Coordinate Grid Patents (Class 378/164)
  • Patent number: 12142009
    Abstract: A geometric calibration apparatus detects points from projection regions onto which markers disposed on a phantom are projected, and calculates an output vector representing a probability distribution that gives a probability with which each point is a projection of each marker, by inputting data corresponding to each point to a learning model. The geometric calibration apparatus extracts a predetermined number of samples based on the probability distribution, obtains a candidate projection matrix by transforming correspondences between markers determined based on the samples among the markers and points determined based on the samples among the points, calculates points into which the markers are transformed by the candidate projection matrix, calculates a difference between a set of the transformed points and a set of the detected points, and designates the candidate projection matrix as a projection matrix when the difference is less than or equal to a threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2024
    Assignee: 3D INDUSTRIAL IMAGING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hyeonggyu Park, Kyunyun Kim
  • Patent number: 11420074
    Abstract: The invention provides a method for locating radioactive material implanted in a living body, the method having the steps of implanting a stent into the body, the stent containing the radioactive material; imaging the body to determine a first position of the stent relative to remote points on the body; determining a second position of the stent at a second time later than the time of the implanting step; and measuring the distance between said first position and said second position. Also provided is a system for determining movement of a radiation source implanted in a living body, the device having a radiographic film overlaying a region of the body so as to oppose the radiation source, whereby the film is positioned relative to a reference point on the body; a grid disposed between the film and the body; and a radio-opaque substrate overlaying the film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Inventor: Arnold M. Herskovic
  • Patent number: 11358149
    Abstract: A specimen holding and positioning apparatus operable to substantially non-movably maintain a specimen (e.g., an excised tissue specimen) in a fixed or stable orientation with respect to the apparatus during imaging operations (e.g., x-ray imaging), transport (e.g., from a surgery room to a pathologist's laboratory), and the like for use in facilitating accurate detection and diagnosis of cancers and/or other abnormalities of the specimen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Faxitron Bioptics, LLC
    Inventors: Ciaran Purdy, Donogh O'Driscoll
  • Patent number: 11179134
    Abstract: A method of calibrating a positioning system in a radiation therapy system which includes a radiation therapy unit having a fixed radiation focus, includes irradiating a calibration tool having at least one reference object, capturing at least one two-dimensional image including cross-sectional representations of reference objects of the calibration tool and determining image coordinates of the representation of each reference object. Based on the reference objects' image coordinates, positions of the reference objects in the stereotactic coordinate system relative to an origin of the calibration tool and the position of the origin of the calibration tool relative to the imaging unit, a position difference between the position of the calibration tool in the stereotactic coordinate system and a position of the calibration tool in an imaging system coordinate system including a translational and rotational position difference is calculated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: ELEKTA AB (PUBL)
    Inventor: Jens Sjölund
  • Patent number: 10657665
    Abstract: A disclosure of the present invention is related to an apparatus and a method for generating three-dimensional information. The apparatus for generating three-dimensional information may include a light source providing light to an object to be reconstructed in three-dimensional information, a coordinate reference mechanism unit provided between the light source and the object and having a plurality of protrusions reflecting the light; a camera unit outputting an image capturing the coordinate reference mechanism unit and the object simultaneously; and a three-dimensional information processing unit generating the three-dimensional information of the object by identifying a projection plane formed by the light and using the projection plane, considering a relationship between a plurality of actual protrusion reflection points at which the light is reflected by the plurality of protrusions respectively and a plurality of protrusion reflection points displayed in the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Jae Hean Kim, Hyun Kang, Chang Joon Park, Jin Sung Choi
  • Patent number: 10478147
    Abstract: A calibration object is imaged in a radiographic system such as a CT system. The images are processed to calibrate the system, without prior measurement of the calibration object. Initial estimates are refined to improve accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: NIKON METROLOGY NV
    Inventors: Sam Hawker, Gemma Fardell, Patrick Blankaert
  • Patent number: 10058301
