# US 11,308,594 B2 · Tomosynthesis dataset generation using pre-exposure acquisition > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,308,594 B2 - Document ID: US11308594B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/875,819 - Filed: 2020-05-15 - Published: 2021-11-18 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2020-05-15 - Assignees: GE Precision Healthcare LLC - Applicants: GE Precision Healthcare LLC - Inventors: Sylvain Bernard; Remy Klausz; Veronique Felix; Xavier Mancardi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11308594B2 ## CPC - G06T 5/50: using two or more images, e.g. averaging or subtraction - A61B 6/025: {Tomosynthesis} - A61B 6/0414: {with compression means} - A61B 6/4021: {involving movement of the focal spot} - A61B 6/4291: {the detector being combined with a grid or grating} - A61B 6/488: {involving pre-scan acquisition} - A61B 6/502: {for diagnosis of breast, i.e. mammography} - A61B 6/5211: {involving processing of medical diagnostic data} - A61B 6/5223: {generating planar views from image data, e.g. extracting a coronal view from a 3D image} - G06T 7/30: Determination of transform parameters for the alignment of images, i.e. image registration - G06T 12/10: Image preprocessing, e.g. calibration, positioning of sources or scatter correction - G06T 12/30: Image post-processing, e.g. metal artefact correction - A61B 6/4441: {the rigid structure being a C-arm or U-arm} - A61B 6/542: {involving control of exposure} - G06T 2207/10072: Tomographic images - G06T 2207/10116: X-ray image - G06T 2207/20221: Image fusion; Image merging - G06T 2207/30068: Mammography; Breast - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract Systems and methods for synthesizing a two-dimensional (2D) image of an organ of a patient by obtaining an pre-exposure x-ray image of the organ in order to ascertain parameters needed for acquisition of 2D (tomosynthesis) projection images of the organ, imaging the organ to obtain a plurality of 2D (tomosynthesis) projection images of the organ, and generating a synthetic 2D image of the organ from a combination of both the plurality of tomosynthesis projection images and the pre-exposure x-ray image. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of generating a synthesized 2D image of an organ of a patient, the method comprising: obtaining a pre-exposure image of the organ by exposing the organ with x-ray energization; obtaining, based upon the pre-exposure image acquired, a plurality of two-dimensional (2D) tomosynthesis projection images of the organ by rotating the x-ray emitter to a plurality of orientations relative to the organ and emitting x-ray energization from the emitter for each projection image of the plurality of projection images; and generating a synthetic 2D image of the organ from the pre-exposure image and the plurality of tomosynthesis projection images. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the pre-exposure image is merged with at least one of the plurality of 2D projection images prior to generating the synthetic 2D image. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the merging is performed using a registration algorithm in case of patient motion and/or to compensate for differences in the acquisition angles of the pre-exposure image and the at least one of the tomosynthesis projections. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising: utilizing the pre-exposure image acquired as a baseline image; and generating a synthetic 2D image of the organ by enhancing the baseline image with information in the tomosynthesis projection images. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2 further comprising: utilizing the merged image acquired as a baseline image; and generating a synthetic 2D image of the organ by enhancing the baseline image with information in the tomosynthesis projection images. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: utilizing one of the tomosynthesis projection image as a baseline image; and generating a synthetic 2D image of the organ by enhancing the baseline image with information in the tomosynthesis projection images and the pre-exposure image. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the synthetic 2D image on a display. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the pre-exposure image of the organ and the plurality of 2D tomosynthesis projection images of the organ are obtained during a same compression of the organ. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein levels of x-ray energization used for obtaining each of the plurality of two-dimensional (2D) tomosynthesis projection images are lower than a level of x-ray energization used for obtaining the pre-exposure image. ### Claim 10 A method of generating a synthesized 2D image of an organ of a patient, the method comprising: obtaining a pre-exposure image of the organ by exposing the organ with x-ray energization; obtaining, based on the pre-exposure image acquired, a plurality of two-dimensional (2D) tomosynthesis projection images of the organ by rotating the x-ray emitter to a plurality of orientations relative to the organ and emitting x-ray energization from the emitter for each projection image of the plurality of projection images; reconstructing a 3D volume using the 2D tomosynthesis projection images and the pre-exposure image; and generating a synthesized 2D image from the reconstructed 3D volume. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein one of the plurality of 2D tomosynthesis projection images is replaced by the pre-exposure image prior to reconstructing the 3D volume and generating the synthesized 2D image. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the pre-exposure image is merged with at least one of the plurality of 2D projection images prior to reconstructing the 3D volume and generating the synthetic 2D image. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the merging is performed using a registration algorithm in case of patient motion and/or to compensate for differences in the acquisition angles of the pre-exposure image and the at least one of the tomosynthesis projections 13. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the synthetic 2D image is obtained by enhancing the pre-exposure image using at least a subset of the reconstructed slices. ### Claim 15 The method of 10 further comprising: extracting areas of the 3D volume; and enhancing the pre-exposure image with the areas extracted from the 3D volume. ### Claim 16 A system for synthesizing a 2D radiographic image, the system comprising: an x-ray emitter capable of producing x-rays, the x-ray emitter being rotatable to a plurality of orientations; an x-ray detector in at least partial alignment with the x-ray emitter; a processor operably connected to the x-ray emitter and the x-ray detector, the processor operates the x-ray emitter and detector to acquire a pre-exposure image of the organ and subsequently, based on the pre-exposure image acquired, operates the x-ray emitter and detector to rotate about an organ to be imaged in order to obtain a plurality of two-dimensional (2D) tomosynthesis projection images of the organ, wherein the processor synthesizes a 2D image from the pre-exposure image and the plurality of tomosynthesis projection images; and a display for displaying the synthesized 2D image. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the processor merges the pre-exposure image with at least one of the tomosynthesis projection images to create a merged pre-exposure image; and generates the synthesized 2D image of the organ by enhancing the merged pre-exposure image with information in the tomosynthesis projection images. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17, wherein the merging is performed using a registration algorithm in case of patient motion and/or to compensate for differences in the acquisition angles of the pre-exposure image and the at least one of the tomosynthesis projections. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the processor utilizes the pre-exposure image acquired as a baseline image; and generates a synthesized 2D image of the organ by enhancing the baseline image with information in the tomosynthesis projection images. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the processor enhances a projection image acquired during tomosynthesis exposure using data from the plurality of 2D tomosynthesis projection images; and generates a synthesized 2D image of the organ by using the enhanced projection image. ### Claim 21 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein levels of x-ray energization used for obtaining each of the plurality of two-dimensional (2D) tomosynthesis projection images are lower than a level of x-ray energization used for obtaining the pre-exposure image. ### Claim 22 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the processor reconstructs a 3D volume using the 2D tomosynthesis projection images and the pre-exposure image; and generates a synthesized 2D image from the reconstructed 3D volume.