Method and apparatus for adjusting a field of view for exposure of an X-ray system, and an X-ray system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9008269-B2
Application number	US-201213598643-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 30, 2012
Priority date	Aug 31, 2011
Publication date	Apr 14, 2015
Grant date	Apr 14, 2015

Abstract

A method for adjusting a field of view for exposure of an X-ray system is provided. The method comprises: capturing an image of a patient on an examining table of the system by an image sensor, wherein the image sensor is placed at a predetermined position in the system; displaying the captured image on a display for selection of a region of interest or a point of interest by a user on the image; automatically determining a target position of an X-ray source in response to the selection of the region of interest or the point of interest on the image, wherein a desired field of view for exposure covering the region of interest or the point of interest is obtained when the X-ray source is located at the target position; and automatically locating the X-ray source at the target position in response to the determination of the target position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for automatically adjusting a field of view for exposure of an X-ray system, the method comprising:
capturing an image of a patient on an examining table of the X-ray system by an image sensor, wherein the image sensor is placed at a predetermined position in the X-ray system;
displaying the captured image on a display for selection of a region of interest or a point of interest by a user on the image;
automatically determining a target position of an X-ray source in response to the selection of the region of interest or the point of interest on the image by at least:
determining a position of a center of a desired field of view for exposure on the image in response to the selection of the region of interest or the point of interest; and
determining the target position of the X-ray source based on the position of the center of the desired field of view for exposure on the image and imaging parameters of the image sensor by at least:
determining an actual position of the center of the desired field of view for exposure on the patient based on the position of the center of the desired field of view for exposure on the image and the imaging parameters of the image sensor; and
determining the target position of the X-ray source based on the actual position of the center of the desired field of view for exposure on the patient and inherent positional relationship between the X-ray source and the center,

wherein the desired field of view for exposure covering the region of interest or the point of interest is obtained when the X-ray source is located at the target position; and
automatically locating the X-ray source at the target position in response to the determination of the target position.

2. The method for automatically adjusting a field of view for exposure of an X-ray system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
automatically determining a size of the desired field of view for exposure in response to the selection of the region of interest on the image; and
adjusting a size of a collimator shutter for the X-ray source in order to realize the size of the desired field of view for exposure.

3. The method for automatically adjusting a field of view for exposure of an X-ray system according to claim 2 , wherein automatically determining the size of the desired field of view for exposure comprises:
determining coordinates of actual positions of points which constitute a boundary of the region of interest on the patient, based on coordinates of positions of the points which constitute the boundary on the captured image, and imaging parameters of the image sensor;
determining actual size of the region of interest based on the coordinates of the actual positions; and
determining the size of the desired field of view for exposure based on the actual size of the region of interest.

4. The method for automatically adjusting a field of view for exposure of an X-ray system according to claim 1 , wherein the center of the desired field of view for exposure is a center of the region of interest or the point of interest.

5. The method for automatically adjusting a field of view for exposure of an X-ray system according to claim 1 , wherein determining the target position of the X-ray source comprises determining a moving distance of the X-ray source required for realizing the desired field of view for exposure, based on a current position and the target position of the X-ray source.

6. The method for automatically adjusting a field of view for exposure of an X-ray system according to claim 5 , wherein the target position of the X-ray source refers to the target position of the X-ray source relative to the patient, wherein the X-ray source is moved the distance relative to the patient so as to be located at the target position, by moving the X-ray source via use of an overhead tube suspensory system and/or moving the patient via use of a positioner.

7. The method for automatically adjusting a field of view for exposure of an X-ray system according to claim 1 , wherein the display may be a display of a local console of the X-ray system, a display of a workstation communicating with the local console or a display of a portable console communicating with the local console or the workstation.

8. A method for automatically adjusting a field of view for exposure of an X-ray system, the method comprising:
capturing an image of a patient on an examining table of the X-ray system by an image sensor, wherein the image sensor is placed at a predetermined position in the X-ray system;
displaying the captured image on a display for selection of a region of interest or a point of interest by a user on the image;
automatically determining a target position of an X-ray source in response to the selection of the region of interest or the point of interest on the image, wherein a desired field of view for exposure covering the region of interest or the point of interest is obtained when the X-ray source is located at the target position;
automatically locating the X-ray source at the target position in response to the determination of the target position;
determining a position of a center of a current field of view for exposure on the image based on current position of the X-ray source and imaging parameters of the image sensor;
determining a size of the current field of view for exposure of the X-ray source on the image based on a current size of a collimator shutter of the X-ray source and the imaging parameter of the image sensor; and
showing the size and the position of the center of the current field of view for exposure on the captured image displayed on the display.

9. A method for automatically adjusting a field of view for exposure of an X-ray system, the method comprising:
capturing an image of a patient on an examining table of the X-ray system by an image sensor, wherein the image sensor is placed at a predetermined position in the X-ray system;
displaying the captured image on a display for selection of a region of interest or a point of interest by a user on the image;
automatically determining a target position of an X-ray source in response to the selection of the region of interest or the point of interest on the image, wherein a desired field of view for exposure covering the region of interest or the point of interest is obtained when the X-ray source is located at the target position; and
automatically locating the X-ray source at the target position in response to the determination of the target position,
wherein the image sensor comprises two image sensors arranged at respective predetermined positions, respectively, in the X-ray system.

10. The method for automatically adjusting a field of view for exposure of an X-ray system according to claim 9 , wherein automatically determining the target position of the X-ray source for the X-ray system comprises:
determining respectively positions of a center of a desired field of view for exposure on first and second images respectively captured by the two image sensors, in response to the selection of the region of interest or the point of interest;
determining respectively a first target position corresponding to the first image and a second target position corresponding to the second image of the X-ray source, based on the positions of the center of the desired field of view for exposure on the first and second images and respective imaging parameters of the two image sensors; and
obtaining the target position of the X-ray source by multiplying the first target position and the second target position respectively by corresponding predetermined weighting correction coefficients and summing the resultant products.

Assignees

• Wang Jian
• Ye Bin
• Huang Yannan
• Han Yonghui
• Ge Med Sys Global Tech Co Llc

Inventors

• Wang Jian
• Ye Bin
• Huang Yannan
• Han Yonghui

Classifications

• A61B6/548

  Remote control of the apparatus or devices · CPC title

• A61B6/52 Primary

  Devices using data or image processing specially adapted for radiation diagnosis · CPC title

• A61B6/469

  for selecting a region of interest [ROI] · CPC title

• A61B6/08

  Auxiliary means for directing the radiation beam to a particular spot, e.g. using light beams · CPC title

• A61B6/06 Primary

  Diaphragms · CPC title