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US 2002/0054697 A1Published application
Computer-aided diagnosis system and method
OwnerShih-Ping Wanginventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An x-ray system acquires an initial low-contrast, wide latitude (G=2.5, or G=2 or less) x-ray image of a breast. A processing system automatically finds suspected abnormalities in the breast by processing the low contrast initial image, and then automatically converts the initial x-ray image to a high-contrast, narrow latitude image at the locations of the found abnormalities to thereby facilitate diagnosis and patient care. The technology includes effective ways to produce, process and display the various images, and can be extended to other types of images.
Claims23
A method comprising the steps of:
- acquiring a low-contrast, wide-latitude x-ray film image characterized by a contrast gradient G of 2 or less using a medical imaging modality;
- converting the film image to a low-contrast, wide-latitude digital image;
- processing the low-contrast, wide-latitude digital image by computer to automatically identify suspected abnormalities therein;
- using information regarding suspected abnormalities identified in the processing step to automatically find a relatively narrow exposure range that includes an exposure range related to at least one of the abnormalities;
- converting the low-contrast, wide-latitude digital image to a high-contrast, narrow-latitude version display image conforming to said relatively narrow exposure range;
- and
- displaying the display image on a display device.
4 more elements
A system comprising:
- a medical imaging unit acquiring a film image having a relatively low contrast and relatively wide exposure range characterized by a contrast gradient G of 2 or less and converting the film image to a low-contrast, wide latitude digital image;
- a programmed computer processing the low-contrast, wide-latitude digital image to automatically identify suspected abnormalities therein and to automatically find at least one relatively narrow exposure range that includes an exposure range related to at least one of the abnormalities and converting the low-contrast, wide-latitude digital image to a display image that is high-contrast in at least one narrow latitude related to said at least one narrow exposure range;
- and
- a display device for displaying said display image.
1 more element
A method comprising the steps of:
- producing a low-contrast, wide-latitude digital x-ray image characterized by a contrast gradient G or 2 or less using a medical imaging modality;
- processing the digital image by computer to identify suspected abnormalities therein;
- finding, through computer processing that does not require window and/or level selection by an operator, a relatively narrow exposure range which includes at least one exposure range related to at least one of the abnormalities;
- computer-generating a high-contrast, narrow-latitude version of said image conforming to said at least one relatively narrow exposure range, using information regarding said relatively narrow exposure range provided without operator intervention;
- and
- displaying said high-contrast, narrow-latitude version of said image on a display device.
3 more elements
A system comprising:
- a medical imaging unit acquiring a low-contrast, wide-latitude digital x-ray image characterized by a density gradient G no greater than 2.5;
- a programmed computer processing the digital image to automatically identify suspected abnormalities therein and to find at least one relatively narrow exposure range which includes an exposure range of at least one of the abnormalities;
- said programmed computer further using information regarding at least one of said abnormalities to automatically, without requiring window and/or level selection by an operator, convert the digital image to a high-contrast narrow latitude display image that includes said at least one relatively narrow exposure range;
- and
- a display device for displaying said display image.
2 more elements
A method comprising:
- imaging a breast with x-rays to produce an initial image characterized by a contrast gradient G no greater than 2.5;
- processing the initial image with a programmed computer to identify suspected abnormalities;
- using information resulting from the processing step to identify a latitude narrower than that of the initial image;
- converting the initial image to a display image characterized by a density gradient G or at least 3 within said narrower latitude;
- and
- displaying the display image.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.