    Abstract: In an image analysis device, an image analysis method, and a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium, it is determined whether a radiographic image is captured by rocking a rocking imaging grid. The image analysis device includes: a radiographic image acquisition section; a dosage data acquisition section that acquires dosage data indicating, in a time-series manner, a dosage of radiation rays exposed to a specific position in an imaging area in a specific period; and a determining section that determines whether the dosage data has a first feature indicating a dosage variation as a plurality of radiation absorbing bodies and a radiation transmitting body disposed between adjacent radiation absorbing bodies pass through a space between the specific position and a radiation source, and determines that the radiographic image corresponding to the dosage data determined to have the first feature is a rocking grid use image captured by rocking a rocking imaging grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Tajima, Jun Enomoto, Yasufumi Oda, Takeshi Kuwabara, Daiki Harada, Yuichi Hosoi, Haruyasu Nakatsugawa
  • Patent number: 9936924
    Abstract: An embodiment in accordance with the present invention provides a method for applying task-based performance predictors (measures of noise, spatial resolution, and detectability index) based on numerical observer models and approximations to the local noise and spatial resolution properties of the CBCT reconstruction process (e.g., penalized-likelihood iterative reconstruction). These predictions are then used to identify projections views (i.e., points that will constitute the scan trajectory) that maximize task performance, beginning with the projection view that maximizes detectability, proceeding to the next-best view, and continuing in an (arbitrarily constrained) orbit that can be physically realized on advanced robotic C-arm platforms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: The Johns Hopkins University
    Inventors: Joseph Webster Stayman, Jeffrey H. Siewerdsen
  • Patent number: 9754368
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a gaseous region extraction unit that extracts a gaseous region from a lumen image, a residue candidate region extraction unit that extracts a candidate of a residue region from the lumen image as a residue candidate region, a boundary candidate region detection unit that detects a boundary candidate region that includes a boundary between the gaseous region and the residue candidate region, a representative direction component obtaining unit that obtains a representative direction component representing a plurality of directional components of an image in the boundary candidate region, a boundary region detection unit that detects a boundary region that includes a boundary between the gaseous region and the residue region from the boundary candidate regions based on the representative direction component, and a residue region extraction unit that extracts the residue candidate region that includes the boundary region as the residue region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Satoshi Ihara
  • Patent number: 9756324
    Abstract: Systems and methods for color calibrating an image are described herein. In some embodiments, a method includes disposing a unique identifier and a fiducial marker that includes a plurality of color regions on an object. A first image of the object is captured with a first camera and a second image of the object that is captured with a second camera is received. The second image is associated with the first image based on the unique identifier and spectral information of at least a portion of the fiducial marker in the second image is compared with spectral information of at least the portion of the fiducial marker in the first image. Based on the comparison, the second image is resampled to substantially match at least the portion of the fiducial marker in the second image to at least the portion of the fiducial marker in the first image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: GELT Inc.
    Inventors: Mark S. Flanagan, James Paolino
  • Patent number: 9658172
    Abstract: A method of inspecting a part is provided that includes the steps of aligning a contoured sheet having at least one surface that corresponds to at least one surface of the part, the contoured sheet having first portions and second portions, the first portions being radiodense and the second portions being radiolucent, and at least some of the second portions corresponding to internal features of the part. The part with the contoured sheet is exposed to x-rays to produce a first radiograph with markings that correspond to the first and second portions of the contoured sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: PCC STRUCTURALS
    Inventors: James Raphord Barrett, Jason Armstrong, Doug Nikolas, Andrew Isaac Deceuster, Lawrence Lang
  • Patent number: 9511243
    Abstract: A patient safety system (PSS) (100) uses optical tracking in a linear accelerator treatment room to prevent gross setup errors. A patient (150) undergoes a computed tomography (CT) treatment-simulation scan while a CT ball bearing (BB) is on patient's surface. The CT BB is replaced with an infrared reflective marker (IRRM) (160) before radiotherapy treatment starts. Coordinates of the CT BB relative to an isocenter of the treatment room are used as reference for tracking. The coordinate system of an optical tracking system is converted to a coordinate system of the treatment room. The PSS evaluates setup accuracy for a radiotherapy session by comparing real-time position of the single IRRM determined by the optical tracking technology with a predicted reference position, and displays results on a graphical user interface. The PSS stops radiation when a deviation between real-time coordinates and predicted coordinates of the IRRM (160) exceeds a predefined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INC.
