display. Small regions of interest are imaged with X-ray at higher image quality by using a second sensor with higher DQE than the full-field sensor can obtain. In some embodiments a specialized chamber is provided for securing the anatomy to a fixed location, ultrasound image data is collected along with ultrasound probe location and orientation data from sensors on a handheld probe from which data images can be viewed directly, or used to reconstruct tomographic images of any desired cross-section, or used for various “3-D” image visualization methods. An imaging schedule defined by location and orientation of an ultrasound probe is used to generate a three-dimensional ultrasound image.

Claims

1. A mammography system having an X-ray source, a breast compression plate, and a digital image receptor, the receptor comprising:

a movement mechanism;

a first detector coupled to the movement mechanism operable to receive energy from said X-ray source and for providing roadmap data and X-ray source data; and

a second detector coupled to the movement mechanism operable to receive X-ray source energy and for providing X-ray source data.

2. The mammography system of claim 1, wherein the movement mechanism is a three degrees of freedom mechanism.

3. The mammography system of claim 1, wherein the movement mechanism positions the second detector based on the roadmap data.

4. The mammography system of claim 3, wherein the second detector is at least one of a direct conversion device, a charge coupled device, and an optoelectric device.

5. A mammography system comprising:

an X-ray source;

a breast compression plate; and

a digital image receptor, the receptor comprising;

a first detector receiving energy from said X-ray source and for providing X-ray source data; and

an electrical connector capable of coupling at least one external device.

6. The mammography system of claim 5, wherein the external device further comprises:

an ultrasound probe further comprising an ultrasonic transmitter and an ultrasonic detector.

7. The mammography system of claim 5, further comprising:

a gel pad acoustically coupled to the ultrasonic transducer.

8. The mammography system of claim 7, further comprising:

an enclosure that encapsulates the gel pad.

9. The mammography system of claim 8 wherein the gel pad further comprises:

an adherent surface.

10. A mammography system further comprising:

an X-ray source;

a breast compression plate; and

a digital image receptor, comprising;

a first detector receiving energy from said X-ray source and operable to provide X-ray source data;

at least one ultrasonic detector externally coupled to the digital image receptor; and

a ultrasonic transmitter externally coupled to the digital image receptor wherein ultrasonic measurements from the ultrasonic transmitter and ultrasonic detector are used in constructing an image of a patient'"'"'s breast by the mammography system.

11. The mammography system of claim 10, further comprising:

a gel pad acoustically coupled to the ultrasonic transducer.

12. The mammography system of claim 11, further comprising:

an enclosure that encapsulates the gel pad.

13. The mammography system of claim 10 wherein the gel pad includes an adherent surface.

14. A mammography imaging system, comprising:

an X-ray mammography imaging subsystem adapted to image a breast;

an ultrasound mammography imaging subsystem adapted to image a breast;

a selector switch for selecting between the X-ray mammography imaging subsystem and the ultrasound mammography imaging subsystem;

a device configured to obtain and store data from the selected imaging subsystem; and

a display device operable to display at least one image obtained or stored by said device.

15. The mammography system of claim 14, the system further comprising:

a gantry comprising at least one connector for coupling the ultrasound mammography subsystem to the device configured to obtain and store data.

16. The mammography system of claim 14, wherein the selector switch is one of a toggle switch, a rocker switch, a push button switch, and a lever.

17. The mammography system of claim 14, wherein the device configured to obtain and store data is at least one of a computer, workstation, a microprocessor, a personal digital assistance, and a server.

18. An apparatus for generating a three-dimensional ultrasound image, the apparatus comprising:

an ultrasound probe for generating ultrasound image data of a part of an anatomy through spatial registration with the part of an anatomy;

a motion control system for movement of the probe in relation to the part of an anatomy and for sensing the probe'"'"'s position, the motion control system including a first-axis control, a second-axis control, a third-axis control, and a fourth axis control for movement of the probe; and

a computer for generating the three-dimensional ultrasound image from the ultrasound image data and from information regarding the spatial registration.

