General Electric Company

Thomson-Cgr

Ge Precision Healthcare LLC

Ge Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC

G.e. Medical Systems, S.a.

Remy Klausz

John Eric Tkaczyk

Razvan Iordache

Biju Jacob

Henri Souchay

Giovanni John Jacques Palma

Xavier Mancardi

Serge Muller

Laurence Vancamberg

Scott Stephen Zelakiewicz

Fanny Patoureaux

Yann Le Meur

Emad Abutabanjeh

Kenneth Scott Kump

Vasile Bogdan Neculaes

Sylvain Bernard

Serge Louis Wilfrid Muller

Carlos Martinez Ferreira

Hao Lai

Vincent Stanley Polkus

Xi Zhang

Ann-Katherine Carton

Pablo Milioni De Carvalho

Jorge Corsino Espino

Francois Serge Nicolas

Vladislav Boutenko

Sylvie Puong

Guillaume Bacher

Mathias Cisaruk

Veronique Felix

Alain Rauby

Ann-katherine Carton

Ruben Sanchez De La Rosa

Colin Auclair

Jérôme Sutty

Bruno Gilles Richou

A breast phantom is provided that has a non-uniform thickness to mimic clinically realistic variations in compressed breast thicknesses when in contact with the compression paddle during a mammography imaging procedure. With the non-uniform thickness, the breast phantom enables a mammography imaging device to be tested for image quality with regard to image correction processes and/or algorithms employed by the mammography imaging device to address non-uniformity in the thickness of the imaged breast. The breast phantom can be made of one or more sections, with one or more of the sections having a non-uniform thickness.

Non-uniform thickness breast imaging phantom for 2D/3D spectral imaging

An X-ray source transmits X-rays through a subject and a detector receives the X-ray energy after having passed through the subject. A processing system generates a pre-shot image of the subject using low energy X-ray intensity from the X-ray source and determines a plurality of acquisition parameters for a main scan of the subject based on the pre-shot image. A saturation time of the detector for the corresponding acquisition parameters is determined based on detector calibration data and to determine a number of time frames required to reach the targeted dose based on the saturation time. An X-ray dosage level of the subject is then applied using the X-ray source based on the number of time frames and to generate the image of the subject based on the detected X-ray energy at the X-ray detector for the applied X-ray dosage level.

System and method for imaging a subject

Systems and methods for synthesizing a two-dimensional (2D) image of an organ of a patient by obtaining an pre-exposure x-ray image of the organ in order to ascertain parameters needed for acquisition of 2D (tomosynthesis) projection images of the organ, imaging the organ to obtain a plurality of 2D (tomosynthesis) projection images of the organ, and generating a synthetic 2D image of the organ from a combination of both the plurality of tomosynthesis projection images and the pre-exposure x-ray image.

Tomosynthesis dataset generation using pre-exposure acquisition

An imaging system, such as a DBT system, capable of providing an operator of the system with information concerning the location, magnitude and direction of motion detected by the system during performance of the scan to enhance image processing. The imaging system provides the motion information to the operator directly in conjunction with the images processed by the imaging system thereby providing the operator with sufficient information for decisions regarding the need for additional images for completing the scan with the imaging system before the patient is discharged, or even before the breast is decompressed.

Method and system for motion assessment and correction in digital breast tomosynthesis

An apparatus for controlling medical equipment is provided. The apparatus includes patient positioning equipment, and a control system coupled to the patient positioning equipment. The control system is configured to control a function of the medical equipment.

Apparatus, system and method for controlling medical equipment

A system for imaging is provided. The system includes an x-ray source, a detector, and a controller. The x-ray source is operative to transmit x-rays through a subject while the x-ray source continuously travels along a path defined by a sweep angle. The detector is operative to receive the x-rays after having passed through the subject. The controller is operative to: acquire preliminary data regarding the subject via the x-ray source and the detector; determine at least one acquisition parameter from the preliminary data; and acquire one or more projections of the subject via the x-ray source and the x-ray detector based at least in part on the acquisition parameter.

Improvement of the dynamic range of a radiation detector is described. In one embodiment, one or more non-destructive readout operations are performed during a radiation exposure event to acquire data used to improve the dynamic range of the detector. In one implementation, one or more non-destructive readouts of pixels are performed prior to saturation of the pixels during an X-ray exposure so as to obtain non-saturated measurements at the pixels. In an additional implementation, non-destructive readouts of pixels are performed between exposure events so as to obtain an estimate of electronic noise during a multi-exposure examination.

