System and method for low dose tomosynthesis

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9498175-B2
Application number	US-201314057061-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 18, 2013
Priority date	Nov 27, 2002
Publication date	Nov 22, 2016
Grant date	Nov 22, 2016

Abstract

A breast imaging system leverages the combined strengths of two-dimensional and three-dimensional imaging to provide a breast cancer screening with improved sensitivity, specificity and patient dosing. A tomosynthesis system supports the acquisition of three-dimensional images at a dosage lower than that used to acquire a two-dimensional image. The low-dose three-dimensional image may be used for mass detection, while the two-dimensional image may be used for calcification detection. Obtaining tomosynthesis data at low dose provides a number of advantages in addition to mass detection including the reduction in scan time and wear and tear on the x-ray tube. Such an arrangement provides a breast cancer screening system with high sensitivity and specificity and reduced patient dosing.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of imaging a breast using a multi-mode mammography/tomosynthesis system, the method comprising:
acquiring a two-dimensional image of a breast using a first x-ray dose in a first mode of operation of the multi-mode mammography/tomosynthesis system, wherein the first x-ray dose is emitted from an emission source when the emission source is stationary; and
acquiring a set of tomosynthesis images of the breast in a second mode of operation of the multi-mode mammography/tomosynthesis system, wherein the set of tomosynthesis images is acquired from a plurality of projection images, wherein each of the plurality of projection images is acquired at a projection image x-ray dose less than the first x-ray dose, wherein each projection image x-ray dose is emitted when the emission source is rotating relative to the breast.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the two-dimensional image is acquired at an angle similar to that of a conventional mammogram.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the two-dimensional image is used to identify calcifications in the breast and the set of tomosynthesis images is used to identify masses in the breast.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein identification of calcifications in the breast is accomplished via a CAD mark representative of the calcification on the two-dimensional image.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein identification of masses in the breast is accomplished via a CAD mark representative of the masses on the set of tomosynthesis images.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising controlling the projection image x-ray dose administered for acquisition of the set of tomosynthesis images, the controlling the projection image x-ray dose comprising adjusting at least one of an x-ray tube voltage, x-ray current, x-ray filter, exposure time, and combinations thereof.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising controlling the projection image x-ray dose administered for acquisition of the set of tomosynthesis images, the controlling the projection image x-ray dose comprising adjusting at least one of a tomosynthesis scan angle and a number of projection images obtained for the set.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising using an anti-scatter grid for the first mode of operation of the multi-mode mammography/tomosynthesis system.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the projection image x-ray dose is updated automatically in response to selection or use of the second mode of operation.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein a total x-ray dosage of the plurality of projection images is input manually.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein a total dosage of the plurality of projection images x-ray doses is less than the first x-ray dose.

12. A multi-mode mammography/tomosynthesis system comprising:
an x-ray source configured to move along an arc; and
an x-ray detector;
wherein the x-ray source and the x-ray detector are configured to (a) acquire a two-dimensional image of a breast using a first x-ray dose in a first mode of operation, wherein the two-dimensional image is acquired when the x-ray source is stationary and (b) acquire a set of tomosynthesis images of the breast in a second mode of operation, wherein the set of tomosynthesis images is acquired with a plurality of projection images, wherein each of the plurality of projection images is acquired at a projection image x-ray dose less than the first x-ray dose, and wherein the plurality of projection images are acquired when the x-ray source is moving along the arc.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the two-dimensional image is acquired at an angle similar to that of a conventional mammogram.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein a total dosage of the plurality of projection images x-ray doses is less than the first x-ray dose.

15. A method of imaging a breast using a multi-mode mammography/tomosynthesis system, the method comprising:
acquiring a two-dimensional image of a breast using a first x-ray dose in a first mode of operation of the multi-mode mammography/tomosynthesis system, wherein the first x-ray dose is emitted from a stationary position; and
acquiring a set of projection images of the breast in a second mode of operation of the multi-mode mammography/tomosynthesis system, wherein each image of the set of projection images is acquired at a second x-ray dose less than the first x-ray dose, wherein the second x-ray dose is emitted during a rotational movement of an x-ray source that emits the x-ray.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the two-dimensional image is acquired at an angle similar to that of a conventional mammogram.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising controlling the second x-ray dose administered for acquisition of the set of tomosynthesis images, the controlling the second x-ray dose comprising adjusting at least one of an x-ray tube voltage, x-ray current, x-ray filter, exposure time, and combinations thereof.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising controlling the second x-ray dose administered for acquisition of the set of tomosynthesis images, the controlling the second x-ray dose comprising adjusting at least one of a tomosynthesis scan angle and a number of projection images obtained for the set.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the second x-ray dose is updated automatically in response to selection or use of the second mode of operation.

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein a total dosage of the set of projection images is less than the first x-ray dose.

Assignees

• Hologic Inc

Inventors

• Stein Jay
• Smith Andrew P
• Jing Zhenxue
• Niklason Loren

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

• A61B6/542

  involving control of exposure · CPC title

• A61B6/5235

  combining images from the same or different ionising radiation imaging techniques, e.g. PET and CT · CPC title

• G01N23/046

  using tomography, e.g. computed tomography [CT] · CPC title

• A61B6/4417 Primary

  related to combined acquisition of different diagnostic modalities · CPC title