Lesion imaging optimization using a tomosynthesis/biopsy system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9782134-B2
Application number	US-201113703647-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 20, 2011
Priority date	Jun 28, 2010
Publication date	Oct 10, 2017
Grant date	Oct 10, 2017

Abstract

The invention relates to a medical tomosynthesis system ( 10 ) having an interventional device ( 15 ) and an image acquisition device ( 11, 12 ) for acquiring images of a subject volume in a plurality of angular positions around the subject volume. In the system, a three-dimensional geometrical model of the interventional unit is used to identify the projection angles of the image acquisition device that actually can be used. Preferably, this three-dimensional model is achieved by reconstructing it from projection images acquired with the X-ray image acquisition device. The invention also relates to a method for acquiring images with such a system.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A medical tomosynthesis system comprising:
a scanner configured for acquiring projection images of a subject volume from a plurality of respective projection angles around said subject volume, said plurality being from among a first set of projection angles at which said scanner is enabled for image acquisition, said acquiring being associated with corresponding fields of view, a part of a medical tomosynthesis apparatus being within a field of view from among said fields of view, said medical tomosynthesis apparatus including a medical tomosynthesis biopsy apparatus; and
an image processor configured to:
derive geometric data from a three-dimensional (3D) model of said part;
derive an actual position of said part;
from both said geometric data and said actual position, calculate a plurality of angular positions corresponding to projection angles of said first set in deciding which of said corresponding projection angles are in conflict with an image of a region of interest; and
exclude the projection angles decided to be in conflict in forming a second set of allowed projection angles,

wherein said system is configured to operate said scanner so as to confine, to projection angles within said second set, acquisition of projection images for use in tomosynthesis reconstruction.

2. A medical tomosynthesis system according to claim 1 , wherein said processor is adapted for, when said actual position changes, again performing the deciding, this time from both said geometric data and a changed actual position, to update said second set.

3. A medical tomosynthesis system according to claim 1 , wherein said processor is adapted to determine, depending on the number of angular positions from among the plurality of calculated angular positions, whether to conduct stereoscopic imaging or tomosynthetic imaging at the allowed projection angles.

4. A medical tomosynthesis system according to claim 1 , wherein said part is at least one of a biopsy needle holder and a biopsy needle.

5. A medical tomosynthesis system according to claim 1 , wherein said part comprises a compression plate for compressing said subject volume.

6. A medical tomosynthesis system according to claim 1 , wherein said geometric data define an outer shape of said part.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the excluding is from said corresponding projection angles.

8. The system of claim 1 , said second set comprising the only angles allowed for tomosynthesis by said system.

9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a 3D reconstruction module configured for said tomosynthesis reconstruction.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the operating is with said part in said actual position.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein said geometric data comprises geometric data of at least one of a biopsy needle and a biopsy needle holder.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the deciding, for a given one of said corresponding projection angles, is based on whether a needle shadow appears in an image of said region of interest in imaging taken at said given one of said corresponding projection angles.

13. The system of claim 1 , a location of at least one of a lesion and a micro-calcification serving as said region of interest.

14. A medical tomosynthesis system according to claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of parts of a medical tomosynthesis apparatus,
wherein said part is from among said parts;
wherein said parts differentiate from each other at least partially with respect to their geometric data;
wherein said medical tomosynthesis system is configured to attachably hold one out of the plurality of parts in an interchangeable manner; and
wherein said medical tomosynthesis system is adapted to adapt said geometric data to the attached part out of said plurality of parts.

15. A medical tomosynthesis system according to claim 14 , wherein said medical tomosynthesis system is adapted to detect which part from among said plurality of parts is attached to said medical tomosynthesis system, and is adapted to provide said processor with a stored data set of geometric data associated with the attached part.

16. The system of claim 14 , wherein said geometric data of a respective part from among said parts is derived from a three-dimensional (3D) model of said respective part and comprises geometric data of at least one of a biopsy needle and a biopsy needle holder.

17. The system of claim 1 , configured for using only projection images taken at projection angles from among said second set in forming an image volume, for deriving, from said image volume, multiple sectional images of respectively different imaging depths, and for determining, based on image-feature similarity, from said multiple sectional images, a depth of said region of interest.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein said determining selects a depth from among said depths.

19. The system of claim 1 , further comprising said medical tomosynthesis apparatus.

20. The system of claim 19 , serving as said medical tomosynthesis apparatus.

21. The system of claim 1 , further configured for, via said image processor, computing said 3D model.

22. The system of claim 21 , wherein the computing entails reconstructing said model from projection images acquired via said scanner.

23. The system of claim 1 , wherein the deciding entails determining, for which of said corresponding projection angles, a longitudinal direction of an X-ray source intersects with said part.

24. The system of claim 23 , said scanner comprising said X-ray source, and an X-ray detector for receiving X-rays emitted by said source.

25. A method for acquiring medical images, comprising the steps of:
acquiring projection images of a subject volume from a plurality of respective projection angles around said subject volume, said plurality being from among a first set of projection angles at which a scanner for said acquiring is enabled for image acquisition, said acquiring being associated with ti-corresponding fields of view, a part of a medical tomosynthesis apparatus being within a field of view from among said fields of view, said medical tomosynthesis apparatus including a medical tomosynthesis biopsy apparatus;
deriving geometric data from a three-dimensional (3D) model of said part;
deriving an actual position of said part;
from both said geometric data and said actual position, calculate a plurality of angular positions corresponding to projection angles of said first set in deciding which of said corresponding projection angles are in conflict with an image of a region of interest;
excluding the projection angles decided to be in conflict in forming a second set of allowed projection angles; and
operating said scanner so as to confine, to projection angles within said second set, acquisition of projection images for use in tomosynthesis reconstruction.

26. The method according to claim 25 , further comprising the step of, when a position of said part changes, updating said second set by again deciding, from both said geometric data and said actual position, which of said corresponding projection angles are in conflict with said image and excluding said angles decided to be in conflict.

27. A non-transitory computer readable medium embodying a computer program for acquiring medical images, said program having instructions executable by a processor for performing

Assignees

• Maack Hanns-Ingo
• Koninklijke Philips Nv

Inventors

• Maack Hanns-Ingo

Classifications

• A61B6/12

  Arrangements for detecting or locating foreign bodies · CPC title

• A61B6/025

  Tomosynthesis · CPC title

• A61B6/5205

  involving processing of raw data to produce diagnostic data · CPC title

• A61B2034/107

  Visualisation of planned trajectories or target regions · CPC title

• A61B6/0414

  with compression means · CPC title