Fiducial marker for geometric calibration of bed-side mobile tomosynthesis system
AssigneeCarestream Health, Inc.
InventorsRichard A. Simon, Levon O. Vogelsang, Lawrence A. Ray
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for geometric calibration of a radiography apparatus disposes at least one radio-opaque marker in the field of view of the radiography apparatus. A series of tomosynthesis projection images of patient anatomy is acquired from the detector with the x-ray source at different positions along a scan path. For at least three projection images showing the position of the radio-opaque marker, the spatial and angular geometry of the x-ray source and detector are calculated according to the positions of the marker. A tomosynthesis image is reconstructed according to the calculated geometry. A rendering of the reconstructed image is displayed.
Claims18
A method for geometric calibration of a radiography apparatus, the method executed by a computer, comprising:
- disposing at least one radio-opaque marker in a field of view of the radiography apparatus;
- acquiring a series of tomosynthesis projection images of patient anatomy from a detector from different x-ray source positions along a scan path;
- identifying at least three tomosynthesis projection images from the series of tomosynthesis projection images and identifying a position of the at least one radio-opaque marker in each of the at least three tomosynthesis projection images;
- calculating a spatial and angular geometry of an x-ray source and a detector according to the positions of the at least one radio-opaque marker in each of the at least three tomosynthesis projection images;
- reconstructing a tomosynthesis image according to the calculated spatial and angular geometry;
- and
- displaying, storing, or transmitting a rendering of the reconstructed tomosynthesis image.
A portable radiographic imaging apparatus, comprising:
- a mobile cart;
- a processor in the mobile cart;
- a column attached to the mobile cart;
- a detector in communication with the processor in the mobile cart, the detector defining an imaging field;
- one or more x-ray sources supported by the column and positionable to direct radiation toward the detector over successive angular positions;
- a fiducial marker extending into the imaging field of the detector;
- and
- a measurement apparatus for measuring a distance between the one or more x-ray sources and the fiducial marker.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.