    Inventors: Guanghua Yan, Bo Lu, Chihray Liu, Jonathan G. Li
  • Patent number: 9429665
    Abstract: Position errors of the flat-panel detector in the axes system of the radiation penetration system relative to a necessitated position which remain, for example, after a coarse setup of the radiation penetration system are balanced and thus the accuracy of the radiation penetration system is brought almost randomly close to the accuracy which would have resulted if the flat-panel detector had been exactly adjusted mechanically subsequently by executing a geometrical correction of the radiation penetration raw image, so that a change of a projection of the penetrated object in the radiation penetration raw image due to the position error is reduced or corrected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Andreas Jobst, Guenther Kostka, Peter Schmitt
  • Patent number: 8983161
    Abstract: A method for correcting a volumetric image to address error due to deflection of a patient support is provided. The method includes obtaining a first set of projection data and a second set of projection data. The first and second sets of projection data are generated when the patient is at a first position and a second position, respectively, and are usable to reconstruct a first volumetric image and a second volumetric image, respectively. A corrected volumetric image is then determined based on the first and second sets of projection data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Varian Medical Systems International AG
    Inventors: Timo Berkus, Katharina Quintus, Markus Oelhanfen, Patrik Kunz
  • Patent number: 8611504
    Abstract: A dimensioned grid apparatus for determining: 1) leg length, offset, and cup position during arthroplasty replacement surgery; 2) fracture reduction/correction position during trauma procedures and 3) an apparatus to be used for deformity correction planning is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Orthogrid Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Erik Noble Kubiak, Colin Edward Poole
  • Patent number: 8576087
    Abstract: A radiation imaging system includes a radiation imaging cassette and a console device. A communication mode between the cassette and the console device is switchable between a wired mode and a wireless mode. Due to shortage of a battery of the cassette, the communication mode is switched to the wired mode to start charging the battery and send image data from the cassette to the console device through a cable. The console device has first and second judging sections. The first judging section judges whether or not a charge level of the battery exceeds a predetermined threshold value. The second judging section judges whether or not radiography is in progress. If it is judged that the charge level of the battery exceeds the predetermined threshold value and the radiography is not in progress, a window that indicates permission for switching to the wireless mode is displayed on a monitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Kamiya, Yusuke Kitagawa
  • Patent number: 8488862
    Abstract: Some embodiments include obtaining a projection image of a plurality of fiducials associated with a coordinate system irradiated by a radiotherapy radiation source at a plurality of discrete locations on a trajectory path model, determination of a projection matrix from projection images of the fiducials irradiated by the radiotherapy radiation source at each of the discrete locations, determination of the actual coordinate of the radiotherapy radiation source in the coordinate system associated with the fiducials at the plurality of discrete locations based on the determined projection matrices, and correlating the trajectory path model of the radiotherapy radiation source to the determined actual position of the radiotherapy radiation source at the discrete locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Supratik Bose, Himanshu P. Shukla
  • Publication number: 20130150703
    Abstract: A biopsy grid is provided that is useful in medical imaging. The biopsy grid comprises a hydrogel layer containing a mixture of contrast agents that are visible in images from X-ray, CT scans, MRI, and/or positron emission tomographs. The hydrogel mixture is attached to a frame having a silicone coated release liner and an adhesive layer. The hydrogel layer is cut into strips that serve as markers in an image. The biopsy grid can be used to locate the position of the marker relative to a tissue of interest in a medical image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2011
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Applicant: Parker Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Neal Buchalter, Kenneth M. Zinn
  • Patent number: 8357145
    Abstract: Systems and techniques for implanting medical devices. In one aspect, an apparatus includes a flexible base member that can be flexed manually to conform to a contour of an anatomy, the base member including a radioscopic indicium that has a characteristic such that, under radioscopic imaging, passage of a skin-penetrating electromagnetic radiation is hindered to an extent that is distinguishable from a hindrance of the electromagnetic radiation by another portion of the base member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation
