# US 12,594,044 B2 · Method for recording a large-area x-ray image

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- Number: US 12,594,044 B2
- Document ID: US12594044B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/458,046
- Filed: 2023-08-29
- Published: 2024-02-29
- Granted: 2026-04-07
- Earliest claimed: 2022-08-30
- Assignees: Ziehm Imaging GmbH
- Applicants: Ziehm Imaging GmbH
- Inventors: Thomas König; Johannes Wagner
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12594044B2

## CPC

- A61B 6/4441: {the rigid structure being a C-arm or U-arm}
- A61B 6/5235: {combining images from the same or different ionising radiation imaging techniques, e.g. PET and CT}
- A61B 6/025: {Tomosynthesis}
- A61B 6/027: {characterised by the use of a particular data acquisition trajectory, e.g. helical or spiral}
- A61B 6/465: {adapted to display user selection data, e.g. graphical user interface, icons or menus}
- A61B 6/469: {for selecting a region of interest [ROI]}
- A61B 6/481: {involving the use of contrast agents}
- A61B 6/5205: {involving processing of raw data to produce diagnostic data}
- A61B 6/5223: {generating planar views from image data, e.g. extracting a coronal view from a 3D image}
- G06T 12/10: Image preprocessing, e.g. calibration, positioning of sources or scatter correction
- G06T 12/20: Inverse problem, i.e. transformations from projection space into object space
- A61B 6/505: {for diagnosis of bone}
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL

## Abstract

Method for providing a large-area x-ray image of an object mounted by means of an object platform and providing additional synthetic x-ray projections, comprising Recording of a plurality of x-ray projections by means of an x-ray device, wherein the plurality of x-ray projections are recorded during a linear movement of the object platform and/or the x-ray device; preparation of at least one tomographic volume from the plurality of x-ray projections; preparation of at least one first synthetic forward projection from the at least one tomographic volume, wherein the at least one synthetic forward projection yields a large-area x-ray image; representation of the large-area x-ray image on a suitable display device; selection and/or marking of an area of interest within the large-area x-ray image; preparation of at least one second synthetic forward projection comprising the area of interest; representation of the at least one second synthetic forward projection on a suitable display device; characterised in that the at least one second synthetic forward projection is prepared in a projection geometry that corresponds to the current orientation of the x-ray device in space.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for provision of a large-area x-ray image of an object mounted by means of an object platform and provision of additional synthetic x-ray projections, comprising:
recording a plurality of x-ray projections by an x-ray device, wherein the plurality of x-ray projections are recorded during a linear movement of the object platform and/or the x-ray device;
preparing at least one tomographic volume from the plurality of x-ray projections;
preparing at least one first synthetic forward projection from the at least one tomographic volume, wherein the at least one synthetic forward projection yields a large-area x-ray image;
representing the large-area x-ray image on a suitable display device;
receiving a selection and/or marking of an area of interest within the large-area x-ray image;
calculating a movement of the x-ray device and/or the object platform based at least in part on the received area of interest under the stipulation that after executing the movement, a projection geometry relative to the object results, which then enables the preparation of an x-ray projection that at least approximately corresponds to at least one second synthetic forward projection comprising the area of interest;
preparing at least one second synthetic forward projection comprising the area of interest; and
representing the at least one second synthetic forward projection on a suitable display device;
wherein the at least one second synthetic forward projection is prepared in a projection geometry that corresponds to a current orientation of the x-ray device in space after the movement.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the linear movement of the object platform and/or the x-ray device is overlain by an additional movement.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the linear movement of the object platform and/or the x-ray device is detected by measurement of position and/or orientation data, and wherein the at least one tomographic volume is prepared based at least in part on the measured position and/or orientation data.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one tomographic volume is prepared based at least in part on a previously done calibration of a recording geometry.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one second synthetic forward projection is prepared in a cone beam geometry.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
evaluating the calculated movement to determine if the achieved motion is feasible in accordance with one or more kinematic boundary conditions of the x-ray device and/or the object platform; and
executing the calculated movement if it is determined that the calculated movement is feasible, or not executing the movement and/or outputting an indication if it is determined that the calculated movement is not feasible.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein a zoom function is made available for the large-area x-ray image and/or the second synthetic x-ray projection.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein functions for measurement of lengths and/or angles are made available on the representation of the large-area x-ray image and/or the second synthetic forward projection.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein an object area represented by the second synthetic forward projection is marked at least approximately in the representation of the large-area x-ray image.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein scene changes caused by object changes are taken into account.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one tomographic volume is prepared from derived projections, which contain at least one specific class of scene change and/or exclude at least one specific class of scene change.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the scene changes are caused by a timewise dynamic development of a contrast agent injection.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein at least two tomographic volumes are prepared, and wherein a first one of the at least two tomographic volumes corresponds to a state of the object without contrast agent and a second one of the at least two tomographic volumes contains only the contrast agent.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of x-ray projections and/or projections derived therefrom are displayed within a time sequence.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein a position of a currently displayed x-ray projection and/or derived projection is marked in the representation of the large-area x-ray image.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein a timewise rate for the recording of the plurality of x-ray projections and/or a pulse length of the x-ray device is matched to a velocity and/or an angular velocity of the linear movement.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

An x-ray device for producing a large-area x-ray image of an object mounted by means of an object platform and producing additional synthetic x-ray projections, comprising:
a C-arm x-ray device; and
one or more processors configured by computer-executable instructions to perform the method of claim 1 in conjunction with the C-arm x-ray device.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

A tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon a computer program, which can be loaded directly into a memory unit of a control unit of an x-ray device, in particular a C-arm x-ray device, with program segments to execute all steps of the method according to claim 1, when the computer program is executed in the control unit of the x-ray device.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

A tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium, having stored thereon program segments that can be read and executed by a computer unit in order to execute all steps of the method according to claim 1, when the program segments are executed by the computer unit.

### Claim 20 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising generating, prior to the movement, a preview image comprising the area of interest, wherein the preview image does not correspond to a current relative position of the x-ray device and the object platform.