System and method of acquiring images using an X-ray imaging system

A method and system for performing a biopsy guided by a 3D image of the object obtained from digital tomosynthesis is performed. The method includes applying a compression paddle to an object; performing a tomosynthesis scan; reconstructing at least a portion of the scan; locating a lesion using a displayed or reprojected marker to determine a location of the lesion; correlating the location of the lesion in the scan to a marker on the compression paddle or tool holder; and proposing a needle entry point of a biopsy tool based off of the correlation so that a needle or penetration device will effectively reach the lesion or target if it is inserted at the proposed entry point. A system for performing a biopsy is further disclosed. In one embodiment, the system comprises: a tomosynthesis imaging apparatus for performing a tomosynthesis scan comprising an x-ray source and an x-ray detector; at least one marker; a compression paddle; a controller; and a display screen for displaying at least a portion of a reproduction of a tomosynthesis scan generated by the imaging apparatus, wherein (i) the at least one marker is displayed on the reproduction, the marker being used to determine a lesion location or target, and (ii) the controller correlates the lesion location or target with the at least one marker and generates a proposed needle entry point based on the correlation so that a needle or penetration device will effectively reach the lesion or target if it is inserted at the proposed entry point.

Method and system for performing a guided biopsy using digital tomosynthesis

According to some embodiments, a method and a system to create a medical image are disclosed. The method comprises receiving a plurality of patient tissue images during an x-ray dose. Furthermore, during the x-ray dose, a determination is made if motion occurred in the plurality of patient tissue images. In a case that no motion is determined, a diagnostic image of the patient tissue comprising the plurality of patient tissue images is created.

Multiple frame acquisition for exposure control in X-ray medical imagers

A mammography apparatus including an x-ray source having an x-ray tube with one or more focal spots, a controller for controlling one or more parameters of the x-ray exposure, a digital image receptor configured to generate an x-ray image from objects positioned between the x-ray source and the digital image receptor, a specimen tray configured to receive samples from a biopsy, a positioning arm for positioning the specimen tray between the x-ray source and the digital image receptor, and a detector configured to detect the presence of the specimen tray when it is positioned. The controller is configured to adjust, select or configure one or more parameters of the x-ray exposure in reaction to the detection of the presence of the specimen tray in such a way that the one or more parameters are adapted to the specific needs of imaging biopsy specimens.

Systems, methods, and devices for simplified high quality imaging of biopsy samples on a mammography machine

A tomography apparatus includes a multi-focal point x-ray source, a support to travel a trajectory path, a detector having a plurality of pixels, where one of the multi-focal point x-ray source, the detector, and an item-under-test move on the support. A control processor controls a change in the focal point of the x-ray source at discrete points, or continuously, within a measurement region, the focal point change in a direction retrograde to the support arm travel, a detector memory accumulates a digital value representative of a signal charge from at least a portion of the plurality of pixels, the control processor reconstructs a volumetric image of the item-under-test by processing the detector memory contents. A method for continuous tomosynthesis and a computer-readable medium are also disclosed.

Systems and methods for x-ray tomography having retrograde focal positioning

A process for deploying an anti-scattering grid in a mammograph is provided. The mammograph comprises a radiation source configured to emit radiation for taking mammographic images of a patient, a radiation detector comprising a network of sensors arranged periodically with a first pitch, and an anti-scattering grid arranged between the source and the detector, the anti-scattering grid comprising radiation adsorbing strips arranged parallel to each other and distributed periodically with a second pitch. The process comprises: displacing the anti-scattering grid relative to the detector or displacing the detector relative to the anti-scattering grid during emission of radiation; adapting the second pitch to the first pitch, wherein displacement is perpendicular to the direction of the strips of the anti-scattering grid, the strips being arranged parallel to a side of the anti-scattering grid positioned against the patient, and altering the positions of the return points between successive periods of the displacement motion.

High-frequency anti-scatter grid movement profile for line cancellation

A method of continuous motion digital tomosynthesis includes exposing an object to a programed intensity x-ray beam as an x-ray source travels a pre-determined path, accumulating a signal charge from the x-ray beam, recording the accumulated signal charge into a digital frame image representing raw baseline data, acquiring information on the source's and the detector's position when the recording occurs, compressing the raw baseline data into compressed views, where each respective compressed view is formed by combining the raw data readouts of the respective compressed view, and reconstructing a volumetric breast image by processing each respective compressed view with a reconstruction process function that incorporates the acquired position information and a spatial sampling corresponding to the compressed views. A system configured to implement the method and a computer-readable medium are also disclosed.

Systems and methods for continuous motion breast tomosynthesis

An X-ray source comprising a cathode element adapted to generate a stream of electrons. The X-ray source includes an anode element adapted to present a focal spot position for the stream of electrons. A vacuum chamber contains the cathode element and anode element. The anode element and/or the cathode element can be moveable with respect to the other in coordination with the generation of the stream of electrons.

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Neuilly sur Seine, France

Remy Klausz