WO2004082480A1 - Mammographe numerique de prise d'image par balayage - Google Patents

Mammographe numerique de prise d'image par balayage Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2004082480A1
WO2004082480A1 PCT/IB2004/000814 IB2004000814W WO2004082480A1 WO 2004082480 A1 WO2004082480 A1 WO 2004082480A1 IB 2004000814 W IB2004000814 W IB 2004000814W WO 2004082480 A1 WO2004082480 A1 WO 2004082480A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
mammograph
scan
image
patient
imaging apparatus
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/IB2004/000814
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Mark Keith SEYMOUR
Original Assignee
African Medical Imaging (Pty) Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by African Medical Imaging (Pty) Ltd filed Critical African Medical Imaging (Pty) Ltd
Publication of WO2004082480A1 publication Critical patent/WO2004082480A1/fr

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
    • A61B6/00—Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis; Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis combined with radiation therapy equipment
    • A61B6/50—Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis; Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis combined with radiation therapy equipment specially adapted for specific body parts; specially adapted for specific clinical applications
    • A61B6/502—Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis; Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis combined with radiation therapy equipment specially adapted for specific body parts; specially adapted for specific clinical applications for diagnosis of breast, i.e. mammography
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
    • A61B6/00—Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis; Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis combined with radiation therapy equipment
    • A61B6/58—Testing, adjusting or calibrating thereof
    • A61B6/582—Calibration
    • A61B6/583—Calibration using calibration phantoms