    Inventors: Brett Schleicher, Rafael Carbunaru, Kristen N. Jaax, Todd K. Whitehurst
  • Patent number: 8195272
    Abstract: An MRI-compatible patch for identifying a location includes a flexible base layer, a flexible substrate and at least one of MRI-visible fiducial element. The flexible base layer is mountable on and substantially conformable to a patient's body surface. The base layer has opposed upper and lower primary surfaces. The flexible substrate is releasably attached to the upper primary surface of the base layer and substantially conformable to the patient's body surface. The at least one MRI-visible fiducial element is defined by or secured to the flexible substrate. The patch may include a plurality of the MRI-visible fiducial elements arranged in a defined pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: MRI Interventions, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter Piferi, Raffaele Mazzei, Alex Diener, Brady Steele
  • Patent number: 8155269
    Abstract: An X-ray imaging apparatus includes an X-ray generation unit configured to irradiate an object with X-rays in a rectangular shape, and an imaging unit which has a rectangular imaging plane and is configured to receive the X-rays transmitted through the object as an X-ray image, wherein the imaging unit is arranged on a plane which is spaced a predetermined distance apart from the X-ray generation unit and perpendicular to an X-ray reference axis such that a center of an irradiation field and a center of the imaging plane match with each other and rotational angles of the irradiation field and the imaging plane around the X-ray reference axis match with each other, by matching at least three visible light beams which have directionality and are irradiated from the X-ray generation unit, with distance indexes provided in the imaging unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kensuke Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 7965820
    Abstract: The invention relates to a fiducial marker having a marking grid that is used to correlate and view images produced by different imaging modalities or different imaging and viewing modalities. More specifically, the invention relates to the fiducial marking grid that has a grid pattern for producing either a viewing image and/or a first analytical image that can be overlaid with at least one other second analytical image in order to view a light path or to image different imaging modalities. Depending on the analysis, the grid pattern has a single layer of a certain thickness or at least two layers of certain thicknesses. In either case, the grid pattern is imageable by each imaging or viewing modality used in the analysis. Further, when viewing a light path, the light path of the analytical modality cannot be visualized by viewing modality (e.g., a light microscope objective).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Brookhaven Science Associates, LLC
    Inventors: Lisa Marie Miller, Randy J. Smith, John B. Warren, Donald Elliott
  • Patent number: 7873147
    Abstract: A calibration cage for use in Roentgen Stereophotogrammetric Analysis (RSA), comprising a biplanar configuration of two compartments, each with a fiducial plate at the bottom and a control plate at the top and parallel thereto, the fiducial and control plates of one compartment being oriented at approximately 90° to fiducial and control plates of the other compartment such that a region of interest is positioned on one side of the fiducial and control plates of both compartments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: The University of Western Ontario
    Inventors: Xunhua Yuan, Rongyi Cai, David Holdsworth, Cecil Rorabeck, Robert Bourne, Petar Seslija
  • Patent number: 7581884
    Abstract: Disclosed is a mobile radiographic unit with improved x-ray scatter control. Improved x-ray scatter control is provided through the alignment of the system with the focal line of an anti-scatter grid. In a preferred embodiment, the system comprises an x-ray source assembly, a tube housing mounting, a measuring system, a motion control system and a processor in communication with the measuring system and the motion control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Inventors: Gary T. Barnes, David M. Gauntt
  • Publication number: 20090087061
    Abstract: A method and device are provided for matching a patient coordinate system (PCS) of a nuclear medical imaging scanner with a coordinate system of a CT scanner in a multimodality modular imaging system, based on a predefined relationship between a vertical position of a patient bed during the NM scan; an axial position of the patient bed during the NM scan; an axial distance between a gantry of the NM scanner and a gantry of the CT scanner; and a vertical distance between a center of orbit of the NM scanner and a center of rotation of the CT gantry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2008
    Publication date: April 2, 2009
    Applicant: SIEMENS MEDICAL SOLUTIONS USA, INC.
