KR101034258B1 - System for diagnosing breast cancer using x-ray and breast density measurement method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A system for diagnosing a breast cancer using an x-ray and breast density measurement method therefor are provided to irradiate an ultrasonic wave to a fixed breast to calculate the propagation speed of the ultrasonic wave, thereby measuring the density of the breast. CONSTITUTION: A system for diagnosing a breast cancer using an x-ray comprises the following units. A breast fixing device(120) is made of an upper plate and a lower plate and fixes a breast. An ultrasonic wave sensor(130) detects an ultrasonic wave passing the breast and the upper plate. The ultrasonic wave sensor is installed on the upper plate of the breast fixing device. A control unit(150) determines the density of a breast by using the reciprocating time and distance of the ultrasonic wave. The upper plate is made of a material through which the ultrasonic wave passes. The lower plate is made of a material which reflects the ultrasonic wave.

Description

System for diagnosing breast cancer using X-ray and breast density measurement method

The present invention relates to a breast cancer diagnosis system using X-rays and a breast density measurement method therefor.

Breast adenocarcinoma or breast cancer, which generally refers to a mass of cancerous cells formed in the breast, is an important medical problem for women, which is not only a major cause of mortality in women, but also causes disability, psychological shock and economic loss.

Not only should we do our best to prevent breast cancer, but we also need periodic diagnosis to detect it early. A breast cancer diagnosis system using X-rays has been developed for such a diagnosis. In the past, an analog film method has been used, but recently, a digital method using a semiconductor flat panel detector instead of the analog film method has been widely used for breast cancer diagnosis.

In general, X-ray diagnostic imaging should yield optimal images with the lowest possible dose. Thus, in order to prevent overexposure of the patient due to overdose, the diagnosis of breast cancer by X-ray can be performed using irradiation parameters such as tube voltage (kV), for optimal X-ray irradiation depending on the thickness of the compressed breast and the density of the breast. Tube current (mA) and irradiation time (s) should be set first.

The density of the breast is expressed as the ratio of the mammary tissue to the adipose tissue in the breast. The higher the density, the more difficult X-rays are to penetrate, and higher irradiation parameters are required to obtain an optimal image. In the case of actual X-ray diagnosis, pre-exposure is performed with low but harmful dose before the investigation, and the tube voltage used in this irradiation from the dose measured by the X-ray detector according to the thickness and density of the breast ( kV), tube current (mA) and irradiation time (s).

However, such a system for estimating irradiation parameters using X-rays, although low, requires doses that are harmful to the human body. In addition, the problem of overdose has emerged as a decisive problem in the case of digital breast tomography synthesis system currently under research and development.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, by irradiating ultrasound to the breast fixed to the breast fixation device and calculating the propagation speed of the irradiated ultrasound, X-rays to measure the density of the breast The present invention provides a breast cancer diagnosis system and a method for measuring breast density.

In addition, the present invention by irradiating ultrasound to the breast fixed to the breast fixation device and by calculating the propagation speed of the irradiated ultrasound to measure the breast density, it can be utilized as data for calculating the parameters for X-ray irradiation The present invention provides a breast cancer diagnosis system using X-rays and a method for measuring breast density.

In addition, the present invention utilizes harmful ionizing radiation to calculate the parameters for X-ray irradiation by irradiating ultrasound to the breast fixed to the breast fixation device, calculating the propagation speed of the irradiated ultrasound and measuring the breast density. The present invention provides a breast cancer diagnosis system using X-rays and a method for measuring breast density.

In addition, the present invention by measuring the breast density to be used as data for calculating the parameters for X-ray irradiation using ultrasound, X-rays to improve the user's satisfaction without using harmful ionizing radiation The present invention provides a breast cancer diagnosis system and a method for measuring breast density.

To this end, the breast cancer diagnosis system using an X-ray according to an aspect of the present invention comprises a breast fixing device consisting of an upper plate and a lower plate for fixing the breast; An ultrasonic sensor which is installed on an upper plate of the breast fixing apparatus and generates ultrasonic waves to pass the upper plate and the breast, and detects ultrasonic waves reflected by the lower plate and again passing through the breast and the upper plate; And control means for determining breast density using the reciprocating distance of the ultrasound and the reciprocating time of the ultrasound.