Definitions

  • THIS INVENTION relates to a scan mammograph imaging apparatus for use in imaging an area of interest within a patient's breast. It also relates to a method of imaging an area of interest within a patient's breast.
  • a scan mammograph imaging apparatus for imaging an area of interest within a patient's breast, the scan mammograph imaging apparatus including:
  • source means for transmitting a radiation signal through said area of interest within the patient's breast;
  • detector means disposed in opposing relation to said source means, for receiving the radiation signal
  • displacement means for displacing the source means and the detector means coincidentally relative to the patient's breast along an arcuate scan path conforming substantially to the curvature of the patient's chest wall;
  • image compiler means for compiling the radiation signal received by the detector means into a compiled mammograph image.
  • the mammograph imaging apparatus may include a collimator operable to collimate the transmitted radiation signal into a fan beam of predetermined length and width.
  • the source means may be an X-ray tube operable to transmit X-rays.
  • the detector means may include a scintillator screen array and a Charged Couple Device (CCD) array detector.
  • the displacement means may include a C-shaped frame with the source means and detector means being located near opposite ends of the C-shaped frame in opposing relation to each other.
  • the displacement means may further include a trolley connected to the C- shaped frame for displacing and supporting the C-shaped frame and an arcuate guide track having a configuration similar to the arcuate scan path along which the trolley is displaceable.
  • the image compiler means may be operable to compile the mammograph image by means of a Time Delayed Integration (TDI) process.
  • TDI Time Delayed Integration
  • the scan mammograph imaging apparatus may include image reconstruction means for reconstructing the compiled mammograph image to produce an arcuate mammograph image that conforms to the arcuate scan path of the scanned region.
  • a method of imaging an area of interest within a patient's breast with a scan mammograph imaging apparatus including source means for transmitting a radiation signal, detector means for receiving said radiation signal and image compiler means for compiling the radiation signal as received by the detector means into a mammograph image, the method for imaging an area of interest within a patient's breast including:
  • the method may include reconstructing the compiled mammograph image to produce an arcuate mammograph image that conforms to the arcuate scan path.
  • the scan mammograph imaging apparatus may be substantially equivalent to the scan mammograph imaging apparatus as defined and described hereinabove in accordance with the first aspect of the invention.
  • Figure 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a scan mammograph imaging apparatus in accordance with the invention, illustrating the manner in which a patient's breast is located on the apparatus;
  • Figure 2 shows a schematic perspective view of an X-ray fan beam generated by the X-ray tube of the scan mammography imaging apparatus of Figure 1 , which follows an arcuate scan path;
  • Figure 3 shows a compiled image before reconstruction by warping
  • Figure 4 shows the compiled image of Figure 1 after reconstruction by warping
  • Figure 5 shows a schematic perspective view of the displacement means of the scan mammograph imaging apparatus of Figure 1 ;
  • Figure 6 shows a schematic perspective view of the scan mammograph imaging apparatus of Figure 1 , including an enlarged schematic perspective view of the detector of the scan mammography imaging device showing more detail;
  • Figure 7 shows a schematic plan view of the rectangular footprint of the X-ray fan beam illustrated in Figure 2, at various stages of displacement along the scan path;
  • Figure 8 shows a schematic plan view of the footprint of another embodiment of an X-ray fan beam generated by the X-ray tube, at various stages of displacement along the scan path;
  • Figure 9 shows a phantom for illustrating the image warping process of the method of imaging an area of interest within a patient's breast, in accordance with the invention.
  • Figure 10 shows a X-ray image of a phantom image obtained from the phantom shown in Figure 9, prior to applying the image transformation process thereto; and Figure 11 shows an X-ray image of the phantom image of Figure 10 after the image transformation process has been applied thereto.
  • a scan mammograph imaging apparatus in accordance with the invention is designated generally by reference numeral 10.
  • the scan mammograph imaging apparatus 10 comprises, broadly, source means in the form of an X-ray source 22 comprising an X-ray tube 12 and a collimator 14, detector means in the form of a detector 18, support means in the form of support table 20 and displacement means for displacing the X-ray tube 12 and the detector 18.
  • the X-ray tube 12 and collimator 14 together comprise the X-ray source 22.
  • the X-ray tube 12 is powered by an X-ray generator (not shown) to produce an X-ray beam.
  • the collimator 14 collimates the X-ray beam into a fan shaped X-ray beam 28.
  • the collimator 14 is adjustable to define a rectangular aperture for collimating the fan shaped X-ray beam 28 to a beam having a rectangular "footprint" 33 of desired length 35 and width 36 (see Figure 7).
  • a thin sheet (not shown) of e.g. aluminium may be placed in the path of the X-ray beam to filter out different energies of the X-ray beam.
  • the detector 18 comprises three detector elements arranged in layers.
  • a first uppermost detector element is a scintillator array screen, comprising thallium- activated cesium iodide (Csl(TI)) scintillator array elements 54.
