Abstract: A method of measuring a biomechanical parameter of soft biological tissue is described. The method includes a pre-measurement process wherein an impulse applying device applies a pre-pressure to a surface of the tissue via an end portion contacting the tissue surface. While maintaining the pre-pressure, the device generates at least two impulses separated by a time interval, each impulse causing the end portion to impart to the tissue an action with certain parameters, each action inducing a response of the tissue. A value of a biomechanical parameter of the tissue is determined from each response induced. A determination is made as to whether the determined values of the biomechanical parameter are sufficiently similar to each other to indicate that the pre-pressure, the parameters of the end portion actions and the time interval are acceptable for use in a measurement process to be conducted on the surface of the tissue.

Abstract: The disclosed systems and methods for monitoring a patient in a medical setting may include various types of sensors that obtain data indicative of one or more patient parameters and one or more environmental parameters. One or more processors may process the data to identify a correlation, or causal relationship, between the one or more patient parameters and the one or more environmental parameters. Thus, the systems and methods may be used to identify particular environmental parameters that affect a particular patient to facilitate creation of a suitable environment for the particular patient. The disclosed monitoring systems and methods may be especially useful for sensitive, high-risk, and/or non-verbal patients, such as infants in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

Abstract: The present approach relates to the use of augmented or enhanced reality to facilitate positioning of one or more of a patient, X-ray source, or detector during an image acquisition. In certain implementations, sensors and/or cameras provide quantitative information about the position of system components and the patient, which may be used to generate a positioning signal (positioning image audio or textual positioning instructions) based upon reference to a prior patient image.

Abstract: A method includes generating a three-dimensional (3D) surface map associated with a patient from a patient sensor, generating a 3D patient space from the 3D surface map associated with the patient, determining a current pose associated with the patient based on the 3D surface map associated with the patient, comparing the current pose with a desired pose associated with the patient with respect to an imaging system, determining a recommended movement based on the comparison between the current pose and the desired pose, and providing an indication of the recommended movement. The desired pose facilitates imaging of an anatomical feature of the patient by the imaging system and the recommended movement may reposition the patient in the desired pose.

Abstract: A method includes generating a three-dimensional (3D) surface map associated with a patient from a patient sensor, generating a 3D patient space from the 3D surface map associated with the patient, determining a current pose associated with the patient based on the 3D surface map associated with the patient, comparing the current pose with a desired pose associated with the patient with respect to an imaging system, determining a recommended movement based on the comparison between the current pose and the desired pose, and providing an indication of the recommended movement. The desired pose facilitates imaging of an anatomical feature of the patient by the imaging system and the recommended movement may reposition the patient in the desired pose.

Abstract: A method for X-ray imaging includes determining one or more pre-shot parameters corresponding to a region of interest in a subject based on an optical image of the region of interest obtained from an optical sensor. The method further includes controlling an X-ray device to generate a pre-shot X-ray image using a first X-ray dosage, based on the one or more-pre-shot parameters. The method also includes determining at least one main-shot parameter based on the pre-shot X-ray image. The method includes controlling the X-ray device to generate a main-shot X-ray image using a second X-ray dosage greater than the first X-ray dosage, based on the at least one main-shot parameter.

Abstract: The disclosed systems and methods for monitoring a patient in a medical setting may include various types of sensors that obtain data indicative of one or more patient parameters and one or more environmental parameters. One or more processors may process the data to identify a correlation, or causal relationship, between the one or more patient parameters and the one or more environmental parameters. Thus, the systems and methods may be used to identify particular environmental parameters that affect a particular patient to facilitate creation of a suitable environment for the particular patient. The disclosed monitoring systems and methods may be especially useful for sensitive, high-risk, and/or non-verbal patients, such as infants in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

Abstract: Improvement of the dynamic range of a radiation detector is described. In one embodiment, one or more non-destructive readout operations are performed during a radiation exposure event to acquire data used to improve the dynamic range of the detector. In one implementation, one or more non-destructive readouts of pixels are performed prior to saturation of the pixels during an X-ray exposure so as to obtain non-saturated measurements at the pixels. In an additional implementation, non-destructive readouts of pixels are performed between exposure events so as to obtain an estimate of electronic noise during a multi-exposure examination.

Abstract: The present approach relates to the use of augmented or enhanced reality to facilitate positioning of one or more of a patient, X-ray source, or detector during an image acquisition. In certain implementations, sensors and/or cameras provide quantitative information about the position of system components and the patient, which may be used to generate a positioning signal (positioning image audio or textual positioning instructions) based upon reference to a prior patient image.

