# US 2010/0166147 A1 · Multi-modality image acquisition > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2010/0166147 A1 - Document ID: US20100166147A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/345,080 - Filed: 2008-12-29 - Published: 2010-07-01 - Earliest claimed: 2008-12-29 - Assignees: Analogic Corporation - Inventors: Daniel Abenaim - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20100166147A1 ## CPC - A61B 8/4416: {related to combined acquisition of different diagnostic modalities, e.g. combination of ultrasound and X-ray acquisitions} - A61B 6/4417: {related to combined acquisition of different diagnostic modalities} - A61B 6/502: {for diagnosis of breast, i.e. mammography} - A61B 6/5247: {combining images from an ionising-radiation diagnostic technique and a non-ionising radiation diagnostic technique, e.g. X-ray and ultrasound} - A61B 8/0825: {for diagnosis of the breast, e.g. mammography} - A61B 6/5235: {combining images from the same or different ionising radiation imaging techniques, e.g. PET and CT} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract The techniques described herein provide a means for generating an x-ray image and ultrasound image depicting parallel planes of an object under examination and may be used in conjunctions with x-ray or ultrasound techniques known to those in the field (e.g., x-ray tomosynthesis, computed tomography ultrasound imaging, etc.). In one example, one or more x-ray images are spatially coincident to one or more ultrasound images and the images may be combined through spatial registration. It finds particular application to mammography examinations but may be used in other fields that use information from multiple modalities. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A scanner comprising: an x-ray source configured to emit x-rays into an examination region of the scanner; a detector configured to detect x-rays emitted into the examination region that have traversed an object under examination situated therein, the detected x-rays used to generate an x-ray image depicting a first plane of the object; and an ultrasound imaging apparatus configured to generate an ultrasound image of a second plane of the object that is substantially parallel to the first plane. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The scanner of claim 1, comprising an ultrasound component configured to emit the sound waves in a direction substantially perpendicular to the trajectory of a center x-ray beam emitted from the x-ray source. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The scanner of claim 2, the ultrasound component configured to detect at least one of transmission and reflection sound waves. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The scanner of claim 1, comprising an x-ray reconstructor configured to generate a plurality of x-ray images based upon the detected x-rays, respective x-ray images of the plurality depicting respective planes of the object. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The scanner of claim 4, the x-ray source configured to emit x-rays from a plurality of angles relative to the detector array, and the x-ray reconstructor configured to generate the plurality of x-ray images using tomosynthesis. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The scanner of claim 4, comprising an ultrasound component configured to adjust relative to the object and emit sound waves at predetermined positions. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The scanner of claim 6 where the ultrasound image apparatus is configured to generate a plurality of ultrasound images based upon sound waves emitted from the predetermined positions, respective ultrasound images having spatial coincidence with at least one x-ray image of the plurality of x-ray images. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The scanner of claim 7, comprising a spatial registration component configured to combine an ultrasound image with the at least one x-ray image that the ultrasound image is spatially coincident with. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The scanner of claim 1, comprising an ultrasound component configured to rotate about a scanning plane of the object and emit sound waves at a plurality of predetermined positions along the rotation. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The scanner of claim 9, where the ultrasound image apparatus is configured to generate the ultrasound image based upon one or more computed tomography techniques. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The scanner of claim 1, comprising an ultrasound component, the ultrasound component comprising a plurality of transducers positioned at predetermined positions about a scanning plane of the object, the plurality of transducers configured to emit sound waves in a predetermined sequence. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The scanner of claim 11, the transducers configured to detect sound waves when not emitting sound waves. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The scanner of claim 11, where the ultrasound image apparatus is configured to generate the ultrasound image based upon one or more computed tomography techniques. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The scanner of claim 1, comprising a spatial registration component configured to combine the x-ray image with the ultrasound image when the x-ray image and the ultrasound image have spatial coincidence. ### Claim 15 A method of acquiring data from two scanning modalities regarding an object under examination, the method comprising: acquiring data related to an x-ray image and data related to an ultrasound image of the object under examination such that a resulting ultrasound image depicts a plane of the object that is substantially parallel with a plane of the object depicted in a resulting x-ray image. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, where the ultrasound image is spatially coincident to the x-ray image, comprising combining data related to the x-ray image with the data related to the ultrasound image. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, where the ultrasound data is acquired based upon one or more transducers, comprising: rotating at least one transducer about a scanning plane of the object under examination; and acquiring the data at predetermined positions along the rotation. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, comprising: combining data acquired at two or more predetermined positions using computed tomography techniques; and generating the resulting ultrasound image with the combined data. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, comprising x-raying the object from a plurality of angles; and generating a plurality of x-ray images using tomosynthesis, the images representing multiple planes of the object. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, comprising: positioning an ultrasound component in a first plane of the object; acquiring data related to an ultrasound image depicting the first plane of the object while the ultrasound component is positioned in the first plane; adjusting an ultrasound component into a second plane of the object; and acquiring data related to an ultrasound image depicting the second plane of the object while the ultrasound component is positioned in the second plane. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, comprising: combining at least one resulting x-ray image with at least one ultrasound image resulting from the acquired data when the images are spatially coincident. ### Claim 22 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, comprising: positioning an ultrasound component in a first plane of the object; acquiring data related to an ultrasound image depicting the first plane of the object while the ultrasound component is positioned in the first plane; adjusting an ultrasound component into a second plane of the object; and acquiring data related to an ultrasound image depicting the second plane of the object while the ultrasound component is positioned in the second plane. ### Claim 23 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, comprising: generating the resulting ultrasound image of the object under examination, the generation comprising: emitting sound waves from at least two transducers, the transducers positioned at different angles relative to the object; and generating the resulting ultrasound image depicting at least one plane of the object under examination as a function of data related to the sound waves emitted from the at least two transducers. ### Claim 24 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, where the object under examination is a human tissue. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, comprising: compressing the tissue between a top compression paddle and a bottom compression paddle; attaching one or more transducers to a portion of the tissue that is between the top compression paddle and the bottom compression paddle; detecting x-rays and sound waves while the tissue is under compression; and decompressing the tissue. ### Claim 26 A method of acquiring data for spatial registration, comprising: detecting x-rays that traverse an object under examination; generating an x-ray image of a plane of the object based upon the detected x-rays; emitting waves into the object, the waves interacting with the object in a plane that is substantially parallel to the plane depicted in the x-ray image; and detecting waves that interact with the object in the plane that is substantially parallel to the plane depicted in the x-ray image.