Automatic optimal x-ray emitter position detection for mobile x-ray devices

An X-ray imaging system, comprising:

• a mobile X-ray device comprising an X-ray emitter;
• a camera mountable to the mobile X-ray device and configured to capture a camera-acquired image from a patient in an X-ray imaging session, wherein the camera is registered to an origin of the X-ray emitter;
• an X-ray detector;
• a tracker device that is attachable to the X-ray detector or embedded in the X-ray detector, and configured to provide position information of the X-ray detector;
• and
• a processor configured to:
• receive (i) a camera-acquired image originating from a camera that monitors a patient in an X-ray imaging session, wherein the camera is registered to an origin of the X-ray emitter, (ii) a reference X-ray image of an internal body structure to be examined in the X-ray examination, and (iii) position information of an X-ray detector;
• detect and localize a plurality of anatomical landmarks in the camera-acquired image;
• determine a distance from the X-ray emitter to the patient based on the camera-acquired image;
• generate a virtual X-ray image of the internal body structure based on the plurality of detected anatomical landmarks, the distance from the X-ray emitter to the patient, and the position information of the X-ray detector;
• register the virtual X-ray image of the internal body structure with the reference X-ray image of the internal body structure;
• and
• determine at least one parameter to adjust the position of the X-ray emitter based on a result of registration.

A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising executable instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform a method for determining a position of an X-ray emitter of a mobile X-ray device, the method comprising:

• receiving (i) a camera-acquired image originating from a camera that monitors a patient in an X-ray imaging session, wherein the camera is registered to an origin of the X-ray emitter, (ii) a reference X-ray image of an internal body structure to be examined in the X-ray examination, and (iii) position information of an X-ray detector;
• detecting and localizing a plurality of anatomical landmarks in the camera-acquired image;
• determining a distance from the X-ray emitter to the patient based on the camera-acquired image;
• generating a virtual X-ray image of the internal body structure based on the plurality of detected anatomical landmarks, the distance from the X-ray emitter to the patient, and the position information of the X-ray detector;
• registering the virtual X-ray image of the internal body structure with the reference X-ray image of the internal body structure;
• and
• determining at least one parameter to adjust the position of the X-ray emitter based on a result of registration.