Method and apparatus for positioning movable component in X-ray imaging

1 . A method, comprising:

positioning a movable component associated with a component of an X-ray imaging system by:

acquiring a three-dimensional (3D) image that is captured via a camera and characterizes a motion process of the movable component;

acquiring motion information of the movable component that is detected by a motion sensor; and

positioning the movable component based on the 3D image and the motion information by:

determining a motion range of the movable component based on the motion information;

identifying homonymy points between 3D images in a homonymy point query range that is determined on the basis of the motion range; and

positioning the movable component based on the identified homonymy points.

2 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:

the movable component comprises an X-ray tube,

the motion sensor is arranged on the X-ray tube, and

the positioning the movable component based on the 3D image and the motion information further comprises:

updating the motion information based on the 3D image; and

generating a motion path of the X-ray tube based on the updated motion information.

3 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:

the movable component comprises a detector,

the motion sensor is arranged on the detector, and

the positioning the movable component based on the 3D image and the motion information further comprises:

updating the motion information based on the 3D image;

generating a motion path of the detector based on the updated motion information; and

positioning the detector based on the motion path.

4 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:

the movable component comprises a detector,

the motion sensor is arranged on the detector, and

the positioning the movable component based on the 3D image and the motion information further comprises:

generating a motion path of the detector based on the motion information; and

predicting a position of the detector at a predetermined time point based on the 3D image and the motion path.

5 . The method as claimed in claim 4 , wherein predicting the position of the detector at the predetermined time point comprises:

determining an initial position of the detector based on the 3D image that is chronologically closest to a current time and includes the detector;

determining a motion trend of the detector beginning at the initial position based on the motion path; and

predicting a position of the detector at the predetermined time point based on the initial position of the detector and the motion trend of the detector.

6 . An apparatus for positioning a movable component associated with a component of an X-ray imaging system, comprising:

first acquisition circuitry configured to acquire a three-dimensional (3D) image that is captured via a camera and characterizes a motion process of the movable component;

second acquisition circuitry configured to acquire motion information of the movable component that is detected by a motion sensor; and

positioning circuitry configured to position the movable component based on the 3D image and the motion information by:

determining a motion range of the movable component based on the motion information;

identifying homonymy points between 3D images in a homonymy point query range determined on the basis of the motion range; and

positioning the movable component based on the identified homonymy points.

7 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 6 , wherein:

the movable component comprises an X-ray tube,

the motion sensor is arranged on the X-ray tube, and

the positioning circuitry is further configured to update the motion information based on the 3D image and to generate a motion path of the X-ray tube based on the updated motion information.

8 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 6 , wherein:

the movable component comprises a detector,

the motion sensor is arranged on the detector, and

the positioning circuitry is further configured to update the motion information based on the 3D image, to generate a motion path of the detector based on the updated motion information, and to position the detector based on the motion path.

9 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 6 , wherein:

the movable component comprises a detector,

the motion sensor is arranged on the detector, and

the positioning circuitry is further configured to generate a motion path of the detector based on the motion information and to predict a position of the detector at a predetermined time point based on the 3D image and the motion path.

10 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the positioning circuitry is configured to:

determine an initial position of the detector based on a 3D image that is chronologically closest to a current time and includes the detector;

determine a motion trend of the detector beginning at the initial position based on the motion path; and

predict a position of the detector at a predetermined time point based on the initial position of the detector and the motion trend of the detector.

11 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor of an apparatus for positioning a movable component associated with a component of an X-ray imaging system, cause the apparatus to:

acquire a three-dimensional (3D) image that is captured via a camera and characterizes a motion process of the movable component;

acquire motion information of the movable component that is detected by a motion sensor; and

position the movable component based on the 3D image and the motion information by:

determining a motion range of the movable component based on the motion information;

identifying homonymy points between 3D images in a homonymy point query range determined on the basis of the motion range; and

positioning the movable component based on the identified homonymy points.

12 . The method as claimed in claim 2 , further comprising:

stitching X-ray images based on the motion path.

13 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 7 , further comprising:

stitching circuitry configured to stitch X-ray images based on the motion path.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the-acquiring the 3D image comprises capturing, as one or more visible light images, the 3D image via the camera.

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the homonymy point query range is greater than the motion range of the movable component.

16 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:

the movable component comprises an X-ray tube and the motion sensor is arranged on the X-ray tube, and further comprising:

predicting a position of the X-ray tube at a predetermined time point based on the 3D image and a motion path of the X-ray tube; and

positioning the X-ray tube based on the 3D image and the motion information by searching for a current position of the X-ray tube using the predicted position of the X-ray tube at the predetermined time point.

17 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the motion sensor comprises an inertial measurement unit (IMU).

18 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the homonymy point query range constrains a search space for identifying the homonymy points based on the motion range.

19 . The method of claim 1 , wherein positioning the movable component based on the identified homonymy points comprises determining a position of the movable component based on the identified homonymy points, and

wherein the determined position differs from a position indicated by the motion information.