  • a second detector element is a fibre optic faceplate 56 which is located below the scintillator array screen.
  • a lowermost detector element is a charged couple device detector (CCD)58.
  • CCD charged couple device detector
  • X-rays that hit the scintillator array elements 54 are converted into light energy that is conveyed to the CCD detectors 58 via the fibre optic faceplate 56 where it is converted to a digital electronic signal.
  • the detector 18, when viewed in plan view has a length and a width dimension slightly larger that the length 35 and the width 36 of the collimated X-ray beam 28
  • the apparatus 10 includes a C-shaped frame 16.
  • the X-ray source 22 is located on the frame 16 at an upper position.
  • the detector 18 is located on the frame 16 at a lower position wherein the X-ray source 22 and the detector 18 are disposed opposite one another.
  • the support table 20 is of an X-ray transparent material and is located between the X-ray source 22 and the detector 20.
  • suitable X-ray transparent materials are acrylic or carbon fibre.
  • the displacement means includes the C-shaped frame 16, a trolley table 42, a guide track 44 and a trolley 40.
  • the trolley 40 has a C-shaped configuration and defines an upper trolley formation 48 and a lower trolley formation 50, both of which have three wheels 46.
  • One of the wheels 46 is a driven wheel (the drive means not being shown in the drawings) with the remaining wheels being followers.
  • the guide track 44 projects from an upper surface of the trolley table 42 and has an arcuate configuration thereby to guide the trolley along an arcuate path.
  • the C-shaped frame 16 is connected to the trolley 40.
  • the trolley 40 is located on the trolley table 42, with the trolley table 42 and the guide track 44 located in the gap between the upper trolley formation 48 and the lower trolley formation 50.
  • the trolley 40 is thus displaceable via its wheels 46 along the guide track 44. It will be appreciated that the upper support surface of the trolley table 42 need not be flat.
  • the displacement means may include a robotic arm that may be operable to displace the C-shaped frame 16 along said arcuate scan path.
  • the patient's breast 24 is placed on support table 20.
  • the X-ray fan beam 28 from the X-ray source 22 penetrates through the breast 24 and the support table 20 and is received by the sciltillator array elements 54 of the detector 18.
  • the C-shaped frame 16 is displaced in an arrangement wherein the X-ray fan beam 28 moves along the arcuate scan path 26.
  • the detector 18 moves coincidently in opposing relation to the X-ray source 22 along the arcuate scan path 26 so that the detector 18 receives the X-ray fan beam 28 over the full range of the curved scan area 34.
  • the scan area 34 of the scan path is bounded by an inner side 37 and an outer side 39.
  • the arcuate scan path 26 corresponds substantially to the curvature of the patient's chest wall.
  • the collimator 14 may define a trapezoidal aperture for collimating a fan-shaped X-ray beam.
  • the X-ray beam defines a trapezoidal footprint 41 wherein the footprint tapers from an outer side 39 to an inner side 37 of the curved scan area 34.
  • the shape of the aperture of the collimator can be adjusted to provide a trapezoidal footprint having an optimum shape for a particular speed of displacement of the X-ray beam across the scan path, thereby to expose the patient's breast with a similar amount of X-ray radiation at the inner and outer sides of the scan area.
  • X-rays that hit the scintillator elements 54 are converted into light energy that is conveyed to the CCD detectors 58 via the fibre optic faceplate 56 where it is converted to a digital electronic signal.
  • a conventional digital scanning system wherein in the scan path follows a straight line, there will be no image distortion in a direction perpendicular to the scanning direction because all elements of the detector move at the same speed relative to the object being scanned.
  • an X-ray image would be distorted as the frame 16 follows the arcuate scan path unless the image undergoes a transformation process.
  • an image transformation process is applied to the original scanned digital image to remove the distortions.
  • the digital electronic signals output by the CCD array of the detector 18 over the range of the scan area 34 is processed using Time Delayed Integration (TDI) to compile a linear image 30 of the area of interest in the breast 24.
  • TDI Time Delayed Integration
  • This compiled linear image forms a rectangular two-dimensional un-warped X-ray image 30.
  • reconstruction software the compiled linear image 30 of the patient's breast 24 is reconstructed to conform to the true geometry of the scanned area 34. Reconstruction is accomplished by warping the compiled linear image 30 into a curved mammograph image corresponding to the arcuate scan path.
  • the image warping process includes the steps of:
  • each pixel is shifted to a new destination on a plane, with coordinates (r, ⁇ ).
  • the phantom 60 comprises an aluminium disc 62 and two steel strips 64 and 66 attached to an upper side of the disc 62.
  • the disc 62 is mounted to a brass bearing 68 which allows for rotation of the disc in a clockwise direction as shown by direction indicator arrow F.
  • the steel strip 64 is orientated tangentially and the steel strip 66 is orientated radially.
  • the phantom 60 is rotated through an angle ⁇ while simultaneously translating to the right in the direction shown by direction indicator arrow T and passing though a collimated X -ray beam 70.
  • Figure 10 illustrates the resulting phantom image where black represents air, dark grey represents the aluminium disc, white represents the steel strips and light grey the brass bearing.
  • Figure 11 depicts the phantom image of Figure 10 after it has undergone the image transformation process described hereinabove.
  • the image warping process includes the steps of:

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  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Medical Informatics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Optics & Photonics (AREA)
  • Biomedical Technology (AREA)
  • Biophysics (AREA)
  • High Energy & Nuclear Physics (AREA)
  • Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery (AREA)
  • Nuclear Medicine, Radiotherapy & Molecular Imaging (AREA)
  • Dentistry (AREA)
  • Pathology (AREA)
  • Radiology & Medical Imaging (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Heart & Thoracic Surgery (AREA)
  • Molecular Biology (AREA)
  • Surgery (AREA)
  • Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Public Health (AREA)
  • Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
  • Apparatus For Radiation Diagnosis (AREA)

Abstract

Ce mammographe (10) de prise d'image par balayage comprend un tube à rayons X (12), un collimateur (14) et un détecteur (18) montés sur un cadre (16) en C agencés de sorte que le tube à rayons X et le détecteur soient situés l'un en face de l'autre. Le sein d'une patiente est soutenu sur une table de support entre le tube à rayons X et le détecteur. Un chariot (40) est relié au cadre (16) et peut se déplacer le long d'une table (42) de support du chariot qui définit un rail (44) de guidage courbe. Le chariot (40) peut être déplacé le long du rail de guidage de façon à causer le déplacement transversal du tube à rayons X (12) et du collimateur (14) le long d'un chemin courbe de balayage qui correspond à la courbure de la paroi thoracique de la patiente. L'invention concerne aussi un procédé d'imagerie du sein d'une patiente le long d'un chemin courbe de balayage.
PCT/IB2004/000814 2003-03-20 2004-03-19 Mammographe numerique de prise d'image par balayage WO2004082480A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
ZA2003/2247 2003-03-20
ZA200302247 2003-03-20

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2004082480A1 true WO2004082480A1 (fr) 2004-09-30

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Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP2013078695A (ja) * 2013-02-06 2013-05-02 Canon Inc Ｘ線画像撮影装置

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0392716A1 (fr) * 1989-04-04 1990-10-17 General Electric Company Appareil de radiodiagnostic
US5481586A (en) * 1994-08-04 1996-01-02 Bennett X-Ray Technologies Automatic position control system for x-ray machines
US5526394A (en) * 1993-11-26 1996-06-11 Fischer Imaging Corporation Digital scan mammography apparatus
US5787146A (en) * 1996-10-18 1998-07-28 Spad Technologies, Inc. X-ray imaging system using diffractive x-ray optics for high definition low dosage three dimensional imaging of soft tissue
US20020126799A1 (en) * 2000-12-19 2002-09-12 Jean-Pierre Saladin Adjustable collimator and method
WO2002079801A2 (fr) * 2001-03-30 2002-10-10 Duke University Tomographie par emission et opacite specifique de l'application

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0392716A1 (fr) * 1989-04-04 1990-10-17 General Electric Company Appareil de radiodiagnostic
US5526394A (en) * 1993-11-26 1996-06-11 Fischer Imaging Corporation Digital scan mammography apparatus
US5481586A (en) * 1994-08-04 1996-01-02 Bennett X-Ray Technologies Automatic position control system for x-ray machines
US5787146A (en) * 1996-10-18 1998-07-28 Spad Technologies, Inc. X-ray imaging system using diffractive x-ray optics for high definition low dosage three dimensional imaging of soft tissue
US20020126799A1 (en) * 2000-12-19 2002-09-12 Jean-Pierre Saladin Adjustable collimator and method
WO2002079801A2 (fr) * 2001-03-30 2002-10-10 Duke University Tomographie par emission et opacite specifique de l'application

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
SABOL J M ET AL: "PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF A SCAN-ROTATE EQUALIZATION GEOMETRY TO MAMMOGRAPHY", MEDICAL PHYSICS, AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS. NEW YORK, US, vol. 23, no. 12, 1 December 1996 (1996-12-01), pages 1987 - 1996, XP000681170, ISSN: 0094-2405 *

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP2013078695A (ja) * 2013-02-06 2013-05-02 Canon Inc Ｘ線画像撮影装置

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