Patents by Inventor Thomas Mertelmeier

Thomas Mertelmeier has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9392989
    Abstract: In a mammography apparatus, a deflection of an x-ray source aligned on a radiation detector is predetermined depending on the size of a breast compressed in the compression unit and/or the density of the breast tissue. Given an increasing deflection on an arc-shaped trajectory of the x-ray source, the compression of the breast is reduced at least once so that the path of the x-rays through the breast stays within a predetermined path length, starting from a first compression in a first x-ray acquisition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Susanne Dornberger, Thomas Mertelmeier, Ralf Nanke
  • Publication number: 20160183892
    Abstract: A first x-ray image is acquired at a predetermined position of a focal point and with a first orientation of an x-ray tube of an x-ray device. Subsequently, the x-ray tube is adjusted by rotating about a predetermined angle and by positioning, wherein the focal point is situated in the predetermined position prior to the adjustment and after the adjustment. After the adjustment, the x-ray tube is situated in a second orientation. Subsequently, a second x-ray image is acquired at the predetermined position and with the second orientation. A combined x-ray image from at least the first and second x-ray image is produced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2014
    Publication date: June 30, 2016
    Inventors: VOLKER BIERMANN, FRANK DENNERLEIN, MICHAEL FUHRMANN, RAINER GRAUMANN, ANNA JEREBKO, THOMAS MERTELMEIER, RALF NANKE, THOMAS SCHMITT
  • Patent number: 9282942
    Abstract: In this device and the associated method, a connection unit that can be attached to an arm bearing an x-ray source and an x-ray receiver is fashioned such that said connection unit compensates for a pivot movement of the arm so that a compression unit arranged at the connection unit remains stationary during a pivot movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thomas Mertelmeier, Ralf Nanke
  • Publication number: 20160012616
    Abstract: In a method for producing 2-D recordings and 3-D recordings of a breast of a patient using an x-ray device that is operable in two recording modes and that has an x-ray radiation source and an x-ray radiation detector, the breast is placed between the x-ray radiation source and the x-ray radiation detector, and the 2-D recordings and the 3-D recordings are generated with the same breast placement. In order to keep the radiation exposure as low as possible in such a multi-mode x-ray device, all recordings are produced without the use of an anti-scatter grid, and a retroactive scattered radiation correction is implemented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Publication date: January 14, 2016
    Applicant: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Mathias Hoernig, Thomas Mertelmeier
  • Publication number: 20150036796
    Abstract: In a mammography apparatus, a deflection of an x-ray source aligned on a radiation detector is predetermined depending on the size of a breast compressed in the compression unit and/or the density of the breast tissue. Given an increasing deflection on an arc-shaped trajectory of the x-ray source, the compression of the breast is reduced at least once so that the path of the x-rays through the breast stays within a predetermined path length, starting from a first compression in a first x-ray acquisition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2014
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Applicant: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Susanne Dornberger, Thomas Mertelmeier, Ralf Nanke
  • Publication number: 20150031986
    Abstract: A medical instrument is provided for use with a phase contrast imaging. The medical instrument includes at least one component, which has a strong small angle scattering of x-rays. Furthermore, a corresponding x-ray recording system with phase contrast imaging for recording an examination object may include such a medical instrument.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2013
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Inventors: Philipp Bernhardt, Martin Hoheisel, Thomas Mertelmeier, Ralf Nanke, Marcus Radicke
  • Patent number: 8792617
    Abstract: In a method to create dual energy x-ray image data of a predetermined volume segment of an examination subject with an x-ray system, a low-energy x-ray image data of the volume segment is created, a high-energy x-ray image data of the volume segment is created, the low-energy x-ray image data is subtracted from the high-energy x-ray image data to create the dual energy x-ray image data. An x-ray filter that consists essentially of titanium is used in the creation of the dual energy x-ray image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Lothar Baetz, Mathias Hoernig, Thomas Mertelmeier
  • Patent number: 8639014
    Abstract: In a device and associated method to extract a tissue sample, spatial coordinates of tissue variations in slice images are determined and tested by a forward projection in projection images in order, with tested spatial coordinates, to create revised slice images with a precise localization of a tissue variation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Daniel Fischer, Thomas Mertelmeier
  • Publication number: 20140016741
    Abstract: In this device and the associated method, a connection unit that can be attached to an arm bearing an x-ray source and an x-ray receiver is fashioned such that said connection unit compensates for a pivot movement of the arm so that a compression unit arranged at the connection unit remains stationary during a pivot movement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2013
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Inventors: Thomas Mertelmeier, Ralf Nanke
  • Patent number: 8619946
    Abstract: An x-ray source has multiple electron sources spaced apart from each other along a longitudinal direction that is defined as being parallel to the rotation axis of a rotating anode which is common to all of the electron sources. Each electron source emits electrons that strike the anode at respective strike points that are spatially separated from each other along the longitudinal direction, to produce respective emission centers, from which x-rays are emitted, each emission center being associated with respective ones of the x-ray sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Wilhelm Hanke, Thomas Mertelmeier
  • Patent number: 8605854
    Abstract: A mammography apparatus has at least one x-ray source to emit x-ray radiation and an x-ray detector with a number of pixels. The mammography apparatus is designed so that the x-ray radiation is emitted into the breast tissue of a patient at a number of positions, and the x-ray radiation is detected by the x-ray detector after it has passed through the breast tissue. The positions have different distances from the shoulder-to-shoulder axis of the patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Mathias Hoernig, Thomas Mertelmeier
