Method and apparatus for detecting low contrast object in a diagnostic image
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorThomas L. Toth
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus of objectively testing the low contrast performance of an imaging system. Images of a uniform phantom and images of a low contrast detectability phantom are reconstructed. Thereafter, a group of pixels from an image of the uniform phantom are removed and replaced with a group of pixels from an image of the LCD phantom. A user or test observer is then prompted to identify which quadrant of the first phantom image contains a group of pixels from the LCD phantom. An accuracy of a user response is then determined and conveyed to the user. The present invention is applicable with a number of imaging modalities including computer tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, PET, ultrasound, and the like.
Claims23
A method of testing the low contrast performance of an imaging system comprising the steps of:
- (A) positioning a first phantom and a second phantom in a scanning bay;
- (B) acquiring imaging data of the phantoms;
- (C) reconstructing a set of images for each of the phantoms from the imaging data, each image having a number of pixels;
- (D) interchanging at least one pixel from an image of the first phantom with at least one pixel from an image of the second phantom;
- and
- (E) prompting a user to identify the at least one pixel interchanged into the image of the first phantom.
A computer readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon for assisting a user in identifying a low contrast object in an image and having a set of instructions that when executed by a computer causes the computer to:
- access an image of a uniform phantom;
- access an image of an LCD phantom;
- randomly remove a set of pixels of the image of the uniform phantom and replace with a set of pixels of the image of the LCD phantom;
- reconstruct a test image therefrom;
- and
- display the test image and prompt the user to identify the set of pixels from the image of the LCD phantom within the test image.
A diagnostic imaging system comprising:
- an imaging bay;
- a table configured to position a subject to be imaged in the imaging bay;
- a DAS configured to acquire imaging data of the subject;
- and
- a computer programmed to:
- (A) acquire imaging data of uniform phantom and an LCD phantom;
- (B) reconstruct an image of the uniform phantom from the imaging data, the uniform phantom having a generally uniform noise intensity;
- (C) reconstruct an image of the LCD phantom from the imaging data;
- (D) incorporate a portion of the image of the LCD phantom into the image of the uniform phantom and form a test image therefrom;
- (E) display the test image to a user and prompt the user to identify the portion of the test image corresponding to the LCD phantom;
- and
- (F) receive a user response and determine an accuracy score thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.