Radiological imaging device, method and program of control associated with the device

• US 7,133,490 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2001
• Issued: 11/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company LLC (GE Healthcare Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company LLC (GE Healthcare Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Miotti, Luc, Muller, Serge, Saladin, Jean-Pierre
• Primary Examiner(s): Glick, Edward J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yun, Jurie
• Application Number:
  US09/825,910
• Publication Number:
  US 20010038679A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,043 Days
• Field of Search: 378/37, 378/62
• US Class Current: 378/37
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/0414 with compression means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4494 Means for identifying the diagnostic device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/502 for diagnosis of breast, i.e. mammography

Abstract

Radiological imaging device comprising an emitter of an X-ray beam and a receiver of the X-ray beam after it has crossed an organ, the organ being capable of being placed between the receiver and a compression element, capable of being removably fixed on the device. A calculation unit includes a means for optimizing the image quality over a particular area defined by the compression element.

Claims

1. A radiological imaging device, comprising:

a. means for emission of an X-ray beam;

b. means for receiving the X-ray beam after the beam has crossed an object to be studied; and

c. means for calculation for controlling the means for emission and for processing data from the means for receiving;

d. wherein the object is placed between the means for receiving and a means for compression;

e. the means for compression being removably fixed on the device; and

f. the means for calculation including means for optimizing image quality over a particular area defined by the means for compression.

2. The device according to claim 1, comprising:

means for recognition of the means for compression.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the means for recognition includes at least one detection element and an adapter connected to an output of the detection element for transfer of data from the detection element to a communication bus associated with the device and the means for calculation for processing data from the means for recognition.

4. A radiological imaging device comprising;

a. means for emission of an X-ray beam;

b. means for receiving the X-ray beam after the beam has crossed an object to be studied;

c. an element having a given X-ray absorption removably fixed on the device; and

d. means for calculation for controlling the means for emission and for processing data from the means for receiving, the means for calculation including means for optimizing image quality over a particular area defined by the element.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the element includes means for coding for cooperating with a means for recognition of the element.

6. A radiological imaging method, in which a compression element for an object is mounted on a radiological device having means for emission of an X-ray beam and means for receiving the X-ray beam after the beam has crossed the object to be studied and means for calculation for controlling the means for emission and for processing data from the means for receiving, comprising the steps for:

a. placing the object between the means for receiving and the compression element;

b. taking a first radiological image of the object; and

c. processing the first radiological image in order to optimize image quality over a particular area defined by the compression element.

7. The method according to claim 6, in which the particular area is defined by a surface of the compression element in contact with the object to be studied.

8. The method according to claim 6 comprising the steps for:

a. establishing a histogram of the image (real histogram);

b. establishing a mathematical model of an image chain;

c. determining parameters of the object by calibration;

d. determining parameters for acquisition of the image;

e. determining parameters of the means for receiving;

f. determining parameters for positioning the device;

g. using steps a to f to determine two gray level values, min_gray and max_gray, taken in the particular area and delimiting a useful gray area;

h. eliminating the part below min₁₃ gray and the part above max₁₃ gray in the real histogram in order to obtain a limited histogram;

i. applying a set of rules to the limited histogram in order to determine a WL brightness level; and

j. obtaining a WW contrast from the WL brightness level and possibly from one or more parameters chosen by a user or fixed a priori.

9. The method according to claim 7 comprising the steps for:

a. establishing a histogram of the image (real histogram);

b. establishing a mathematical model of an image chain;

c. determining parameters of the object by calibration;

d. determining parameters for acquisition of the image;

e. determining parameters of the means for receiving;

f. determining parameters for positioning the device;

g. using steps a to f to determine two gray level values, min_gray and max_gray, taken in the particular area and delimiting a useful gray area;

h. eliminating the part below min_gray and the part above max_gray in the real histogram in order to obtain a limited histogram;

i. applying a set of rules to the limited histogram in order to determine a WL brightness level; and

j. obtaining a WW contrast from the WL brightness level and possibly from one or more parameters chosen by a user or fixed a priori.

10. A radiological imaging process, in which an element having a given X-ray absorption is placed in a path of an X-ray beam of a radiological device, the radiological device comprising means for emission of the X-ray beam and means for receiving the X-ray beam after the beam has crossed an object to be studied and means for calculation for controlling the means for emission and for processing data from the means for receiving, comprising the steps for:

a. placing the object in the path of the X-ray beam;

b. taking a first radiological image of the object and;

c. processing the first radiological image in order to optimize image quality on a particular area defined by the element.

11. An article of manufacture comprising:

a. a computer useable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for taking a first radiological image by a device having means for emission of an X-ray beam and means for receiving the X-ray beam after the beam has crossed an object to the studied, wherein the object is disposed between the means for emission and a means compression, and means for calculation for controlling the means for emission and means for processing data from the means for receiving; and

b. the computer readable program code means processing the first radiological image for optimizing the image quality over a particular area defined by the means for compression.

12. The article of claim 11 wherein the computer readable program code means comprises program code for causing a coder for the means for compression to cooperate with means for recognition of the means for compression.

13. The article of claim 11 wherein the computer readable program code means comprises steps for:

a. forming a real histogram of the image;

b. establishing a mathematical model of an image chain;

c. determining parameters of the object by calculation;

d. determining parameters for an acquisition of the image;

e. determining parameters of the means for receiving;

f. determining parameters for positioning of the device;

g. determining two gray levels values, min_gray and max_gray, taken in a particular area and delimiting a gray area;

h. eliminating a part below min_gray and a part above max_gray in the histogram in order to obtain a limited histogram;

applying a set of rules to the limited histogram in order to determine a WL brightness level; and

j. obtaining a WW contrast from the WL brightness level and possible from one or more parameters chosen by the user or fixed a priori.

14. The article of claim 11 wherein the article is a support capable of being read by a reading device for the computer readable program code means embodied therein.

15. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for taking a radiological image of an object, the method steps comprising:

a. forming a real histogram of the image;

b. establishing a mathematical model of an image chain;

c. determining parameters of the object by calculation;

d. determining parameters for an acquisition of the image;

e. determining parameters of a means for receiving;

f. determining parameters for positioning of the device;

g. determining two gray levels values, min_gray and max_gray, taken in a particular area and delimiting a gray area;

h. eliminating a part below min_gray and a part above max_gray in the histogram in order to obtain a limited histogram;

i. applying a set of rules to the limited histogram in order to determine a WL brightness level; and

h. obtaining a WW contrast from the WL brightness level and possible from one or more parameters chosen by the user or fixed a priori.