Abstract: Apparatus for acquiring an elongated radiographic image. The apparatus includes a flat panel electronic detector of radiographic images, the detector having a known length; and a transport mechanism for mounting the detector for movement in a direction parallel to the known length so that the detector can be positioned in sequential contiguous partially-overlapping positions to acquire a radiation image greater in length than the detector length. At least one marker is disposed in a region corresponding with each partially-overlapping position of the detector.

Abstract: A method for automatically segmenting lung regions in a chest radiographic image comprising; providing an input digital chest radiograph image; preprocessing the input digital radiographic image; extracting the chest body midline and lung centerlines from the preprocessed image. Locating one-by-one, the chest body model, the spine model and the two lung models in the image based on the extracted chest body midline and two lung centerlines; and detecting the lung contours by deforming the lung shape models to converge to the true lung boundaries as a function of the extracting and locating image processing.

Abstract: A method for automatic construction of 2D statistical shape models for the lung regions in chest radiographic images comprising: providing a radiographic image of the chest region of an individual; by performing a manual contour tracing, extracting the lung region shape instances from the chest radiographic image; by using a shape alignment algorithm, aligning all shape instances as closely as possible to a pre-defined template shape; and generating a statistical model shape of the lung regions by principle component analysis using the aligned shape instances.

Abstract: A method of forming a composite digital image comprising: providing 1-N digital images formed from 1-N contiguous segments of a larger radiographic image recorded in 1-N overlapping storage phosphor screens wherein N is equal to or greater than 2 and wherein the image content in the overlapped region of contiguous images is the same, and the end edge of a screen nearest an x-ray source is present in both contiguous images; selecting a pair of contiguous digital images, wherein one image is closer to said x-ray source than said other image; correcting for any geometric distortion if applicable in said pair of digital images based on the distance between x-ray source and said storage phosphor screen; determining any rotational displacement and any vertical displacement between said pair of digital images by matching said end edge of said one image present in said pair of images correcting for image orientation if applicable based on any said rotational displacement; determining any horizontal displacement betwe

Abstract: A storage phosphor cassette for use in recording radiographic images of elongated objects. The cassette includes: first and second storage phosphor plates having first and second length dimensions, a shell having first and second opposite open ends; a first assembly for detachably mounting said first storage phosphor plate in said shell from said first open end; and a second assembly for detachably mounting said second storage phosphor plate in said shell from said second open end, wherein said first and second storage phosphor plates are mounted in said shell such that they form a substantially continuous storage phosphor composite for recording an elongated radiographic image.

Abstract: A method for enhancing the image contrast of digital portal images for presentation on an output medium comprising: providing an input digital portal image having radiation and collimation fields; locating and labeling said radiation and collimation fields to produce labeled radiation and labeled collimation field images; designing a tone scale curve to display the image inside the radiation field using the full dynamic range of the output medium; applying said tone scale curve to the input digital portal image to produce a tone-scaled radiation field image; designing a tone scale curve to display the image outside the radiation field using the full dynamic range of said output medium; applying said tone scale curve to the input digital portal image to produce a tone-scaled collimation field image; enhancing the image contrast of said tone-scaled radiation field image and said tone-scaled collimation field image; combining said enhanced images using the labeled radiation and collimation field images; and blac

Abstract: A method for acquiring a radiographic image of an elongated object, comprising: positioning an elongated object between a source of x-rays and a digital image capture device having an imaging dimension which is less than a like dimension of said elongated object; wherein said image source is stationary and said source projects an x-ray pattern which encompasses said elongated object; moving said digital image capture device in a direction parallel to said known imaging dimension to sequential contiguous stationary positions to acquire a sequence of radiographic images of said elongated object; and moving an assembly of x-ray opaque material which is positioned between said source of x-rays and said elongated object, and which has an opening for allowing passage of x-rays, such that said opening is synchronized with the movement of said digital image capture device to facilitate acquisition of said sequence of radiographic images at said stationary positions.