19. An apparatus for generating a three-dimensional ultrasound image of a part of an anatomy, the apparatus comprising:

a first storage device for storing an imaging schedule, the imaging schedule defined by location and orientation;

an ultrasound probe for generating ultrasound image data of the part of an anatomy with indicia indicating location and orientation relative to a part of an anatomy;

a motion control system for movement of the ultrasound probe in relation to the part of an anatomy and for sensing the probe'"'"'s position, the motion control system including a first-axis control, a second-axis control, a third-axis control, and a fourth axis control for movement of the probe;

a second storage device for storing location and orientation of imaged data;

a comparator for comparing imaged data and imaging schedule and generating and indication of completion or at least one location and orientation; and

a computer for generating the three-dimensional ultrasound image from the ultrasound image data upon the indication of completion or at least one location and orientation.

20. An apparatus for generating ultrasound image of a breast, the apparatus comprising:

a hollow cavity for holding a breast in place so as to be imaged by an ultrasound probe;

a motion system for moving an ultrasound probe in relation to the breast in the hollow cavity;

a ultrasound probe for generating ultrasound image data of the breast in the hollow cavity; and

a computer for generating an ultrasound image from the ultrasound image data and from information regarding the spatial registration.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the hollow cavity holds the breast in place by applying a partial vacuum between the inner surface of the hollow cavity and the breast to be imaged by the ultrasound probe.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the motion system is a four degrees of freedom mechanism.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the degrees of freedom are azimuthal, linear, radial, and angular.

24. An ultrasound system further comprising an ultrasound probe, the ultrasound probe comprising:

a sensor capable of providing signals that represent position and orientation; and

a device capable of correcting the position and orientation signals and capable of generating signals that represent the actual position and orientation of the ultrasound probe relative to an object.

25. A mammography method perform on a mammography system further comprising a receptor with dual X-ray detectors, comprising:

irradiating a breast with X-rays and detect the X-rays transmitted through the breast with a first detector;

acquiring at least one first data set of X-ray from the first detector and form a first image of the X-ray from the data set;

deriving information from the first data set to acquire a second data set;

irradiating a breast with X-rays and detect the X-rays transmitted through the breast with a second detector;

acquiring at least one second data set of X-ray from the second detector and form a second image of the X-ray from the data set; and

visualizing at least one of first image and second image on an information medium.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the information from the first data set includes one of road map data, depth data, region of interest data.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the first detector and the second detector share a receptacle.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein visualizing is one of displaying first and second image, combining first and second image, fusing first and second image.

29. A mammography method performed by a mammography system further comprising a receptacle with an X-ray detector and connector for an ultrasonic probe, the mammography method comprising:

irradiating a breast with X-rays and detecting the X-rays transmitted through the breast with the X-ray detector;

acquiring at least one first data set of X-ray from the first detector and forming a first image of the X-ray from the data set;

coupling an ultrasound probe to the connector in the receptor of the mammography system;

applying ultrasound energy to the breast and detecting reflected ultrasound energy;

acquiring at least one second data set of ultrasound energy from the ultrasound probe and forming a second image from the data set; and

visualizing at least one of first image and second image on an information medium.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

fusing the first image and the second image to form a composite three dimensional image; and

displaying the fused image.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein fusion of the first and the second image is based on mechanically co-registered acquisition, co-registered acquisition supplemented by imaging physics or mutual information based registration.

32. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

using information from the first data set to acquire the second data set.

33. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

using information from the first data set to optimize quality of the second image.

34. A mammography imaging method performed by a mammography system further comprising a X-ray imaging subsystem and ultrasound imaging subsystem, the mammography imaging method comprising:

selecting between the X-ray mammography imaging subsystem and ultrasound mammography imaging subsystem to image a breast;

obtaining data from the selected imaging subsystem;

creating an image representation of the obtained data from the selected imaging subsystem;

storing the image representation from the selected imaging subsystem; and

displaying created or stored image representation.

35. The method of claim 34, the method further comprising:

electrically coupling the ultrasound mammography subsystem at a gantry mechanism located in the X-ray subsystem.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein the action of selecting is accomplished through one of a toggle switch, rocker switch, push button switch, and lever.

