Eastman-kodak Company

Other

William E Moore

Robert E Dickerson

David J Steklenski

Sharon Mary Simpson

Luther C Roberts

Timothy John Tredwell

David H Foos

Lee F Frank

Larry K Maier

Mark A Pollock

Daniel D Haas

Muhammed I Sezan

Ralph Schaetzing

Susan S Young

James R Buntaine

Robert V Brady

Jeffrey W Byng

Dennis E Moore

Jackee B Raught

A digital film grain () comprises a phototransistor () which produces an electrical signal having a strength which is related to an input radiation flux. A transponder receives commands and power from a base station () and transmits information quantifying the radiation observed by that digital film grain. An image accumulator () connected to the base station () assembles an image from the profile of radiation reported by a distribution of digital film grains correlated to the locations of those grains.

Digital film grain

A method of mammography imaging includes exposing a patient to a peak voltage greater than 29 kVp using X-radiation generating equipment comprising rhodium or tungsten anodes. The film used in this method comprises a cubic grain silver halide emulsion layer on one side of the support and a tabular grain silver halide emulsion layer on the other side. The cubic grain silver halide emulsion layer comprises a combination of first and second spectral sensitizing dyes that provides a combined maximum J-aggregate absorption on the cubic silver halide grains of from about 540 to about 560 nm. The first spectral sensitizing dye is an anionic benzimidazole-benzoxazole carbocyanine, the second spectral sensitizing dye is an anionic oxycarbocyanine. The cubic grain silver halide emulsion layer also includes a mixture of gelatin or a gelatin derivative and a second hydrophilic binder other than gelatin or a gelatin derivative. The cubic silver halide grains comprise from about 1 to about 20 mol % chloride and from about 0.25 to about 1.5 mol % iodide, both based on total silver in the cubic grain emulsion layer, which cubic silver halide grains have an average ECD of from about 0.65 to about 0.8 &#x3bc;m. Moreover, the cubic silver halide grains are doped with a hexacoordination complex compound within part or all of the innermost 95% of the grains. The film can be exposed to provide a black-and-white image having a d(&#x3b3;)/d(log E) value greater than 5.

Mammography imaging method using high peak voltage and rhodium or tungsten anodes

A radiographic silver halide film comprises a cubic grain silver halide emulsion layer on one side of the support and a tabular grain silver halide emulsion layer on the other side. The cubic grain silver halide emulsion layer comprises a combination of first and second spectral sensitizing dyes that provides a combined maximum J-aggregate absorption on the cubic silver halide grains of from about 540 to about 560 nm. The first spectral sensitizing dye is an anionic benzimidazole-benzoxazole carbocyanine, the second spectral sensitizing dye is an anionic oxycarbocyanine. The cubic grain silver halide emulsion layer also includes a mixture of gelatin or a gelatin derivative and a second hydrophilic binder other than gelatin or a gelatin derivative at a weight ratio of first to second hydrophilic binder of from about 2:1 to about 5:1. The cubic silver halide grains comprise from about 1 to about 20 mol % chloride and from about 0.25 to about 1.5 mol % iodide, which cubic silver halide grains have an average ECD of from about 0.65 to about 0.8 &#x3bc;m. Moreover, the cubic silver halide grains are doped with a hexacoordination complex compound within part or all of the innermost 95% of the grains. These films can be exposed to provide a black-and-white image having a d(&#x3b3;)/d(log E) value greater than 5 and are particularly useful when imaged using X-radiation generating devices comprising rhodium or tungsten anodes.

Mammography film and imaging assembly for use with rhodium or tungsten anodes

A method for enhancing the image contrast of digital portal images for presentation on an output medium comprising: providing an input digital portal image having radiation and collimation fields; locating and labeling said radiation and collimation fields to produce labeled radiation and labeled collimation field images; designing a tone scale curve to display the image inside the radiation field using the full dynamic range of the output medium; applying said tone scale curve to the input digital portal image to produce a tone-scaled radiation field image; designing a tone scale curve to display the image outside the radiation field using the full dynamic range of said output medium; applying said tone scale curve to the input digital portal image to produce a tone-scaled collimation field image; enhancing the image contrast of said tone-scaled radiation field image and said tone-scaled collimation field image; combining said enhanced images using the labeled radiation and collimation field images; and black-surrounding the collimation field to produce a contrast enhancement output image which can be presented on said output medium.

Method for contrast-enhancement of digital portal images

A method of mammography imaging includes exposing a patient to a peak voltage greater than 29 kVp. The film used in this method comprises a cubic grain silver halide emulsion layer on one side of the support and a tabular grain silver halide emulsion layer on the other side. The cubic grain silver halide emulsion layer comprises a combination of first and second spectral sensitizing dyes that provides a combined maximum J-aggregate absorption on the cubic silver halide grains of from about 540 to about 560 nm. The first spectral sensitizing dye is an anionic benzimidazole-benzoxazole carbocyanine, the second spectral sensitizing dye is an anionic oxycarbocyanine. The cubic grain silver halide emulsion layer also includes a mixture of gelatin or a gelatin derivative and a second hydrophilic binder other than gelatin or a gelatin derivative. The cubic silver halide grains comprise from about 1 to about 20 mol % chloride and from about 0.25 to about 1.5 mol % iodide, both based on total silver in the cubic grain emulsion layer, which cubic silver halide grains have an average ECD of from about 0.65 to about 0.8 &mgr;m. Moreover, the cubic silver halide grains are doped with a hexacoordination complex compound within part or all of the innermost 95% of the grains. The film can be exposed to provide a black-and-white image having a d(&ggr;)/d(log E) value greater than 5.