Preferably, the control means includes a calculation unit for calculating the propagation speed of the ultrasonic wave using the round trip distance of the ultrasonic wave and the round trip time of the ultrasonic wave; And a determination unit determining a breast density corresponding to the propagation speed of the ultrasound calculated based on a preset reference table.

In this case, the table may be data stored by matching a predetermined breast density with a propagation speed of an ultrasound corresponding thereto.

The control means may further include a setting unit for setting an irradiation parameter for X-ray irradiation to be used for diagnosing breast cancer according to the determined breast density.

In this case, the irradiation parameter may include a tube voltage, a tube current, and an irradiation time.

Preferably, the upper plate is made of a material passing through the ultrasonic wave, and the lower plate is characterized in that made of a material reflecting the ultrasonic wave.

In addition, a method for measuring breast density for a breast cancer diagnosis system using X-rays according to another aspect of the present invention includes the steps of: irradiating the upper plate portion of the breast fixation device to fix the breast by generating ultrasound; Detecting ultrasonic waves passing through the upper plate and the breast of the breast fixing device and reflected by the lower plate of the breast fixing device and again passing through the breast and the upper plate; And determining breast density by using the reciprocating distance of the ultrasound and the reciprocating time of the ultrasound.

Preferably, the determining of the breast density may include calculating a propagation speed of the ultrasound using a round trip distance of the ultrasound and a round trip time of the ultrasound; And determining a breast density corresponding to the propagation speed of the ultrasound calculated based on a preset reference table.

In this case, the table may be data stored by matching a predetermined breast density with a propagation speed of an ultrasound corresponding thereto.

In addition, the present invention is characterized in that it further comprises the step of setting the irradiation parameters for X-ray irradiation to be used for diagnosing breast cancer according to the determined breast density.

In this case, the irradiation parameter may include a tube voltage, a tube current, and an irradiation time.

Hereinafter, a breast cancer diagnosis system using X-ray according to an embodiment of the present invention and a method for measuring breast density for the same will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. The present invention measures the breast density to be used as data for estimating irradiation parameters for X-ray irradiation, irradiates ultrasound to the breast fixed to the breast fixation apparatus, calculates the propagation speed of the irradiated ultrasound, and calculates the breast density. I want to measure.

1 is an exemplary view showing a breast cancer diagnosis system using X-rays according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, a breast cancer diagnosis system using X-rays according to the present invention includes an X-ray source 110, a breast fixation device 120, an ultrasonic sensor 130, a detector 140, and control means. 150 and the like.

The operation method of the breast cancer diagnosis system is briefly described as follows.

The breast of the patient to be diagnosed with breast cancer is fixed to the breast fixation device 120 and emits X-rays through an X-ray tube or X-ray source 110.

The breast fixation device 120 compresses the breast of the patient from both sides so that it is perpendicular to the direction of emitting X-rays, i.e., the base below (hereinafter referred to as the upper plate) and the plate installed above (hereinafter referred to as the lower plate). Will come down and compress the breast to fix it.

In this case, an ultrasonic sensor 130 may be installed on the upper plate of the breast fixing apparatus 120 to measure the thickness or density of the breast fixed to the breast fixing apparatus.

Figure 2 is an exemplary view for explaining the principle of measuring the breast density according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 2, an ultrasonic sensor 230 may be installed on the upper plate 222 of the breast fixation apparatus 220. The ultrasonic sensor 230 generates an ultrasonic wave having a frequency of more than 20 KHz so as to generate a distance. Or sensors that detect thickness, motion, etc.

First, the breast 260 of the user is fixed with the breast fixing device 220, that is, the breast 260 of the user is compressed and fixed on both sides, and the ultrasound is generated through the ultrasonic sensor 230 to fix the breast fixing device 220. The upper plate 222 and the breast 260 of the permeate or pass through.

Then, the ultrasonic waves passing through the breast 260 are reflected by the lower plate 224 of the breast fixation device 220 to pass through the breast 260 and the upper plate 222 again. Then, the ultrasonic sensor 230 may detect the reflected ultrasonic waves.

At this time, the upper plate 222 of the breast fixation device is made of a material capable of passing ultrasonic waves without attenuation of the ultrasonic waves, and the lower plate 224 is a material capable of reflecting ultrasonic waves, for example, plastics having a high ultrasonic reflectance. And so on.

Thus, the control means 150 measures the breast density by using the ultrasonic wave generated from the ultrasonic sensor after being passed through the breast and reflected back.