37. The method of claim 34, wherein the actions of selecting, obtaining, creating, storing are accomplished by least one of computer, workstation, microprocessor, personal digital assistance, and server.

38. The method of claim 34, wherein the action of storing is one or more images from each selected imaging subsystem to form a first and second image.

39. The method of claim 38, further comprising:

fusing the first image and the second image to form a composite three dimensional image; and

displaying the fused image.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein fusion of the first and the second image is based on mechanically co-registered acquisition, co-registered acquisition supplemented by imaging physics or mutual information based registration.

41. The method of claim 38, further comprising:

using information from the X-ray subsystem to acquire at least one image from the ultrasound subsystem.

42. The method of claim 38, further comprising:

using information from the X-ray subsystem to optimize the quality of the second image from the ultrasound subsystem.

43. A mammography method performed by a mammography system further comprising a breast shaped chamber for constraining a breast, the mammography method comprising:

positioning the breast to be imaged in the chamber;

moving an ultrasound probe outside the breast shaped chamber to a desired location so as to image the breast;

applying ultrasound energy to the breast and detecting reflected ultrasound energy;

obtaining data from the reflected ultrasound energy;

creating an image representation of the obtained data from the reflected ultrasound energy;

storing the image representation from the reflected ultrasound energy; and

displaying created or stored image representation.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the action of storing is one or more images from the reflected ultrasound energy.

45. The method of claim 44, further comprising:

fusing the first image and the second image to form a composite three dimensional image; and

displaying the fused image.

46. The method of claim 44, wherein fusion of the first and the second image is based on mechanically co-registered acquisition, co-registered acquisition supplemented by imaging physics or mutual information based registration.

47. The method of claim 44, further comprising:

using information from a previous image to acquire a subsequent image.

48. The method of claim 44, further comprising:

using information from at least one previous image to optimize the quality of subsequent images.

49. A method performed by a medical imaging system, the method comprising:

sensing location and orientation signals of an ultrasound probe relative to a part of an anatomy to be imaged;

correcting the sensed location and orientation signals of the ultrasound probe relative to a part of an anatomy to be imaged;

applying ultrasound energy to the part of an anatomy and detecting reflected ultrasound energy;

obtaining data from the reflected ultrasound energy and corrected sensed location and orientation signals;

creating an image representation of the obtained data from the reflected ultrasound energy;

storing the image representation from the reflected ultrasound energy; and

displaying created or stored image representation.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein the action of storing is one or more images from the reflected ultrasound energy.

51. The method of claim 50, further comprising:

fusing the first image and the second image to form a composite three dimensional image; and

displaying the fused image.

52. The method of claim 50, wherein fusion of the first and the second image is based on mechanically co-registered acquisition, co-registered acquisition supplemented by imaging physics or mutual information based registration.

53. The method of claim 50, further comprising:

using information from a previous image to acquire a subsequent image.

54. The method of claim 50, further comprising:

using information from at least one previous image to optimize the quality of subsequent images.

55. A medical imaging method performed by a medical imaging system further comprising an ultrasound probe, the method comprising:

applying ultrasound energy to a part of an anatomy and detecting reflected ultrasound energy;

receiving information from the ultrasound probe indicative of location and orientation relative to the part of an anatomy;

obtaining data from the reflected ultrasound energy and received information indicative location and orientation signals;

creating an image representation of the obtained data from the reflected ultrasound energy;

storing the image representation from the reflected ultrasound energy; and

displaying created or stored image representation.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein the action of storing is one or more images from the reflected ultrasound energy.

57. The method of claim 56, further comprising:

fusing the first image and the second image to form a composite three dimensional image; and

displaying the fused image.

58. The method of claim 56, wherein fusion of the first and the second image is based on mechanically co-registered acquisition, co-registered acquisition supplemented by imaging physics or mutual information based registration.

59. The method of claim 56, further comprising:

using information from a previous image to acquire a subsequent image.

60. The method of claim 56, further comprising:

using information from at least one previous image to optimize the quality of subsequent images.

