Method and system for controlling computer tomography imaging

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9245335-B2
Application number	US-201113820671-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 6, 2011
Priority date	Sep 8, 2010
Publication date	Jan 26, 2016
Grant date	Jan 26, 2016

Abstract

A method, a device, a system and a computer program are for controlling limited-area computer tomography imaging. The method includes determining location data of a first imaging object when the first imaging object is positioned in an imaging area, determining reference location data related to the first imaging object and adjusting the imaging area based on the location data of the first imaging object and said reference location data for imaging a second imaging object. The first and the second imaging object can be located at a distance determined by the reference location data from each other or symmetrically in relation to the reference location data.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for controlling limited-area computer tomography imaging, comprising
determining location data of a first imaging object belonging to an object, the object having a symmetry plane, the step of determining location data comprising at least one of:
a. analyzing an image of the object to determine the location data of the first imaging object is in an imaging area, and
b. estimating the location data of the first imaging object based on an external anatomic characteristic of the object,

determining a first rotation axis of a first imaging area based on the location data of the first imaging object, the first imaging area including the first imaging object, the first rotation axis having a first distance from the symmetry plane,
computer-tomography imaging the first imaging area,
determining a second rotation axis of a second imaging area based at least on a location of the first rotation axis, the second rotation axis having a second distance from the symmetry plane, the second distance being approximately equal to the first distance, and
computer-tomography imaging the second imaging area.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the second imaging area includes a second imaging object.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the first and the second imaging object remain stationary during and between the steps of computer-tomography imaging the first and second imaging areas.

4. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the second imaging object is located symmetrically in relation to the first imaging object on the opposite side of the symmetry plane, a symmetry axis or a centre line of the object.

5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising receiving data of an earlier imaged first imaging object and a reference location wherein the step of determining the location data of the first imaging object further comprises determining the location data in relation to the reference location data.

6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising displaying and/or storing computer tomographic images of the first and the second imaging object as their own single X-ray image data files or as one X-ray image data file, whereby both imaging objects are proportioned to the reference location data.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein each X-ray image data file comprises a plurality of cross-sectional images, whereby the cross-sectional images of the first and the second imaging object correspond to each other and measurements performed between corresponding cross-sectional images.

8. The method according to claim 6 , further comprising performing measurements by means of X-ray image data files between the first and the second imaging object.

9. The method according to claim 6 , wherein each X-ray image data file comprises a plurality of cross-sectional images, whereby in the X-ray image data files the computer tomographic images of the first and the second imaging object are in the same coordinates with the reference location data, whereby the first and the second imaging object can be examined by means of cross-sectional images determined by freely chosen section levels.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of determining location data comprises at least one of:
estimating the location data of the first imaging object based on a location of an auditory canal of the object; and
estimating the location data of the first imaging object based on a width of the object.

11. An apparatus comprising:
means for determining location data of a first imaging object belonging to an object, the object having a symmetry plane, the means for determining location data comprising at least one of:
a. means for analyzing an image of the object to determine the location data of the first imaging object is in an imaging area, and
b. means for estimating the location data of the first imaging object based on an external anatomic characteristic of the object,

means for determining a first rotation axis of a first imaging area based on the location data of the first imaging object, the first imaging area including the first imaging object, the first rotation axis having a first distance from the symmetry plane,
means for controlling limited-area computer-tomography imaging the first imaging area,
means for determining a second rotation axis of a second imaging area based at least on a location of the first rotation axis, the second rotation axis having a second distance from the symmetry plane, the second distance being approximately equal to the first distance, and
the means for controlling limited-area computer-tomography imaging the second imaging area.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the second imaging area includes a second imaging object.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12 wherein means for computer-tomography imaging is configured to image the first and second imaging areas with the first and the second imaging object remaining stationary during and between imaging of the first and second imaging areas.

14. The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the means for determining a second rotation axis is configured to estimate that the second imaging object is located symmetrically in relation to the first imaging object on the opposite side of the symmetry plane, a symmetry axis or a centre line of the object.

15. The apparatus according to claim 11 , further comprising means for receiving data of an earlier imaged first imaging object and a reference location wherein the means for determining the location data of the first imaging object is further configured to determine the location data in relation to the reference location data.

16. The apparatus according to claim 11 , further comprising means for displaying and/or storing computer tomographic images of the first and the second imaging object as their own single X-ray image data files or as one X-ray image data file, whereby both imaging objects are proportioned to the reference location data.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein each X-ray image data file comprises a plurality of cross-sectional images, whereby the cross-sectional images of the first and the second imaging object correspond to each other and measurements performed between corresponding cross-sectional images.

18. The apparatus according to claim 16 , further comprising means for performing measurements by means of X-ray image data files between the first and the second imaging object.

19. The apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein each X-ray image data file comprises a plurality of cross-sectional images, whereby in the X-ray image data files the computer tomographic images of the first and the second imaging object are in the same coordinates with the reference location data, whereby the first and the second imaging object can be examined by means of cross-sectional images determined by freely chosen section levels.

20. The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the means for determining location data comprises at least one of:
means for estimating the location data of the first imaging object based on a location of an auditory canal of the object; and
means for estimating the location data of the first imaging object based on a width of the object.

21. A system comprising:
a control apparatus being connected to communicate with an imaging apparatus,
the control apparatus configured to determine location data of a first imaging object belonging to an objec

Assignees

• Jouhikainen Petri
• Palodex Group Oy

Inventors

• Jouhikainen Petri

Classifications

• A61B6/032 Primary

  Transmission computed tomography [CT] · CPC title

• G06T7/0012 Primary

  Biomedical image inspection · CPC title

• A61B6/545 Primary

  involving automatic set-up of acquisition parameters · CPC title

• A61B6/14

  Human Necessities · mapped topic

• G06K9/3241

  Physics · mapped topic