3 is an exemplary view showing a detailed configuration of the control means 150 shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 3, the control means 150 according to the present invention may include a calculation unit 352, a determination unit 354, a memory 356, a setting unit 358, and the like.

When the ultrasonic wave generated by generating the ultrasonic wave through the ultrasonic sensor is reflected back after passing through the breast, the output unit 352 returns the thickness and distance of the upper and lower plates of the breast fixation device or the reciprocation distance of the ultrasonic wave and the arrival of the ultrasonic wave. The propagation speed of the ultrasonic waves may be calculated using the time or the round trip time.

The propagation speed of the ultrasonic wave can be expressed as Equation 1 below.

[Equation 1]

c = d / t

Here, c is the propagation speed of the ultrasonic waves, d is the reciprocating distance of the ultrasonic waves, t may mean the round trip time of the ultrasonic waves.

The determination unit 354 may determine the breast density corresponding to the propagation speed of the ultrasound calculated based on the preset reference table stored in the memory 356. The reference table may include a predetermined breast density and an ultrasound corresponding thereto. It may mean data stored by matching each propagation speed of.

Briefly explaining the principle of generating such a reference table, the elastic modulus of the adipose tissue and the mammary tissue in the breast is approximately four times or more different, for example, 1) when the strain of the breast is 0.01 The elastic moduli of mammary and adipose tissues were 17.5 and 4.8, respectively. 2) If the strain was 0.05, the elastic moduli of mammary and adipose tissues were 6.6 and 33, respectively. The modulus of elasticity can be 10.4 and 88.1 respectively.

According to the bulk modulus, that is, the elastic modulus of the mammary tissue or the elastic modulus of the adipose tissue, the propagation speed of the ultrasonic waves passing through the breast also varies. The propagation velocity in the mammary tissue is faster than the propagation velocity in the adipose tissue. Equation 2]

[Equation 2]

c =

Where c is the propagation velocity of the ultrasound, B is the bulk modulus, and ρ is the breast density.

Therefore, the bulk modulus of elasticity and the propagation speed of ultrasound can be measured, so that the breast density can also be measured in advance.

The setting unit 358 may set irradiation parameters for X-ray irradiation to be used for diagnosing breast cancer according to the determined breast density. For example, the irradiation parameters may include tube voltage (kV), tube current (mA), and irradiation time. (s) and the like.

Briefly, 1) the tube voltage means the voltage applied between the cathode and the anode of the X-ray tube, that is, the X-ray tube that generates X-rays, and 2) the tube current means the current applied to the X-ray tube. And 3) irradiation time may mean time for irradiating X-rays.

These irradiation parameters can be set differently according to the breast density to satisfy the appropriate image quality and minimum dose of the X-ray image. For example, in the case of thick and dense breasts, the value of the irradiation parameter is set large. If not, it is set small.

This is because the thin breasts are not irradiated with more X-rays than necessary.

Thereafter, the detector 140 detects an X-ray projection image which is emitted from the X-ray source 110 and passes through the breast of the user fixed to the breast fixation device 120, but is identical to the X-ray source 110. It is located on a straight line to detect the X-ray projection image at various angles.

The control means 150 displays the 3D projection image generated by generating a 3D projection image of the breast of the patient based on the detected X-ray projection image.

4 is an exemplary view showing a method of measuring breast density according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in Figure 4, first, the ultrasonic sensor can be irradiated to the upper plate of the breast fixing device to fix the breast by generating an ultrasonic wave (S410). The ultrasonic sensor passes through the upper plate and the breast of the breast fixing apparatus and is reflected by the lower plate of the breast fixing apparatus to detect the ultrasonic waves returned through the breast and the upper plate again (S420).

The control means may determine the breast density using the round trip distance of the ultrasound and the round trip time of the ultrasound. That is, the propagation speed of the ultrasound is calculated using the round trip distance of the ultrasound and the round trip time of the ultrasound (S430), and the preset reference. The breast density corresponding to the propagation speed of the ultrasound calculated based on the table is determined (S440).

As a result, the control means sets the irradiation parameters for X-ray irradiation to be used for diagnosing breast cancer, for example, tube voltage, tube current, and irradiation time, according to the determined breast density (S450).

As described above, according to the present invention, breast density can be measured by irradiating ultrasound to the breast fixed to the breast fixation device and calculating the propagation speed of the irradiated ultrasound.