61. The method of claim 56, wherein the received information comprises,

sensing location and orientation signals of an ultrasound probe relative to a part of an anatomy to be imaged;

and

correcting the sensed location and orientation signals of the ultrasound probe relative to a part of an anatomy to be imaged.

62. A method for generating a three-dimensional ultrasound image of a part of an anatomy, the method comprising:

storing an imaging schedule defined by location and orientation of an ultrasound probe;

moving the ultrasound probe to a position that is defined by a location and an orientation;

generating at least one ultrasound image with an indicia indicating location and orientation;

storing the indicia that are indicative of location and orientation of the ultrasound image;

storing the generate ultrasound image with an indicia indicating location and orientation;

comparing the stored indicia and the stored imaging schedule;

generating an indication of completion based on the comparison of the stored indicia and the stored imaging schedule;

repeating the previous actions if the indication is non completion; and

generating a three-dimensional ultrasound image from the store ultrasound image upon the indication of completion.

63. A computer-accessible medium having executable instructions to control the operations of a medical imaging system, the executable instructions capable of directing a processor to perform:

storing an imaging schedule defined by location and orientation of an ultrasound probe;

moving the ultrasound probe to a position that is defined by a location and an orientation;

generating at least one ultrasound image with an indicia indicating location and orientation;

storing the indicia that are indicative of location and orientation of the ultrasound image;

storing the generate ultrasound image with an indicia indicating location and orientation;

comparing the stored indicia and the stored imaging schedule;

generating an indication of completion based on the comparison of the stored indicia and the stored imaging schedule;

repeating the previous actions if the indication is non completion; and

generating a three-dimensional ultrasound image from the store ultrasound image upon the indication of completion.

64. A computer-accessible medium having executable instructions to control the operations of a medical imaging system, the executable instructions capable of directing a processor to perform

sensing location and orientation signals of an ultrasound probe relative to a part of an anatomy to be imaged;

correcting the sensed location and orientation signals of the ultrasound probe relative to a part of an anatomy to be imaged;

applying ultrasound energy to the breast and detecting reflected ultrasound energy;

obtaining data from the reflected ultrasound energy and corrected sensed location and orientation signals;

creating an image representation of the obtained data from the reflected ultrasound energy; and

storing the image representation from the reflected ultrasound energy; and

displaying created or stored image representation.

65. The method of claim 64, wherein the action of storing is one or more images from the reflected ultrasound energy.

66. The method of claim 65, further comprising:

fusing the first image and the second image to form a composite three dimensional image; and

displaying the fused image.

67. The method of claim 65, wherein fusion of the first and the second image is based on mechanically co-registered acquisition, co-registered acquisition supplemented by imaging physics or mutual information based registration.

68. The method of claim 65, further comprising:

using information from a previous image to acquire a subsequent image.

69. The method of claim 65, further comprising:

using information from at least one previous image to optimize the quality of subsequent images.

70. A computer data signal embodied in a digital data stream comprising data including a representation of a first image, the first image comprising a first plurality of pixels, wherein the computer data signal is generated by a method comprising:

applying ultrasound energy to a part of an anatomy and detecting reflected ultrasound energy;

receiving information from the ultrasound probe indicative of location and orientation relative to the part of an anatomy;

obtaining data from the reflected ultrasound energy and received information indicative location and orientation signals; and

creating an image representation of the obtained data from the reflected ultrasound energy.

71. The method of claim 70, further comprising:

fusing a first image and a second image to form a composite three dimensional image.

72. The method of claim 71, wherein fusion of the first and the second image is based on mechanically co-registered acquisition, co-registered acquisition supplemented by imaging physics or mutual information based registration.

73. The method of claim 72, further comprising:

using information from a previous image to acquire a subsequent image.

74. The method of claim 72, further comprising:

using information from at least one previous image to optimize the quality of subsequent images.

75. The method of claim 70, wherein the received information comprises;

sensing location and orientation signals of an ultrasound probe relative to a part of an anatomy to be imaged; and

correcting the sensed location and orientation signals of the ultrasound probe relative to a part of an anatomy to be imaged.