    Inventors: Ray S. Xu, James T. Chapman
  • Patent number: 7508919
    Abstract: A radiopaque diagnostic kit, tool and method for helping a practitioner define an optimal anatomical location of a patient to perform diagnostic and interventional procedures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Inventors: Matthew D. Young, Joseph Caruso, Max Crigger
  • Patent number: 7482601
    Abstract: An article of manufacture comprising a radiation sensitive material, and a measuring scale that is part of the radiation sensitive material. A method of measuring at least one parameter relating to an irradiated material is also described. A radiation sensitive material including a measuring scale is exposed to radiation and at least one parameter relating to one or more exposed areas of the material is measured by reference to the measuring scale on the material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: ISP Investments Inc.
    Inventors: David F. Lewis, Carl A. Listl, Xiang Yu
  • Patent number: 7286632
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining a degree of deflection in a breast compression plate. The mammography apparatus further includes an optical measuring device. The method and apparatus involve (a) providing a pattern on the breast compression plate, the pattern being imagable by the optical measuring device, and having a plurality of local pattern indicia; (b) adjusting the breast compression plate to a selected height; (c) imaging the breast compression plate using the optical measuring device to provide an image of the pattern, the image having a plurality of local image indicia including an associated local image indicia for each local pattern indicia in the plurality of local pattern indicia; and (d) for each local pattern indicia in the plurality of local pattern indicia, determining an associated local deflection of the breast compression plate from the associated local image indicia.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignee: Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Ctr.
    Inventors: Jiwei Yang, Gordon Mawdsley, Martin Yaffe
  • Patent number: 7241045
    Abstract: A calibration system is disclosed for a stereoradiographic device having an X-ray source and a vertical X-ray receiver, the calibration system includes a horizontal table which rotates between two reference positions that are separated by 90 degrees in a horizontal plane of the table. A vertical frame is fastened to the horizontal table and is symmetrical with an axis of rotation of the table, the frame accommodates a patient that remains stationary relative to the frame as the table is rotated between its two reference positions wherein corresponding X-ray photographs are taken. At least three markers made of radio-opaque material are firmly attached to the frame, one of the markers represents the origin of orthogonal X,Y and Z axes, a second of the markers is located at a predetermined point along the X-Y axes, the third marker located at a known distance along the Z axis, the markers defining respective distances Lx, Ly or H relative to the origin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignees: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Ecole Nationale Superieure d'Arts et Metiers
    Inventors: Wafa Skalli, Raphaël Dumas, David Mitton, Philippe Bataille, Damien Quidet
  • Patent number: 7174038
    Abstract: A method for detecting and attenuating grid artifacts in a digital radiographic image comprising; providing an input digital radiographic image; processing the input digital radiographic image with a detection algorithm based on 2-D dynamic correlation in both spatial and frequency domains to determine whether the input digital radiographic image has a grid artifacts; and if it does detecting the grid orientation, frequency, and signal-to-noise ratio of the grid artifacts, designing a frequency bandstop (notch) digital 1-D filter as a function of the grid frequency and attenuation level; and suppressing the grid artifacts by further processing said input digital radiographic image with said designed filter to produce an output digital radiographic image of improved image quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Igor N. Belykh, Craig W. Cornelius
  • Patent number: 7147373
    Abstract: A system for obtaining coordinate data of a source and detector instrument are described. The system includes a marker assembly having a plurality of markers with a particular geometry, and an energy source for targeting the plurality of markers with energy packets. The system further includes a detector for detecting energy packets after the plurality of markers have interacted therewith, and an image device for forming image data of the plurality of markers from the energy packets detected by the detector. A calibration module for utilizes the particular geometry of the plurality of markers and the image data to non-iteratively determine coordinate data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: University Health Network
