Method for enhancing reconstructed 3-D tomosynthesis volume image

A method for processing a tomosynthesis reconstruction 3-D volume of a subject, executed at least in part on a computer, comprising:

• receiving first volume data for the reconstructed 3-D tomosynthesis volume, wherein the first volume data includes a number of values that extend within a first range;
• selecting a cutting point for the number of values within the first range to define a portion of the first volume of data to be re-mapped, thereby decreasing the number of values within the first range;
• generating conditioned volume data by re-mapping the portion of the first volume data values beyond the cutting point to a second range that is expanded over the first range of the first volume data;
• generating a second volume including increased contrast by applying contrast limited adaptive histogram equalization to the conditioned volume data;
• and
• displaying, storing, or transmitting the second volume in the reconstructed 3-D tomosynthesis volume.

A method for processing a tomosynthesis reconstruction 3-D volume of a subject, executed at least in part on a computer, comprising:

• receiving first volume data for the reconstructed 3-D tomosynthesis volume, wherein the volume data values extend within a first range;
• generating conditioned volume data by re-mapping at least a portion of the first volume data values to a second range that is expanded over the first range of the first volume data;
• generating a second volume including increased contrast by applying contrast limited adaptive histogram equalization to the conditioned volume data;
• displaying, storing, or transmitting the second volume in the reconstructed 3-D tomosynthesis volume;
• defining a plurality of 3-D regions within the second volume;
• generating a uniformity index for each of the 3-D regions in the defined plurality of 3-D regions, where the value of the uniformity index relates to the relative texture of the volume content in the region;
• and
• applying contrast limited adaptive histogram equalization to each 3-D region according to its corresponding generated uniformity index.

A method for digital radiographic 3-D volume image processing of a subject, executed at least in part on a computer and comprising:

• receiving 3-D volume image data of the subject;
• dividing the 3-D volume image data into a first plurality of independent 3-D regions of interest;
• increasing contrast within one or more of the first plurality of 3-D regions of interest;
• and
• increasing a global contrast of the 3-D volume image by maintaining the intensity consistency among the increased contrast first plurality of 3-D regions of interest based on a spatial correlation among the first plurality of 3-D regions of interest.