Carestream Health, Inc.

Eastman-kodak Company

Caresteam Health, Inc.

Robert Allen Senn

Mary E Couwenhoven

Dong Yang

Lori L Barski

Nathan J Packard

Jiebo Luo

Xiaohui Wang

David H Foos

Richard Alan Simon

Jay S Schildkraut

John Yorkston

Joseph F Revelli, Jr

Roger S Gaborski

Rajiv Mehrotra

Michael D Heath

Levon O Vogelsang

Hsien-Che Lee

Andre Souza

Thaddeus Francis Pawlicki

James S Warnick

Brette Luck

Mary E Cowenhoven

An imaging method, accesses cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) data and displays, on a display monitor, at least one view of the CBCT data. The method provides an interface for a user to indicate a tomosynthesis reconstruction plane on the displayed view of the CBCT data; and displays a tomosynthesis image on the display monitor according to the indicated tomosynthesis reconstruction plane.

Tomosynthesis views from cone beam computed tomography data

Embodiments of methods and/or apparatus for 3-D volume image reconstruction of a subject, executed at least in part on a computer for use with a digital radiographic apparatus, can obtain image data for 2-D projection images over a range of scan angles. For each of the plurality of projection images, an enhanced projection image can be generated. In one embodiment, a first scatter intensity distribution through the plurality of projection images can be modulated based on a first scaling function and a SPR to generate a second scatter intensity distribution through the plurality of projection images, which can be combined with the original plurality of projection images.

Methods and apparatus for scatter correction for CBCT system and cone-beam image reconstruction

A method for suppressing metal artifacts in a radiographic image, the method executed at least in part on a computer, obtains at least one two-dimensional radiographic image of a subject, wherein the subject has one or more metal objects and identifies a material that forms the one or more metal objects and a radiation energy level used to generate the obtained image. The obtained radiographic image is segmented to identify boundaries of the metal object. A conditioned radiographic image is formed by replacing pixel values in the radiographic image that correspond to the one or more metal objects with compensating pixel values according to the identified material and the identified radiation energy level. The conditioned radiographic image is then displayed.

Metal artifacts reduction for cone beam CT

Embodiments of methods and/or apparatus for 3-D volume image reconstruction of a subject, executed at least in part on a computer for use with a digital radiographic apparatus can obtain a 3D volume reconstruction or projection image by generating a first-filtered set of projection images from a plurality of 2-D projection images taken over a range of scan angles and a different second-filtered set of projection images from the plurality of 2-D projection images. Then, for example, a first 3-D volume image of the subject from the first-filtered set of projection images and a second 3-D volume image of the subject from the second-filtered set of projection images can be combined using different weighting combinations in at least two corresponding portions to generate the 3-D volume image of the subject.

Methods and apparatus for texture based filter fusion for CBCT system and cone-beam image reconstruction

A method for 3-D volume image reconstruction of a subject. 2-D projection images are obtained over a range of scan angles, and one or more truncated images are identified from the obtained images. From each of the one or more truncated images, a corrected truncated image is formed by a repeated process of identifying a row of image data values in the one or more truncated images, assigning an extension length to one or both ends of the row according to the row location in the truncated image, and extending the truncated image data for the row of image data values by applying a row-dependent cosine function to each value in the extension length. A 3-D volume image is reconstructed using one or more of the corrected truncated images.

Projection truncation processing for CBCT

A method for providing an enhanced 3-D image for a volume imaging apparatus obtains 3-D volume images of an object at a first resolution and forms a 3-D matrix of voxels at a second, higher resolution. Two or more 3-D volume images that have different spatial orientations and that intersect at the voxel are registered. The voxel is mapped to the 3-D matrix. Inpainting fills in gap regions between mapped voxels in the 3-D matrix. A simulated first-resolution data value is generated according to one or more 3-D matrix values. The simulated first-resolution data value is compared with an observed first-resolution value from the 3-D volume images and, until the simulated first resolution data value is within a predetermined threshold value of the observed first-resolution value or until a predetermined number of iterations is reached, the 3-D matrix voxel values are adjusted and the simulated first-resolution data value recomputed.

Method for enhanced voxel resolution in MRI image

A system for enhancing a digital image. The system includes: means for providing a digital image; means for decomposing the provided digital image into a multi-frequency band representation of four frequency bands as follows: a lowest frequency band image which represents large-sized features in the digital image; a low-to-mid frequency band image which represents mid-sized features of the digital image; a mid-to-high frequency band image which represents the small-sized features in the digital image; and a highest frequency band which represents very fine detail in the digital image; means for manipulating said low-to-mid frequency band image to produce a contrast effect without affecting the overall dynamic range of said digital image; means for multiplying each of said high-frequency band images with a gain factor; means for summing together said unmodified low frequency band image and said modified high-frequency band images to produce a reconstructed digital image; and means for mapping said reconstructed digital image through a tone-scale look-up table to map said reconstructed digital image to optical densities.

Method for rendering digital radiographic images for display based on independent control of fundamental image quality parameters

A method of generating a pulmonary nodule image from a chest radiograph. The method includes the steps of: producing a map of a clear lung field; removing low frequency variation from the clear lung field to generate a level image; and performing at least one grayscale morphological operation on the level image to generate a nodule-bone image. Pulmonary nodules can be detected using the nodule-bone image by the further steps of: pulmonary nodules from a chest radiograph. The method includes the steps of: identifying candidate nodule locations in the nodule-bone image; segmenting a region around each candidate nodule location in the nodule-bone image; and using the features of the segmented region to determine if a candidate is a nodule.

Pulmonary nodule detection in a chest radiograph

A method of enhancing a digital image comprising: providing a digital image; decomposing the provided digital image into a multi-frequency band representation including a low frequency band image and multiple different high frequency band images; multiplying each of the high-frequency band images with a gain factor; summing together the unmodified low frequency band image and the modified high-frequency band images to produce a reconstructed digital image; and mapping the reconstructed digital image through a tone-scale look-up-table to map the reconstructed digital image to optical densities.

Method for rendering digital radiographic images for display based on independent control of fundamental image of quality parameters

A method for transforming visual preference terminology into a set of fundamental image-quality attributes, and using these attributes to produce a display ready radiographic image that meets the desired appearance. The visual preference terminology can be specified in a hierarchical structure providing a flexible and configurable interface to a radiographic system.

Transforming visual preference terminology for radiographic images

A method of enhancing a digital image comprising: providing a digital image; decomposing the provided digital image into a multi-frequency band representation including a low frequency band image and multiple different high frequency band images; multiplying each of the high-frequency band images with a gain factor; summing together the unmodified low frequency band image and the modified high-frequency band images to produce a reconstructed digital image; and mapping the reconstructed digital image through a tone-scale look-up-table to map the reconstructed digital image to optical densities

A method of processing a digital radiographic image comprising the steps of: providing a digital radiographic image having a plurality of radiation fields and collimation regions defined by collimation blades at least partially bounding the radiation fields; detecting and classifying pixels of the digital radiographic image as collimation boundary transition pixels; line-level delineating of a plurality of candidate collimation blades from the collimation boundary transition pixels; estimating the most likely partitioning; and determining at a region level the radiation field from the results of the partitioning estimating step.

Method for recognizing multiple irradiation fields in digital radiography

A method for detecting open space in a digital image, the method comprises the steps of creating an activity map for permitting determination of the activity of the digital image; determining which pixels in the activity map are below a threshold; and identifying open space as contiguous pixels of the activity map having values below the predetermined threshold.

Growing community of inventors

Pittsford, NY, United States of America

Robert Allen Senn