    Inventors: Young-bin Cho, Douglas J. Moseley, Jeffrey H. Siewerdsen, David A. Jaffray
  • Patent number: 7086172
    Abstract: The invention relates to a grid (10) adapted to be arranged on a patient's skin to provide positioning information in CT-guided percutaneous operations. In one embodiment, the grid (10) comprises a flat and generally rectangular frame having two long sides (11a, 11b) and two short sides (12a, 12b), with a number of transverse ribs (13, 14) being provided between the two long sides (11a, 11b). According to the invention, at least some of the transverse ribs (13, 14) are elastic. By using his/her fingers, a doctor can thereby separate two neighbouring ribs (13, 14) such that an opening is provided in the grid (10). Through this opening access is obtained to the skin area under the grid (10), or the grid (10) can be threaded over and removed from a medical instrument which, between two adjacent ribs (13, 14), is inserted into the patient's body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: Radi Medical Systems AB
    Inventor: Gunnar Åström
  • Patent number: 6928146
    Abstract: A marking grid is provided for use in radiographic imaging, and a method is provided for manufacturing the marking grid. The marking grid is comprised of a radiolucent substrate with a pressure sensitive adhesive on one side, a plurality of parallel strips of radiopaque material fixed to the substrate on the side opposite the pressure sensitive adhesive, and apertures in the substrate between the parallel strips of radiopaque material. The substrate is provided on a releasable backing with a plurality of holes longitudinally spaced relative to each other, which can be used to register the position of the substrate in the equipment used to produce the marking grids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: Beakley Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Broyles, Hermann Kasper, Kimberlee Olson
  • Patent number: 6904163
    Abstract: A tomographic image reading method for extracting a comparison image corresponding to a diagnostic image, the diagnostic image being one of first tomographic images, the comparison image being one of second tomographic images, the method including the steps of: inputting the first images and the second images; generating a first projection image from the first images and a second projection image from the second images; measuring shift amount between the first projection image and the second projection image by using a template; correcting the slice position according to the shift amount; and displaying the diagnostic image and the comparison image to a monitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2005
    Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
    Inventors: Kaori Fujimura, Kiyotaka Otsuji, Yuichi Fujino, Sakuichi Ohtsuka, Koji Ogawa, Hitomi Sato, Harumi Kawashima
  • Patent number: 6776526
    Abstract: A method and system for calibrating x-ray image data for medical navigation using a calibration instrument that is detected and tracked by a medical navigation system and has a plurality of localization structures that are detectable in x-ray images. The localization structures are arranged on at least two spaced supports. The method includes producing an x-ray image without a patient of the localization structures while the calibration instrument is tracked by a medical navigation system. After the x-ray image is registered in the medical navigation system using the localization structures, at least one of the spaced supports is removed from the calibration instrument. A second x-ray image is taken of a patient together with the calibration instrument with the support removed. The two images are compared to determine whether there is sufficient correspondence of the localization structures visible in the two images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Assignee: BrainLAB AG
    Inventor: Mario Zeiss
  • Patent number: 6760402
    Abstract: A system includes acquisition of first electronic image data representing a phantom located at a first position and irradiated by a first radiation field emitted by a radiation emitter, acquisition of second electronic image data representing the phantom located at a second position based at least on a first light field emitted by a light emitter and irradiated by a second radiation field emitted by the radiation emitter, generation of third electronic image data by correcting the second electronic image data based at least on the first electronic image data, and determination of a deviation between the first light field and the second radiation field based at least on the third electronic image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.