In addition, the present invention can be utilized as data for estimating the parameters for X-ray irradiation by irradiating ultrasound to the breast fixed to the breast fixation device and calculating the propagation speed of the scanned ultrasound to measure the breast density, It is possible to avoid using harmful ionizing radiation to estimate the parameters for X-ray irradiation.

In addition, the present invention can improve the user's satisfaction by not using harmful ionizing radiation by measuring the breast density to be used as data for calculating the parameters for X-ray irradiation using ultrasound.

According to the present invention, a breast cancer diagnosis system using X-rays and a method for measuring breast density therefor may be modified and applied in various forms within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention, and are not limited to the above embodiments. In addition, the embodiments and drawings are merely for the purpose of describing the contents of the invention in detail, not intended to limit the scope of the technical idea of the invention, the present invention described above is common knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention belongs As those skilled in the art can have various substitutions, modifications, and changes without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention, it is not limited to the above embodiments and the accompanying drawings, of course, and not only the claims to be described below but also claims Judgment should be made including scope and equivalence.

1 is an exemplary view showing a breast cancer diagnosis system using X-rays according to an embodiment of the present invention,

Figure 2 is an exemplary view for explaining the principle of measuring the breast density according to an embodiment of the present invention,

3 is an exemplary view showing a detailed configuration of the control means 150 shown in FIG.

4 is an exemplary view showing a method of measuring breast density according to an embodiment of the present invention.

<Description of Symbols for Main Parts of Drawings>

110: X-ray source

120, 220: breast fixation device

222: top plate

224: bottom plate

130, 230: ultrasonic sensor

140: detector

150: control means

260: breast

352: calculating unit

354: judgment

356: memory

358: setting part

Claims (11)

A breast fixation device consisting of an upper plate and a lower plate for fixing the breast; An ultrasonic sensor which is installed on an upper plate of the breast fixing apparatus and generates ultrasonic waves to pass the upper plate and the breast, and detects ultrasonic waves reflected by the lower plate and again passing through the breast and the upper plate; And And control means for determining breast density using the round trip distance of the ultrasound and the round trip time of the ultrasound, The control means, A calculator configured to calculate a propagation speed of the ultrasonic waves by using the reciprocating distance of the ultrasonic waves and the reciprocating time of the ultrasonic waves; And It includes a determination unit for determining the breast density corresponding to the propagation speed of the ultrasound calculated based on a preset reference table, The table is data stored by matching a predetermined breast density with a corresponding propagation speed of ultrasonic waves, wherein the upper plate is made of a material that passes the ultrasonic waves, and the lower plate is made of a material that reflects the ultrasonic waves. Breast cancer diagnosis system using X-rays. delete delete According to claim 1, The control means, And a setting unit configured to set irradiation parameters for X-ray irradiation to be used for diagnosing breast cancer according to the determined breast density. 5. The method of claim 4, The survey parameter is A breast cancer diagnosis system using X-rays including tube voltage, tube current, and irradiation time. delete Irradiating the upper plate of the breast fixation apparatus to fix the breast by generating ultrasonic waves; Detecting ultrasonic waves passing through the upper plate and the breast of the breast fixing device and reflected by the lower plate of the breast fixing device and passing through the breast and the upper plate again; And Determining breast density by using the reciprocating distance of the ultrasound and the reciprocating time of the ultrasound, Determining the breast density, Calculating a propagation speed of the ultrasonic waves by using the reciprocating distance of the ultrasonic waves and the reciprocating time of the ultrasonic waves; And Determining a breast density corresponding to a propagation speed of the ultrasound calculated based on a preset reference table, The table is data stored by matching a predetermined breast density with a corresponding propagation speed of ultrasonic waves, wherein the upper plate is made of a material that passes the ultrasonic waves, and the lower plate is made of a material that reflects the ultrasonic waves. A method for measuring breast density for breast cancer diagnosis system using X-rays. delete delete 8. The method of claim 7, Setting irradiation parameters for X-ray irradiation to be used for diagnosing breast cancer according to the determined breast density. Breast density measurement method for a breast cancer diagnosis system using X-rays further comprising. The method of claim 10, The survey parameter is A method for measuring breast density for a breast cancer diagnosis system using X-rays including tube voltage, tube current, and irradiation time.

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