Abstract: According to some embodiments, a method and a system to create a medical image are disclosed. The method comprises receiving a plurality of patient tissue images during an x-ray dose. Furthermore, during the x-ray dose, a determination is made if motion occurred in the plurality of patient tissue images. In a case that no motion is determined, a diagnostic image of the patient tissue comprising the plurality of patient tissue images is created.

Abstract: The present approach relates to the use of augmented or enhanced reality to facilitate positioning of one or more of a patient, X-ray source, or detector during an image acquisition. In certain implementations, sensors and/or cameras provide quantitative information about the position of system components and the patient, which may be used to generate a positioning image based upon reference to an anatomic atlas.

Abstract: A radiography system for imaging an object, comprises a radiation source located in a first side of the object for generating a plurality of beams; a detector located in a second side of the object for detecting the plurality of beams from the radiation source. The radiography system comprises a first sensor located in the first side of the object for obtaining an object related information and a second sensor disposed on the detector for obtaining a detector-position related information. The radiography system further comprises a controller configured to reconstruct a 3D scene based on the object related information obtained by the first sensor and the detector-position related information obtained by the second sensor and control an operation of at least one of the radiation source and the detector based on the reconstructed 3D scene. A method of controlling the radiography system is also disclosed.

Abstract: The present approach relates to the use of a spatially registered detector docking compartment to determine source and detector alignment in a patient imaging context. In certain implementations, sensors and/or cameras provide visual data that may be analyzed to determine a spatial relation between an X-ray source and landmarks provided on a patient support surface, where the landmarks have a known spatial relationship to a detector positioned beneath the patient support surface.

Abstract: A method for X-ray imaging includes determining one or more pre-shot parameters corresponding to a region of interest in a subject based on an optical image of the region of interest obtained from an optical sensor. The method further includes controlling an X-ray device to generate a pre-shot X-ray image using a first X-ray dosage, based on the one or more-pre-shot parameters. The method also includes determining at least one main-shot parameter based on the pre-shot X-ray image. The method includes controlling the X-ray device to generate a main-shot X-ray image using a second X-ray dosage greater than the first X-ray dosage, based on the at least one main-shot parameter.

Abstract: A radiography system for imaging an object, comprises a radiation source located in a first side of the object for generating a plurality of beams; a detector located in a second side of the object for detecting the plurality of beams from the radiation source. The radiography system comprises a first sensor located in the first side of the object for obtaining an object related information and a second sensor disposed on the detector for obtaining a detector-position related information. The radiography system further comprises a controller configured to reconstruct a 3D scene based on the object related information obtained by the first sensor and the detector-position related information obtained by the second sensor and control an operation of at least one of the radiation source and the detector based on the reconstructed 3D scene. A method of controlling the radiography system is also disclosed.

Abstract: The present approach relates to the use of augmented or enhanced reality to facilitate positioning of one or more of a patient, X-ray source, or detector during an image acquisition. In certain implementations, sensors and/or cameras provide quantitative information about the position of system components and the patient, which may be used to generate a positioning image based upon reference to an anatomic atlas.

Abstract: The present approach relates to the use of a spatially registered detector docking compartment to determine source and detector alignment in a patient imaging context. In certain implementations, sensors and/or cameras provide visual data that may be analyzed to determine a spatial relation between an X-ray source and landmarks provided on a patient support surface, where the landmarks have a known spatial relationship to a detector positioned beneath the patient support surface.

Abstract: The present approach relates to the use of machine-learning in convolution kernel design for scatter correction. In one aspect, a neural network is trained to replace or improve the convolution kernel used for scatter correction. The training data set may be generated probabilistically so that actual measurements are not employed.

Abstract: A tomography apparatus includes a multi-focal point x-ray source, a support to travel a trajectory path, a detector having a plurality of pixels, where one of the multi-focal point x-ray source, the detector, and an item-under-test move on the support. A control processor controls a change in the focal point of the x-ray source at discrete points, or continuously, within a measurement region, the focal point change in a direction retrograde to the support arm travel, a detector memory accumulates a digital value representative of a signal charge from at least a portion of the plurality of pixels, the control processor reconstructs a volumetric image of the item-under-test by processing the detector memory contents. A method for continuous tomosynthesis and a computer-readable medium are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of continuous motion digital tomosynthesis includes exposing an object to a programed intensity x-ray beam as an x-ray source travels a pre-determined path, accumulating a signal charge from the x-ray beam, recording the accumulated signal charge into a digital frame image representing raw baseline data, acquiring information on the source's and the detector's position when the recording occurs, compressing the raw baseline data into compressed views, where each respective compressed view is formed by combining the raw data readouts of the respective compressed view, and reconstructing a volumetric breast image by processing each respective compressed view with a reconstruction process function that incorporates the acquired position information and a spatial sampling corresponding to the compressed views. A system configured to implement the method and a computer-readable medium are also disclosed.