The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 19, 2008
Filed:
Apr. 12, 2002
Christopher D. Unger, Delafield, WI (US);
Jianguo Zhao, Niskayuna, NY (US);
Gopal Avinash, New Berlin, WI (US);
Carson Thomas, Brookfield, WI (US);
Jeffrey W. Eberhard, Albany, NY (US);
Christopher D. Unger, Delafield, WI (US);
Jianguo Zhao, Niskayuna, NY (US);
Gopal Avinash, New Berlin, WI (US);
Carson Thomas, Brookfield, WI (US);
Jeffrey W. Eberhard, Albany, NY (US);
GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC, Waukesha, WI (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for using a flat panel detector to determine bone mineral density are provided. The apparatus includes a dual energy X-ray emitter, a flat panel detector for receiving X-rays sent from the X-ray emitter, and may optionally include an image corrector, adapted to emit corrected image information. The apparatus also includes a basis material decomposer that includes a calibration database, the decomposer being adapted to create a bone image and a soft tissue image. The apparatus further includes a bone mineral density calculator that is adapted to compute bone mineral density from the first image, and a display for displaying at least the computed bone mineral density. A method for using a flat panel detector to detect multiple disease states is also provided. The method includes emitting X-rays from a dual energy X-ray source through an area of a patient's body sought to be imaged and receiving X-rays with a flat panel detector. The method also includes generating multiple images, using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, to detect for a first disease state and a second disease state and analyzing the images for the first and second disease states. The first disease state includes lung cancer, breast cancer, pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, tuberculosis, bone fracture or an abnormally sized or shaped organ and the second disease state comprises osteoporosis.