System and method for imaging a subject

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10881371-B2
Application number	US-201816233753-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 27, 2018
Priority date	Dec 27, 2018
Publication date	Jan 5, 2021
Grant date	Jan 5, 2021

Abstract

A method and system is disclosed for acquiring image data of a subject. The image data can be collected with an imaging system in a selected manner and/or motion. More than one projection may be combined to generate and create a selected view of the subject.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of creating a long view image of a subject comprising:
positioning an image detector at a first position relative to a subject;
emitting x-rays from a source;
dividing the emitted x-rays from the source into at least a separate first x-ray beam portion having a first beam area and a separate second x-ray beam portion having a second beam area;
moving the image detector along a path relative to the subject from the first position to a second position;
collecting a first plurality of image data portions with the first x-ray beam and a second plurality of image data portions with the second x-ray beam at a plurality of intermediate positions between the first position and the second position;
determining an overlap region between the first plurality of image data portions and the second plurality of images data portions;
generating an intermediate image based on the determined overlap between each image data portion; and
displaying the long view image based at least in part on the generated intermediate image.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein collecting the plurality of image data portions at the plurality of intermediate positions, further comprises:
detecting at the image detector the emitted x-rays and/or attenuation of the emitted x-rays.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein emitting x-rays from the source includes emitting x-rays from a single source.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
selecting a portion of the subject; and
determining a motion profile for the collecting the plurality of image data portions at the plurality of intermediate positions.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein collecting the plurality of image data portions at the plurality of intermediate positions, further comprises:
collecting at each intermediate position of the plurality of intermediate positions at least a first sub-plurality of image data portions based on the first x-ray beam portion and a second sub-plurality of image data portions based on the second x-ray beam portion.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein dividing the emitted x-rays from the source into at least the first x-ray beam portion and the second x-ray beam portion further comprises:
passing the emitted x-rays through a slotted filter to impinge on the image detector at least the first x-ray beam portion passing through a first open slot and the second x-ray beam portion passing through a second open slot.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
moving the source with the image detector;
wherein the collected plurality of image data portions include a first sub-plurality of image data portions based on the first x-ray beam portion and a second sub-plurality of image data portions based on the second x-ray beam portion.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
moving the image detector at a first orientation relative to the subject along the path; and
moving the image detector at a second orientation relative to the subject along the path;
wherein the first orientation is different from the second orientation.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein dividing the emitted x-rays from the source into at least the first x-ray beam portion and the second x-ray beam portion further comprises:
dividing the emitted x-rays into at least a third beam portion and the first beam portion and the second beam portion; and
passing the emitted x-rays through a slotted filter having at least a first slot, a second slot, and a third slot.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
collecting at each intermediate position of the plurality of intermediate positions at least a first sub-plurality of image data portions based on the first x-ray beam portion, a second sub-plurality of image data portions based on the second x-ray beam portion; and a third sub-plurality of image data portions based on the third x-ray beam portion.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein generating the intermediate image based on the determined overlap between each image data portion, further comprises:
generating a first intermediate image based on the first sub-plurality of image data portions based on the first x-ray beam portion;
generating a second intermediate image based on the second sub-plurality of image data portions based on the second x-ray beam portion; and
generating a third intermediate image based on the third sub-plurality of image data portions based on the third x-ray beam portion.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprises:
registering the first sub-plurality of image data portions;
registering the second sub-plurality of image data portions; and
registering the third sub-plurality of image data portions.

13. An imaging system for generating a long view image of a subject comprising:
a single source configured to emit x-rays in an x-ray beam;
an image detector operable to be positioned at a first position relative to a subject and at a second position relative to the subject, wherein the image detector is operable to collect a plurality of image data portions at least at the first position, the second position, and a plurality of intermediate positions between the first position and the second position;
an imager movement system operable to move the image detector along a path relative to the subject between the first position to a second position;
an image processor operable to execute instructions to:
determine an overlap region between at least a sub-plurality of the plurality of image data portions, and
generate an intermediate image based on the determined overlap between at least the sub-plurality of the plurality of image data portions;

a display device operable to display an image based at least in part on the generated intermediate image; and
a substantially solid member having at least a first open through slot and a second open through slot;
wherein the substantially solid member blocks the emitted x-rays from reaching the detector or the subject;
wherein substantially only x-rays that pass through the first open through slot and the second open through slot to split the x-ray beam to form at least a first beam portion and a second beam portion to reach the subject or the detector.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the detector is operable to detect the emitted x-rays and/or an attenuation of the emitted x-rays.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein substantially only x-rays that pass through the first through slot and the second through slot form at least a first imaging portion and a second imaging portion at each intermediate position at the plurality of intermediate positions.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the imager movement system is configured to move the single source and the image detector substantially opposed to each other along the path.

17. The system of claim 15 ,
a memory system configured to store at least the plurality of image data portions or the intermediate image.

18. The system of claim 13 , wherein the image detector is moveable from a first orientation relative to the subject to a second orientation relative to the subject.

19. The system of claim 13 , further comprising:
the substantially solid member having at least the first through slot, the second through slot, and a third through slot;
wherein substantially only x-rays that pass through the first through slot, the second through slot, and the third through slot form the first beam, the second beam, and a third beam that reach the subject or the detector.

20. A method of crea

Assignees

• Medtronic Navigation Inc

Inventors

• Helm Patrick A
• Parkar Rasika A
• Reddy Robert J
• Jin Kyo C
• Nam Seunghoon
• Souza Andre
• Tao Xiaodong
• Garlow David A
• Martin John R

Classifications

• G06T12/30

  Image post-processing, e.g. metal artefact correction · CPC title

• A61B6/5241 Primary

  combining overlapping images of the same imaging modality, e.g. by stitching · CPC title

• A61B6/505

  for diagnosis of bone · CPC title

• A61B6/4452

  the source unit and the detector unit being able to move relative to each other · CPC title

• A61B6/463

  characterised by displaying multiple images or images and diagnostic data on one display · CPC title