    Inventor: Farhad A. Ghelmansarai
  • Publication number: 20040076261
    Abstract: A marking grid is provided for use in radiographic imaging, and a method is provided for manufacturing the marking grid. The marking grid is comprised of a radiolucent substrate with a pressure sensitive adhesive on one side, a plurality of parallel strips of radiopaque material fixed to the substrate on the side opposite the pressure sensitive adhesive, and apertures in the substrate between the parallel strips of radiopaque material. The substrate is provided on a releasable backing with a plurality of holes longitudinally spaced relative to each other, which can be used to register the position of the substrate in the equipment used to produce the marking grids.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2003
    Publication date: April 22, 2004
    Inventors: Mark Broyles, Hermann Kasper, Kimberlee Olson
  • Patent number: 6714628
    Abstract: A marking grid is provided for use in radiographic imaging, and a method is provided for manufacturing the marking grid. The marking grid is comprised of a radiolucent substrate with a pressure sensitive adhesive on one side, a plurality of parallel strips of radiopaque material fixed to the substrate on the side opposite the pressure sensitive adhesive, and apertures in the substrate between the parallel strips of radiopaque material. The substrate is provided on a releasable backing with a plurality of holes longitudinally spaced relative to each other, which can be used to register the position of the substrate in the equipment used to produce the marking grids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: Beekley Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Broyles, Hermann Kasper, Kimberlee Olson
  • Patent number: 6690767
    Abstract: A shielding grid constructed of a radiation absorbing material for use with an array of discreet, non contiguous radiation sensors to protect such sensors from scattered radiation. The sensors each have a radiation sensitive area with a width and a length. In designing the grid a prototile having a prototile width and a prototile length is developed. The prototile width is equal to the radiation sensitive area width divided by an integer and the prototile length is also equal to the radiation sensitive area length divided by an integer. The prototile contains a pinwheel motif of radiation absorbing material contained solely within the prototile that forms a pattern when a plurality of prototiles sufficient to cover the array of discreet sensor are arrayed contiguously. The grid is constructed with the radiation absorbing material in this pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: Direct Radiography Corp.
    Inventor: James E. Davis
  • Patent number: 6678353
    Abstract: In a method applied and an x-ray system for determining a spatial relationship of X-ray datasets measured independently of one another, an x-ray apparatus registers X-ray datasets of a patient and a scale is provided that makes position data available that are identifiable in at least one of the registered dataset. The position data serve for the determination of the spatial relationship between at least two X-ray datasets that were registered from different body portions of the patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Rainer Graumann, Joachim Hey
  • Publication number: 20030081732
    Abstract: A marking grid is provided for use in radiographic imaging, and a method is provided for manufacturing the marking grid. The marking grid is comprised of a radiolucent substrate with a pressure sensitive adhesive on one side, a plurality of parallel strips of radiopaque material fixed to the substrate on the side opposite the pressure sensitive adhesive, and apertures in the substrate between the parallel strips of radiopaque material. The substrate is provided on a releasable backing with a plurality of holes longitudinally spaced relative to each other, which can be used to register the position of the substrate in the equipment used to produce the marking grids.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2001
    Publication date: May 1, 2003
    Inventors: Mark Broyles, Hermann Kasper, Kimberlee Olson
  • Patent number: 6501829
    Abstract: An X-ray image photographing apparatus includes an image obtaining portion for obtaining an X-ray distribution transmitted through an object, a grid detecting system having a construction for obtaining information from a grid side by the action of inserting the grid for decreasing scattered rays into the apparatus, and detecting at least one of the presence or absence of the grid, the kind of the grid and the presence or absence of the replacement of the grid by the use of the construction, an image processing system for image processing and outputting image data collected by the image obtaining portion, and a memory portion preserving therein a plurality of sets of image processing parameters for controlling the image processing system. The image processing system selects the image processing parameters preserved in the memory on the basis of at least the result of the detection by the grid detecting system and executes image processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2002
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Matsumoto, Osamu Tsujii
  • Patent number: 6445771
    Abstract: The shutters (2) in an X-ray device which include at least a radiation source (1), a diaphragm device (8) with shutters (2) and a recording (3) and image processing unit (4), are provided with hole and/or edge patterns (11-14) which reproduce non-anatomical patterns in the radiation image; the shutter edges (15) are detected in the radiation image in the image processing unit on the basis of such patterns, so that only the directly irradiated part of the patient is displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2002
