Computerized detection of masses and microcalcifications in digital mammograms

A method of detecting masses in living tissue depicted in a mammogram, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) digitizing the mammogram to produce a digitized mammogram;
• (b) identifying, as suspected regions, according to predetermined criteria, suspected masses in the radiograph;
• and
• (c) for each identified suspected region,
• (i) extracting multiple topographic layers of the suspected region from the digitized mammogram, the multiple topographic layers all being extracted from the same mammogram;
• and
• (ii) evaluating the extracted multiple topographic layers to determine whether the suspected region is a mass.

An apparatus for detecting abnormal regions in living tissue depicted in a radiograph, comprising:

• a digitizer for digitizing the radiograph to produce a digitized radiograph;
• means for identifying, according to predetermined criteria, suspected abnormal regions in the radiograph;
• extracting means for extracting multiple topographic layers of identified suspected abnormal region from the digitized radiograph;
• and
• means for evaluating the extracted multiple topographic layers of a suspected abnormal region, the multiple topographic layers extracted from the same radiograph, to determine whether the identified suspected abnormal region is an abnormal region.

An apparatus for detecting masses in living tissue regions depicted in a mammogram, comprising:

• a digitizer for digitizing the mammogram to produce a digitized mammogram;
• means for identifying, as suspected abnormal regions, according to predetermined criteria, suspected masses in the radiograph;
• extracting means for extracting multiple topographic layers of identified suspected abnormal regions from the digitized mammogram;
• and
• means for evaluating the extracted multiple topographic layers, the multiple topographic layers being extracted from the same mammogram, to determine whether the suspected region depicts a mass.

An apparatus for locating abnormal regions in living tissue depicted in a radiograph comprising:

• imaging means for obtaining a radiographic image of an anatomical area of a body;
• digitizing means for digitizing the obtained radiographic image to produce a digitized radiograph;
• segmenting means for segmenting into suspected regions the digitized radiograph obtained from the digitizing means;
• and
• multi-layer topographic pruning means for pruning the suspected regions found by the segmenting means to locate the abnormal regions in the radiograph, said pruning being based on multiple topographic layers of the suspected regions, the layers all extracted from the radiograph.

A method of detecting clusters of microcalcifications in living tissue depicted in a mammogram, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) digitizing the mammogram to produce a digitized mammogram;
• (b) identifying, as suspected regions, according to predetermined criteria, suspected clusters of microcalcifications in the digitized mammogram;
• and
• (c) for each identified suspected region,
• (i) extracting multiple topographic layers of the suspected region from the digitized mammogram, the layers being extracted from the mammogram;
• and
• (ii) evaluating the multiple topographic layers extracted from the same mammogram to determine whether the suspected region depicts microcalcifications.

A method of detecting an abnormal region in living tissue depicted in a radiograph, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) digitizing the radiograph to produce a digitized radiograph;
• (b) identifying, according to predetermined criteria, a suspected abnormal region in the radiograph;
• (c) extracting multiple topographic layers of the suspected abnormal region from the digitized radiograph, all layers being extracted from the radiograph;
• and
• (d) evaluating the extracted multiple topographic layers of the suspected abnormal region to determine whether the suspected region is an abnormal region.

A method of detecting a mass in living tissue depicted in a mammogram, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) digitizing the mammogram to produce a digitized mammogram;
• (b) identifying, as a suspected region, according to predetermined criteria, a suspected mass in the mammogram;
• (c) extracting multiple topographic layers of the suspected region from the digitized mammogram, wherein all layers are extracted from the same mammogram;
• and
• (d) evaluating the extracted multiple topographic layers to determine whether the suspected region is a mass.

An apparatus for detecting an abnormal region in living tissue depicted in a radiograph, the apparatus comprising:

• a digitizer for digitizing the radiograph to produce a digitized radiograph;
• means for identifying, according to predetermined criteria, a suspected abnormal region in the radiograph;
• means for extracting multiple topographic layers of the identified suspected abnormal region from the digitized radiograph, all layers being extracted from the same radiograph;
• and
• means for evaluating the multiple topographic layers extracted from the same radiograph to determine whether the identified suspected abnormal region is an abnormal region.

An apparatus for detecting a mass in living tissue regions depicted in a mammogram, the apparatus comprising:

• a digitizer for digitizing the mammogram to produce a digitized mammogram;
• means for identifying, as a suspected abnormal region, according to predetermined criteria, a suspected mass in the mammogram;
• means for extracting multiple topographic layers of the identified suspected abnormal region from the digitized mammogram, all layers being extracted from the same mammogram;
• and
• means for evaluating the multiple topographic layers extracted from the same mammogram to determine whether the suspected region depicts a mass.

A method of detecting a cluster of microcalcifications in living tissue depicted in a mammogram, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) digitizing the mammogram to produce a digitized mammogram;
• (b) identifying, as a suspected region, according to predetermined criteria, a suspected cluster of microcalcifications in the digitized mammogram;
• (c) extracting multiple topographic layers of the suspected region from the digitized mammogram, wherein all layers are extracted from the same mammogram;
• and
• (d) evaluating the extracted multiple topographic layers to determine whether the suspected region depicts a cluster of microcalcifications.