Mammography imaging method using high peak voltage

A radiographic imaging assembly comprises a radiographic silver halide film having a film speed of at least 100 and a single fluorescent intensifying screen that has a screen speed of at least 200. This imaging assembly is particularly useful for mammography or imaging or other soft tissues.

Radiographic imaging assembly for mammography

Radiographic films containing cubic grain, high silver chloride emulsions can be used in radiographic imaging assemblies comprising intensifying screens for therapy portal localization imaging. The average silver halide grain size is from about 0.1 to about 0.18 &mgr;m and the silver halide is free of silver halide dopant compounds. These films provide excellent contrast with improved exposure latitude (at least 4:1 when measured at a gamma value of 1.5) for use in various exposure conditions and equipment.

Radiation oncology treatment portal imaging film and method of use

Aqueous-based photothermographic materials that are sensitive to visible or X-radiation contain X-radiation sensitive phosphors in association with specific chemically sensitized tabular silver halide grains. The silver halide grains comprise at least 70 mol % bromide, based on total silver halide, have an average thickness of at least 0.02 &mgr;m and up to and including 0.10 &mgr;m, an equivalent circular diameter (ECD) of at least 0.5 &mgr;m and up to and including 8 &mgr;m, and an aspect ratio of at least 5:1. These materials can be imaged in any suitable fashion but preferably they have one or more photothermographic layers on both sides of the support and can be imaged using X-radiation with or without an associated phosphor intensifying screen.

X-radiation sensitive aqueous-based photothermographic materials and methods of using same

A radiographic imaging assembly has first and second radiographic silver halide films in association with two fluorescent intensifying screens. Between one set of screen and film is a magenta filter having a density of at least 0.3 to provide improved exposure latitude for use in various exposure conditions and equipment. The magenta filter comprises a transparent support having a hydrophilic layer disposed thereon, which layer includes sufficient dyes or pigments that absorb in the range of from about 500 to about 600 nm. These dyes or pigments are dispersed in a hydrophilic binder to provide the desired density. The magenta filter is laminated to one of the screens with its hydrophilic layer in contact with the screen.

Portal imaging assembly with magenta filter and method of use

A radiographic imaging assembly has two different (&ldquo;asymmetric&rdquo;) fluorescent intensifying screens on either side of two radiographic silver halide films. The two fluorescent intensifying screens differ in speed by at least 0.1 logE. This imaging assembly provides high contrast images and improved exposure latitude for use in various exposure conditions and equipment. The two films can be the same or different (for example, providing images of different contrast).

Portal imaging assembly with pair of asymmetric screens and method of use

A radiographic imaging assembly has a first radiographic silver halide film that provides high contrast images in association with a second radiographic silver halide film that provides lower contrast images. The combination of two films, with or without one or more fluorescent intensifying screens, provides images with excellent contrast and improved exposure latitude for use in various exposure conditions and equipment. The ratio of contrast of images provided by the first and second radiographic silver halide films is at least 1.25.

Asymmetric contrast portal imaging assembly and method of use

A radiographic imaging assembly has a first radiographic silver halide film in association with a second radiographic silver halide film wherein the ratio of photographic speed of the two films is greater than 0.15 logE. The combination of two films, with or without one or more fluorescent intensifying screens, provides images with excellent contrast and improved exposure latitude for use in various exposure conditions and equipment.

Asymmetric speed portal imaging assembly and method of use

A radiographic imaging assembly has a first radiographic silver halide film in association with a second radiographic silver halide film wherein the ratio of photographic speed of the two films is greater than 0.15 logE. The combination of two films is used with two fluorescent intensifying screens that also have photographic speeds that differ by at least 0.1 log E. This imaging assembly provides images with excellent contrast and improved exposure latitude for use in various exposure conditions and equipment.

Portal imaging assembly with asymmetric films and asymmetric screens and method of use

A radiographic imaging assembly has first and second radiographic silver halide films in association with two fluorescent intensifying screens. Between one set of screen and film is a neutral density filter having a density of at least 0.3 to provide with improved exposure latitude for use in various exposure conditions and equipment. The neutral density filter comprises a transparent support having a hydrophilic neutral density filter layer disposed thereon, which layer includes sufficient silver metal, colloidal carbon, or exposed and processed silver halide in a hydrophilic binder to provide the desired density. The neutral density filter is laminated to one of the screens with its hydrophilic layer in contact with the screen.

Portal imaging assembly with laminated neutral density filter and method of use

A radiographic imaging assembly has first and second radiographic silver halide films in association with two fluorescent intensifying screens. Disposed between one set of screen and film is a neutral density filter having a density of at least 0.3 to provide improved exposure latitude for use in various exposure conditions and equipment.

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Macedon, NY, United States of America

William E Moore