Abstract: A method for automatic arrangement determination of partial radiation images for reconstructing a stitched full image. At least two radiation sub-images of an elongated object are acquired and converted to digital images. A hypothesis list is constructed and overlap regions for consecutive sub-images pair in each hypothesis are detected. A plurality of different measurements are conducted on consecutive sub-image pair of each hypothesis. The correlation function is calculated to find the function maximum and the horizontal displacement between the sub-image pair. The magnitude of the horizontal displacement is checked and an overall figure-of-merit is established. The hypothesis of maximum figure-of-merit for best candidate is selected. The sub-images are processed based on selected hypothesis for stitching to produce an output image.

Abstract: A method for automatic construction of 2D statistical shape models for the lung regions in chest radiographic images comprising: providing a radiographic image of the chest region of an individual; by performing a manual contour tracing, extracting the lung region shape instances from the chest radiographic image; by using a shape alignment algorithm, aligning all shape instances as closely as possible to a pre-defined template shape; and generating a statistical model shape of the lung regions by principle component analysis using the aligned shape instances.

Abstract: A method for automatically segmenting lung regions in a chest radiographic image comprising; providing an input digital chest radiograph image; preprocessing the input digital radiographic image; extracting the chest body midline and lung centerlines from the preprocessed image. Locating one-by-one, the chest body model, the spine model and the two lung models in the image based on the extracted chest body midline and two lung centerlines; and detecting the lung contours by deforming the lung shape models to converge to the true lung boundaries as a function of the extracting and locating image processing.

Abstract: A reference system for use in determining the degree of magnification of a radiographic image comprising: a reference object of predetermined dimensions constructed of radiation attenuating material; a flexible elongated member for mounting the reference object; and adjustable means associated with the elongated member for holding the elongated member in place when the elongated member is wrapped around an anatomical part to be radiographically imaged.

Abstract: A method for automatic arrangement determination of partial radiation images for reconstructing a stitched full image comprising: acquiring at least two radiation sub-images of an elongated object by means of corresponding overlapped radiation recording media; converting the recorded sub-images to digital images and storing them; constructing a hypothesis list that includes all possible yet unique arrangements of sub-image order, orientation and overlap; detecting overlap regions for each consecutive sub-images pair in each hypothesis; conducting a plurality of different measurements on every consecutive sub-image pair of each hypothesis and deleting the hypothesis from the list if any measurement result is out of range; calculating the correlation function of the overlap regions for each consecutive sub-image pair in each hypothesis left in the hypothesis list and finding the function maximum and the horizontal displacement between the sub-image pair; checking the magnitude of the horizontal displacement bet

Abstract: A storage phosphor cassette for use in recording radiographic images of elongated objects. The cassette includes first and second storage phosphor plates having first and second length dimensions; a shell having first and second opposite open ends; a first assembly for detachably mounting the first storage phosphor plate in the shell from the first open end; and a second assembly for detachably mounting the second storage phosphor plate in the shell from the second open end, wherein the first and second storage phosphor plates are mounted in the shell such that they form a substantially continuous storage phosphor composite for recording an elongated radiographic image. An elongated ruler is located on the inside or outside of the cassette, the ruler being x-ray translucent and opaque to produce an image of the ruler in the first and second storage phosphor plates.

Abstract: A method for enhancing the image contrast of digital portal images for presentation on an output medium comprising: providing an input digital portal image having radiation and collimation fields; locating and labeling said radiation and collimation fields to produce labeled radiation and labeled collimation field images; designing a tone scale curve to display the image inside the radiation field using the full dynamic range of the output medium; applying said tone scale curve to the input digital portal image to produce a tone-scaled radiation field image; designing a tone scale curve to display the image outside the radiation field using the full dynamic range of said output medium; applying said tone scale curve to the input digital portal image to produce a tone-scaled collimation field image; enhancing the image contrast of said tone-scaled radiation field image and said tone-scaled collimation field image; combining said enhanced images using the labeled radiation and collimation field images; and blac

