Systems and methods for identifying regions of interest in multiple imaging modalities

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12507980-B2
Application number	US-202117910301-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 23, 2021
Priority date	Mar 27, 2020
Publication date	Dec 30, 2025
Grant date	Dec 30, 2025

Abstract

A method of identifying a location of a region of interest within a breast utilizes compressed location coordinates for the region of interest recorded while the breast is under compression during an x-ray imaging procedure such as mammography or tomosynthesis. The compressed location coordinates are converted to uncompressed location coordinates using a mathematical tissue deformation model. The volume and density of the breast affects how the coordinates are translated for use with an ultrasound imaging system. A system including a computing system in communication with an ultrasound imaging system is utilized to perform the method. The resultant predicted location coordinates of the region of interest are used to guide a healthcare provider to potential lesions that are to be examined using ultrasound, where the potential lesions had been previously identified during a screening mammogram.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of identifying a location of a region of interest within a breast, the method comprising:
receiving, at a computing device associated with an x-ray imaging device, an indication of the region of interest within the breast; obtaining compressed location coordinates of the region of interest within the breast when the breast is under compression; applying a mathematical tissue deformation model to the compressed location coordinates of the region of interest to predict uncompressed location coordinates of the region of interest within the breast when the breast is not under compression; saving the predicted uncompressed location coordinates to a data store; communicating the predicted uncompressed location coordinates to a computing system associated with a second imaging device; receiving, from the computing system associated with the second imaging device, an image of the breast including a second region of interest, wherein the location of the second region of interest is based at least on the predicted uncompressed location coordinates; and determining a confidence level that the region of interest and the second region of interest represent a same region of interest.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the region of interest is identified during an x-ray imaging procedure of the breast when the breast is under compression.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the x-ray imaging procedure is digital breast tomosynthesis.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein receiving the indication of the region of interest within the breast comprises receiving input indicating a lesion identified during the x-ray imaging procedure.

5 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising determining a distance the breast spreads on a paddle during the x-ray imaging procedure and determining a deformation curve based on the distance and a known force applied to the breast with the paddle.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the uncompressed location coordinates comprise at least two of a clock position relative to a nipple of the breast, a depth from a surface of the breast, and a distance from the nipple.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the compressed location coordinates comprise at least one of Cartesian coordinates and polar coordinates.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising reporting the predicted uncompressed location coordinates of the region of interest to an optical tracking system in communication with an ultrasound system.

9 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising reporting a location of at least one biomarker to the optical tracking system, the biomarker being obtained during an x-ray imaging procedure of the breast when the breast is under compression.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining the compressed location coordinates comprises accessing the compressed location coordinates from a remote data store.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the mathematical tissue deformation model calculates the predicted uncompressed location coordinates based on a density and volume of the breast, and wherein the mathematical tissue deformation model is generated based on a deformation curve and x-ray image of the breast.

12 . A method of identifying a location of a region of interest within a breast, the method comprising:
receiving, at a computing device associated with an x-ray imaging device, an indication of the region of interest within the breast; obtaining compressed location coordinates of the region of interest within the breast when the breast is under compression; applying a mathematical tissue deformation model to the compressed location coordinates of the region of interest to predict uncompressed location coordinates of the region of interest within the breast when the breast is not under compression, wherein the mathematical tissue deformation model calculates the predicted uncompressed location coordinates based on a density and volume of the breast, and wherein the mathematical tissue deformation model is generated based on a deformation curve and x-ray image of the breast; and saving the predicted uncompressed location coordinates to a data store.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the region of interest is identified during an x-ray imaging procedure of the breast when the breast is under compression.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising determining a distance the breast spreads on a paddle during the x-ray imaging procedure and determining a deformation curve based on the distance and a known force applied to the breast with the paddle.

15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the x-ray imaging procedure is digital breast tomosynthesis.

16 . The method of claim 13 , wherein receiving the indication of the region of interest within the breast comprises receiving input indicating a lesion identified during the x-ray imaging procedure.

17 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the uncompressed location coordinates comprise at least two of a clock position relative to a nipple of the breast, a depth from a surface of the breast, and a distance from the nipple.

18 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the compressed location coordinates comprise at least one of Cartesian coordinates and polar coordinates.

19 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising reporting the predicted uncompressed location coordinates of the region of interest to an optical tracking system in communication with an ultrasound system.

20 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising reporting a location of at least one biomarker to the optical tracking system, the biomarker being obtained during an x-ray imaging procedure of the breast when the breast is under compression.

Assignees

• Hologic Inc

Inventors

• St Pierre Shawn

Classifications

• A61B6/5247

  combining images from an ionising-radiation diagnostic technique and a non-ionising radiation diagnostic technique, e.g. X-ray and ultrasound · CPC title

• A61B6/12

  Arrangements for detecting or locating foreign bodies · CPC title

• A61B8/4416

  related to combined acquisition of different diagnostic modalities, e.g. combination of ultrasound and X-ray acquisitions · CPC title

• A61B8/463

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

• A61B8/4263

  using sensors not mounted on the probe, e.g. mounted on an external reference frame · CPC title