System and method for determining X-ray exposure parameters

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9615803-B2
Application number	US-201414305410-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 16, 2014
Priority date	Jun 16, 2014
Publication date	Apr 11, 2017
Grant date	Apr 11, 2017

Abstract

In accordance with one aspect of the present system, an X-ray detector of an X-ray imaging system includes a communication module configured to receive a pre-shot image from a detection circuitry and receive one or more pre-shot parameters from a source controller of the X-ray imaging system. The X-ray detector further includes an analysis module configured to determine one or more image characteristics of the pre-shot image. The X-ray detector further includes a determination module configured to calculate one or more main-shot parameters based on the one or more pre-shot parameters and the one or more image characteristics. The determination module is further configured to send the one or more main-shot parameters to the source controller of the X-ray imaging system.

First claim

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. An X-ray detector of an X-ray imaging system, the X-ray detector comprising:
a detection circuitry configured to generate a pre-shot image based on a pre-shot X-ray beam; and
a parameter optimizer communicatively coupled to the detection circuitry and configured to determine one or more main-shot parameters, the parameter optimizer comprising:
at least one processor;
a communication module stored in a memory and executable by the at least one processor, the communication module configured to receive the pre-shot image from the detection circuitry and receive one or more pre-shot parameters from a source controller of the X-ray imaging system;
an analysis module stored in the memory and executable by the at least one processor, the analysis module communicatively coupled with the communication module and configured to determine one or more image characteristics of the pre-shot image, wherein the one or more image characteristics includes at least one of a number of counts, an average of the counts, a histogram of the counts, a noise level, a signal to noise ratio, a contrast, and a contrast to noise ratio; and
a determination module stored in the memory and executable by the at least one processor, the determination module communicatively coupled with the analysis module and configured to calculate the one or more main-shot parameters based on the one or more pre-shot parameters and the one or more image characteristics and send the one or more main-shot parameters to the source controller of the X-ray imaging system.

2. The X-ray detector of claim 1 , further comprising a region of interest (ROI) module configured to generate one or more ROI images from the pre-shot image, and wherein the analysis module is further configured to analyze the one or more ROI images to determine the one or more image characteristics of the pre-shot image.

3. The X-ray detector of claim 2 , wherein the determination module is further configured to send the one or more ROI images to the source controller.

4. The X-ray detector of claim 1 , wherein the analysis module is further configured to determine a quality metric of the pre-shot image and send a notification to the source controller for re-generating the pre-shot image based on the quality metric.

5. The X-ray detector of claim 1 , wherein the determination module is further configured to generate a new image by reducing a spatial resolution of the pre-shot image and send the new image to the source controller.

6. The X-ray detector of claim 1 , wherein the one or more pre-shot parameters includes at least one of a peak kilovoltage (kVp) of an X-ray source, a pre-shot milliampere seconds (mAs) of the X-ray source, a patient size, an anatomy, a view, and a distance between the X-ray source and the X-ray detector.

7. The X-ray detector of claim 6 , wherein the one or more main-shot parameters includes at least one of a main-shot mAs, a main-shot mA, a main-shot exposure time, a main-shot kVp, a main-shot x-ray focal spot size, and a main-shot X-ray filter.

8. A computer implemented method, comprising:
receiving a pre-shot image from a detection circuitry of an X-ray imaging system;
receiving one or more pre-shot parameters from a source controller of the X-ray imaging system;
determining one or more image characteristics of the pre-shot image, wherein the one or more image characteristics includes at least one of a number of counts, an average of the counts, a histogram of the counts, a noise level, a signal to noise ratio, a contrast, and a contrast to noise ratio;
calculating one or more main-shot parameters based on the one or more pre-shot parameters and the one or more image characteristics; and
sending the one or more main-shot parameters to the source controller of the X-ray imaging system.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
generating one or more region of interest (ROI) images from the pre-shot image; and
sending the one or more ROI images to the source controller of the X-ray imaging system,
wherein the one or more ROI images are used to determine the one or more image characteristics of the pre-shot image.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
determining a quality metric of the pre-shot image; and
sending a notification to the source controller for re-generating the pre-shot image based on the quality metric.

11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
generating a new image by reducing a spatial resolution of the pre-shot image; and
sending the new image to the source controller of the X-ray imaging system.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the one or more pre-shot parameters includes at least one of a peak kilovoltage (kVp) of an X-ray source, a pre-shot milliampere seconds (mAs) of the X-ray source, a patient size, an anatomy, a view, and a distance between the X-ray source and an X-ray detector of the X-ray imaging system.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the one or more main-shot parameters includes at least one of a main-shot mAs, a main-shot mA, a main-shot exposure time, a main-shot x-ray focal spot size, a main-shot kVp, and a main-shot X-ray filter.

14. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium encoding instructions that, in response to execution by at least one processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
receive a pre-shot image from a detection circuitry of an X-ray imaging system;
receive one or more pre-shot parameters from a source controller of the X-ray imaging system;
determine one or more image characteristics of the pre-shot image, wherein the one or more image characteristics includes at least one of a number of counts, an average of the counts, a histogram of the counts, a noise level, a signal to noise ratio, a contrast, and a contrast to noise ratio;
calculate one or more main-shot parameters based on the one or more pre-shot parameters and the one or more image characteristics; and
send the one or more main-shot parameters to the source controller of the X-ray imaging system.

15. The computer program product of claim 14 , further causing the processor to perform operations comprising:
generate one or more region of interest (ROI) images from the pre-shot image; and
send the one or more ROI images to the source controller of the X-ray imaging system,
wherein the one or more ROI images is used to determine the one or more image characteristics of the pre-shot image.

16. The computer program product of claim 14 , wherein the one or more pre-shot parameters includes at least one of a peak kilovoltage (kVp) of an X-ray source, a pre-shot milliampere seconds (mAs) of the X-ray source, a patient size, an anatomy, a view, and a distance between the X-ray source and an X-ray detector.

17. The computer program product of claim 16 , wherein the one or more main-shot parameters includes at least one of a main-shot mAs, a main-shot kVp, and a main-shot X-ray filter.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Zou Yun
• Saunders Rowland Frederick
• Zelakiewicz Scott Stephen
• Heukensfeldt Jansen Floribertus P M
• Frontera Mark Alan
• Wiedmann Uwe
• Walimbe Vivek

Classifications

• A61B6/563

  involving image data transmission via a network · CPC title

• A61B6/469 Primary

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

• A61B6/544

  dependent on patient size · CPC title

• A61B6/545

  involving automatic set-up of acquisition parameters · CPC title

• A61B6/4405 Primary

  the apparatus being movable or portable, e.g. handheld or mounted on a trolley · CPC title