Abstract: A method of forming a composite digital image comprising: providing 1-N digital images formed from 1-N contiguous segments of a larger radiographic image recorded in 1-N overlapping storage phosphor screens wherein N is equal to or greater than 2 and wherein the image content in the overlapped region of contiguous images is the same, and the end edge of a screen nearest an x-ray source is present in both contiguous images; selecting a pair of contiguous digital images, wherein one image is closer to said x-ray source than said other image; correcting for any geometric distortion if applicable in said pair of digital images based on the distance between x-ray source and said storage phosphor screen; determining any rotational displacement and any vertical displacement between said pair of digital images by matching said end edge of said one image present in said pair of images correcting for image orientation if applicable based on any said rotational displacement; determining any horizontal displacement betwe

Abstract: A method for acquiring a radiographic image of an elongated object, comprising: positioning an elongated object between a source of x-rays and a digital image capture device having an imaging dimension which is less than a like dimension of said elongated object; wherein said image source is stationary and said source projects an x-ray pattern which encompasses said elongated object; moving said digital image capture device in a direction parallel to said known imaging dimension to sequential contiguous stationary positions to acquire a sequence of radiographic images of said elongated object; and moving an assembly of x-ray opaque material which is positioned between said source of x-rays and said elongated object, and which has an opening for allowing passage of x-rays, such that said opening is synchronized with the movement of said digital image capture device to facilitate acquisition of said sequence of radiographic images at said stationary positions.

Abstract: A method for acquiring an elongated radiographic image comprising: positioning an elongated object between a source of x-rays and a digital image capture device having a known imaging dimension which is less than a like dimension of said elongated object; moving said device in a direction parallel to said known imaging dimension to sequential contiguous positions to acquire a sequence of radiographic images of said elongated object; and rotating said source of x-rays about an axis perpendicular to said direction of moving said device in coordination with said moving project said x-rays from said source toward said device.

Abstract: A method of forming a composite image from first and second digital images formed by recording first and second contiguous segments of a larger radiographic image in first and second overlapping storage phosphor members, exposed to a source of X-rays wherein the image content in the overlapped region is the same in both images and the end edge of the first member is present both on the first image and as a shadow edge in the second image, the method comprising: correcting for geometric distortion in the first and second digital images; determining any rotational displacement and any vertical displacement between the first and second images by matching the first member end edge in the first image to its shadow in the second image; correcting for image orientation based on any said rotational displacement; determining any horizontal displacement between the first and second images by correlating the image content in the overlapped region of the first and second images; and stitching said first and second images

Abstract: A storage phosphor cassette for use in recording radiographic images of elongated objects comprising: first and second storage phosphor plates having first and second length dimensions; a shell having first and second opposite open ends; a first assembly for detachably mounting said first storage phosphor plate in said shell from said first open end; and a second assembly for detachably mounting said second storage phosphor plate in said shell from said second open end, wherein said first and second storage phosphor plates are mounted in said shell such that they form a substantially continuous storage phosphor composite for recording an elongated radiographic image; and an elongated ruler located on the inside or outside of said cassette, said ruler being x-ray translucent/opaque to produce an image of said ruler in said first and second storage phosphor plates.

Abstract: A method of forming a composite image from first and second digital images formed by recording first and second contiguous segments of a larger radiographic image in first and second overlapping storage phosphor members, exposed to a source of X-rays wherein the image content in the overlapped region is the same in both images and the end edge of the first member is present both on the first image and as a shadow edge in the second image, the method comprising: correcting for geometric distortion in the first and second digital images, determining any rotational displacement and any vertical displacement between the first and second images by matching the first member end edge in the first image to its shadow in the second image; correcting for image orientation based on any said rotational displacement; determining any horizontal displacement between the first and second images by correlating the image content in the overlapped region of the first and second images; and stitching said first and second images