  • Patent number: 8594274
    Abstract: In an imaging method and a tomosynthesis apparatus, a two-dimensional low-energy image of the predetermined volume segment is obtained after administration of a contrast agent, followed by a two-dimensional high-energy image and then a high-energy tomosynthesis of the predetermined volume segment is obtained with a high total radiation dose that is significantly higher than the low radiation dose. The two-dimensional low-energy image is subtracted from the two-dimensional high-energy image to generate a result with which the concentration of the contrast agent is visible. Additionally, in a time interval in which an enrichment or a washing-out of the contrast agent occurs within the predetermined volume segment, a tomosynthesis of the predetermined volume segment is automatically implemented to show the concentration of the contrast agent in the predetermined volume segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Mathias Hoernig, Thomas Mertelmeier
  • Patent number: 8553837
    Abstract: A method to show a predetermined volume segment of an examination subject by means of a tomosynthesis apparatus, and a correspondingly designed tomosynthesis apparatus, operate as follows. A radioscopy test is implemented in which x-rays with a defined radiation dose are generated by an x-ray source, the x-rays traversing the predetermined volume segment and strike a detector, and an intensity of the x-rays striking the detector is determined. A first radiation dose of x-rays is calculated to create a two-dimensional exposure depending on the determined radiation dose and the intensity. A second radiation doses of x-rays is calculated to implement a tomosynthesis depending on the determined radiation dose and the intensity. A tomosynthesis of the predetermined volume segment is implemented with x-rays that traverse the predetermined volume segment and strike the detector, the x-rays being generated by an x-ray source with the second radiation doses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Katrin Johansson, Thomas Mertelmeier
  • Patent number: 8411923
    Abstract: In a tomographical image reconstruction method and apparatus to generate an image of an examination subject from a number of digital projection data acquired at different projection angles, a first analytical filter kernel (formed by a first analytical function) is determined for a filtered back projection in the spatial frequency range, this first analytical filter kernel approximating, at least in a range of the spatial frequency, a discrete filter kernel iteratively determined for a model. Back projection is implemented with a second analytical filter kernel calculated from the analytical filter kernel and formed by a second analytical function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Jasmina Ludwig, Thomas Mertelmeier
  • Patent number: 8363050
    Abstract: In a method and device for generating a tomosynthetic 3D x-ray image, a number of digital x-ray images of an examination subject are acquired at respectively different projection angles, within a limited angle range, using an x-ray source and a digital x-ray detector. At an initial position for a selected projection angle, a spatially-fixed reference point is projected onto a partial region of the acquisition surface of the x-ray detector. For each further projection angle, a corresponding partial region on the acquisition surface is automatically determined. The tomosynthetic 3D image is reconstruction exclusively using image data from the respective partial regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Jasmina Ludwig, Thomas Mertelmeier
  • Patent number: 8350852
    Abstract: In a device and associated method for reconstruction and visualization of projection data, projection data are stored per slice and are subjected to an image reconstruction procedure in parallel within arbitrary slice planes in a processor-controlled filtering process that is executed n times, wherein volume data that are created can already be made available (loaded) for a direct visualization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Karl Barth, Wolfgang Haerer, Thomas Mertelmeier, Karl Wiesent
  • Patent number: 8326009
    Abstract: In a continuous mammography procedure, the breast of a subject is fixed in place in a retention device, and a first x-ray image is generated by irradiating the breast in the retention device. While the breast is still held in the retention device, the first x-ray image is evaluated to define a condition for generating a second x-ray image. The second x-ray image is then generated according to the defined condition, with the breast still in the same position in the retention device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Wilhelm Hanke, Thomas Mertelmeier
  • Publication number: 20120293511
    Abstract: In a method and device for displaying an area to be medically examined or treated, first and second image data sets are respectively acquired with first and second different imaging modalities, and the first and second image data sets are brought into geometrical registration with each other. The first data set is displayed, and a selected segment is identified therein. Corresponding data in the second image data set are then determined, based on the registration between the two data sets, and the corresponding segment in the second data set is superimposed on the displayed first image data set, overlying the selected segment therein. The second image data set is displayed so as to be rotatable around its image center.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2011
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Applicant: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Thomas Mertelmeier
  • Publication number: 20120245463
    Abstract: A tomosynthesis apparatus has an x-ray source to generate an x-ray beam directed toward an x-ray detector and a support plate and a compression plate between which a breast can be positioned. The compression plate has a compression surface that is concave toward the support plate, and is provided with at least one through-hole into which an ultrasound transducer is inserted for a sonographic data acquisition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Inventor: Thomas Mertelmeier
  • Publication number: 20120224668
    Abstract: In a method to create dual energy x-ray image data of a predetermined volume segment of an examination subject with an x-ray system, a low-energy x-ray image data of the volume segment is created, a high-energy x-ray image data of the volume segment is created, the low-energy x-ray image data is subtracted from the high-energy x-ray image data to create the dual energy x-ray image data. An x-ray filter that consists essentially of titanium is used in the creation of the dual energy x-ray image data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2012
    Publication date: September 6, 2012
    Inventors: Lothar Baetz, Mathias Hoernig, Thomas Mertelmeier