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Thorsten Buzug, Michael Kuhn, Rafael Wiemker
  • Patent number: 6396903
    Abstract: A reference grid is incorporated into a flexible transport media for use in internal inspection equipment such as airport x-ray equipment. The reference grid is used as a standard calibration of known density to analyze threat potential of baggage components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2002
    Inventor: Dakota David Wenstrup
  • Patent number: 6379043
    Abstract: The invention relates to an X-ray examination apparatus for and a method of forming distortion-free X-ray images, which apparatus and method enable the imaging properties of the C-arm X-ray system to be derived from the patient image. To this end, a reference image (FIG. 4) is formed in a reference orientation of the X-ray examination apparatus and the reference imaging properties of the C-arm X-ray system are determined on the basis of the positions of calibration members (7, 8), which are mounted on the image intensifier (2) and/or the X-ray source (3) and are reproduced, and the known geometry and position relative to the image intensifier (2) and/or the X-ray source (3); the positions of the calibration members (7, 8) reproduced in a patient X-ray image (FIG. 5) are compared with the positions of the calibration members (7, 8) in the reference image (FIG.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventors: Waldermar Zylka, Jörg Sabczynski, Jürgen Weese
  • Patent number: 6366643
    Abstract: A shielding grid constructed of a radiation absorbing material for use with an array of discreet, non contiguous radiation sensors to protect such sensors from scattered radiation. The sensors each have a radiation sensitive area with a width and a length. In designing the grid a prototile having a prototile width and a prototile length is developed. The prototile width is equal to the radiation sensitive area width divided by an integer and the prototile length is also equal to the radiation sensitive area length divided by a integer. The prototile contains a motif contained solely within the prototile that forms a pattern when a plurality of prototiles sufficient to cover the array of discreet sensor are arrayed contiguously. The grid is constructed with the radiation absorbing material in this pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Assignee: Direct Radiography Corp.
    Inventors: James E. Davis, Denny L. Y. Lee
  • Patent number: 6356621
    Abstract: A pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet comprising a plastic sheet having on one surface thereof a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, wherein the plastic sheet has on at least one surface thereof a print layer having a thickness of 40 to 1,000 &mgr;m and containing 30 to 90% by weight based on the total weight of the print layer of an X-ray absorbing metal. The print pattern may be scales, grid lines, numbers, etc. singly or in combination. Information on individual subject or scales or grid lines pattern may be copied in a radiograph having an image of the inside of the subject body. This enables surgeons to determine the size of the inside of the subject body or position of target organ with ease.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Furumori, Takamasa Kuroya, Toshiyuki Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 6354737
    Abstract: An orientation marker for a digital radiogram formed by a plurality of pixels arrayed along a plurality of rows and columns. The pixels have densities which represent the radiogram optical density at each pixel point, and the densities are represented by digital values. The marker is made by a number of marker pixels arrayed along at least one row and one column of the radiogram. Each of the pixels forming the marker, have a marker pixel digital value which has been selected to form an asymmetrical marker pixel pattern on the radiogram, replacing the original radiogram pixel values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: Direct Radiography Corp.
    Inventors: Mark J. Hufe, David Paul Wolff, Chuande Liu
  • Patent number: 6327337
    Abstract: A parallel X-ray beam generated from an X-ray generator is radiated onto a CCD of a CCD camera via a metal mesh disposed in front of the CCD. In order to detect the X-ray, a multi-pitch metal mesh (11) is disposed as the metal mesh. The incident position of the X-ray is determined on the basis of a ratio between a primary electron cloud produced by the X-ray spread over a plurality of pixels and a portion of the cloud existing in each of the plurality of pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2001
    Assignee: Japan Science and Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Tsunemi
  • Patent number: 6260999
    Abstract: According to an embodiment of the present invention, an isocenter of an image may be found by using a multi-leaf collimator. According to this embodiment, a center leaf is projected into the center of the x-ray field with all other leaves retracted. An image is acquired. A line through the center of the center leaf is identified. This line is also a line through isocenter. Another method according to an embodiment of the present invention for finding isocenter uses an accessory. The accessory according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a metal marker in the center of the accessory with metal markers interspersed away from the center at a predetermined interval. An image may be acquired through the accessory, with the patient on the table. The resulting image may be analyzed to identify the position of the metal markers to determine isocenter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2001
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Wofford, Francisco M. Hernandez-Guerra