Multiple frame acquisition for exposure control in X-ray medical imagers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9526468-B2
Application number	US-201414481494-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 9, 2014
Priority date	Sep 9, 2014
Publication date	Dec 27, 2016
Grant date	Dec 27, 2016

Abstract

According to some embodiments, a method and a system to create a medical image are disclosed. The method comprises receiving a plurality of patient tissue images during an x-ray dose. Furthermore, during the x-ray dose, a determination is made if motion occurred in the plurality of patient tissue images. In a case that no motion is determined, a diagnostic image of the patient tissue comprising the plurality of patient tissue images is created.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method to create a medical image, the method comprising:
receiving, by a computer system, a plurality of patient tissue images during an x-ray dose;
determining, during the x-ray dose, if motion occurred in the plurality of patient tissue images;
in a case that motion occurred, determining if the motion occurred at a start of the X-ray dose, a middle of the X-ray dose, or at an end of the X-ray dose; and
in a case that motion occurred at the start of the X-ray dose, discarding the patient tissue images prior to a time when the motion occurred and increasing a time of the x-ray dose.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining if motion occurred comprises subtracting a first of the plurality of patient tissue images from a second of the plurality of patient tissue images.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
in a case that motion occurred at the middle of the X-ray dose:
stopping the X-ray dose; and
generating an indication that the X-ray dose was stopped.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
in a case that motion occurred at the end of the X-ray dose:
stopping the X-ray dose; and
discarding the patient tissue images from a time when the motion occurred.

5. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer processor, cause the computer processor to perform a method associated with creating a medical image, the method comprising:
receiving, by a computer system, a plurality of patient tissue images during an x-ray dose;
determining, during the x-ray dose, if motion occurred in the plurality of patient tissue images;
in a case that motion occurred, determining if the motion occurred at a start of the X-ray dose, a middle of the X-ray dose, or at an end of the X-ray dose; and
in a case that motion occurred at the start of the X-ray dose, discarding the patient tissue images prior to a time when the motion occurred and increasing a time of the x-ray dose.

6. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 5 , wherein determining if motion occurred comprises subtracting a first of the plurality of patient tissue images from a second of the plurality of patient tissue images.

7. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 5 , further comprising:
in a case that motion occurred at the middle of the X-ray dose:
stopping the X-ray dose; and
generating an indication that the X-ray dose was stopped.

8. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 5 , further comprising:
in a case that motion occurred at the end of the X-ray dose:
stopping the X-ray dose; and
discarding the patient tissue images from a time when the motion occurred.

9. A medical imaging system, comprising:
an X-ray tube to generate a dose of X-rays;
a detector to capture a plurality of patient tissue images during the dose of X-rays; and
a computer system to:
(i) determine, during the dose of X-rays, if motion occurred during the capture of the plurality of patient tissue images;
(ii) manage the plurality of patient tissue images;
(iii) in a case that motion occurred during the capture of the plurality of patient tissue images, determine if the motion occurred at a start of dose of X-rays, a middle of the dose of X-rays, or at an end of the dose of X-rays; and
(iv) in a case that motion occurred at the start of the dose of X-rays, discarding discard the patient tissue images prior to a time when the motion occurred and increase a time of the dose of X-rays.

10. The medical imaging system of claim 9 , wherein the computer system determines if motion occurred comprises subtracting a first of the plurality of patient tissue images from a second of the plurality of patient tissue images.

11. The medical imaging system of claim 9 , wherein in a case that motion occurred at the middle of the X-ray dose, the computer system stops the X-ray dose and generates an indication that the X-ray dose was stopped.

12. The medical imaging system of claim 9 , wherein in a case that motion occurred at the end of the X-ray dose, the computer system stops the X-ray dose, discards the patient tissue images from a time when the motion occurred.

13. The medical imaging system of claim 9 , wherein the detector comprises CMOS-based detectors.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Jacob Biju
• Klausz Remy Andre
• Tkaczyk John Eric
• Abutabanjeh Emad

Classifications

• A61B6/54

  Control of apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis · CPC title

• A61B6/5258

  involving detection or reduction of artifacts or noise · CPC title

• A61B6/502

  for diagnosis of breast, i.e. mammography · CPC title

• G06T2207/10116

  X-ray image · CPC title

• A61B6/42

  Arrangements for detecting radiation specially adapted for radiation diagnosis · CPC title