System and method for establishing zoom settings for display of an anatomical image

1. A system employing at least one processing device in selecting a zoom size of an anatomical image for display, the system comprising:

a collimated X-ray radiation beam image detector device having a pre-defined field of view, the pre-defined field of view defining fixed zoom settings including, a maximum analog zoom field of view corresponding to a maximum analog zoom setting and a minimum analog zoom field of view corresponding to a minimum analog zoom setting for at least one anatomical image acquired using the image detector device and at least one of said zoom settings is set in response to radiation beam collimation control;

an image display displaying the at least one anatomical image within the pre-defined field of view;

a processing unit providing a selection of at least one anatomical image; and

a network configured to interface the detector with the processing unit and the image display with the processing unit,

wherein the system is configured to enable establishment in a user specific profile of at least one predetermined fixed intervening user selectable zoom setting independent of X-ray collimation setting, said selectable zoom setting corresponding to an intervening selectable zoom field of view between the maximum analog zoom field of view and the minimum analog zoom field of view.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the system is configured to inhibit use of the at least one intervening zoom setting to prevent reduction in image quality.

3. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the maximum analog zoom setting, the at least one intervening selectable zoom setting, and the minimum analog zoom setting are displayed in one of a descending order and an ascending order on the image display.

4. The system according to claim 3 , further comprising at least two intervening selectable field of views displayed on said image display, wherein a selected intervening selectable zoom setting overrides one of the at least two intervening selectable zoom settings.

5. The system according to claim 4 , wherein the selected intervening selectable zoom setting overrides one of the at least two intervening selectable zoom settings that is closest in dimensional value to the selected intervening selectable zoom setting.

6. The system according to claim 4 , wherein the user profile is a first user profile and the minimum analog zoom setting, the selected intervening selectable zoom setting overriding one of the at least two intervening selectable zoom settings; at least another one of the at least two intervening selectable zoom settings; and the maximum analog zoom setting establish at least a second user profile overriding the first user profile.

7. The system according to claim 6 , wherein the system is configured upon log-off to restore the first user profile upon subsequent log-on.

8. The system according to claim 7 , wherein the first user profile is a default user profile.

9. The system according to claim 6 , wherein the system is configured upon log-off to maintain the at least a second user profile upon subsequent log-on.

10. The system according to claim 6 , wherein the system is configured to inhibit an increase in zoom setting of the selected intervening selectable zoom setting overriding one of the at least two intervening selectable zoom settings.

11. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the system is configured to reset the pre-defined field of view by re-defining, for at least one anatomical image, at least one of (a) the pre-defined field of view defining the maximum analog zoom field of view corresponding to a maximum analog zoom setting; and (b) the pre-defined field of view defining the minimum analog zoom field of view corresponding to a minimum analog zoom setting.

12. A method implemented using at least one processing device for selecting a zoom size of an anatomical image for display, the method comprising the steps of:

using a collimated X-ray radiation beam image detector device having a pre-defined field of view, the pre-defined field of view defining fixed zoom settings including, a maximum analog zoom field of view corresponding to a maximum analog zoom setting and a minimum analog zoom field of view corresponding to a minimum analog zoom setting for at least one anatomical image acquired using the image detector device and at least one of said zoom settings is set in response to radiation beam collimation control; and

displaying the at least one anatomical image within the pre-defined field of view; and

enabling a user to configure in a user specific profile at least one predetermined fixed intervening user selectable zoom setting independent of X-ray collimation setting, said selectable zoom setting corresponding to an intervening selectable field of view between the maximum analog zoom and the minimum analog zoom.

13. The method according to claim 12 , further comprising the step of:

inhibiting use of the at least one intervening zoom setting to prevent reduction in image quality.

14. The method according to claim 12 , further comprising the step of:

ordering the maximum analog zoom setting, the at least one intervening selectable zoom setting, and the minimum analog zoom setting in one of a descending order and an ascending order.

15. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising the steps of:

providing at least two intervening selectable zoom settings; and

overriding one of the at least two intervening selectable zoom settings by a selected intervening selectable zoom setting.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the selected intervening selectable zoom setting overrides one of the at least two intervening selectable zoom settings closest in dimensional value to the selected intervening selectable zoom setting.

17. The method according to claim 15 , further comprising the step of:

establishing at least a second user profile overriding the first user profile, the at least a second user profile being the minimum analog zoom setting; the selected intervening selectable zoom setting; at least another one of the at least two intervening selectable zoom settings, and the maximum analog zoom setting.

18. The method according to claim 17 , further comprising the step of:

following log-off, restoring the first user profile upon subsequent log-on.

19. The method according to claim 18 , wherein the first user profile is a default user profile.

20. The method according to claim 17 , further comprising the step of:

following log-off, maintaining the second user profile upon subsequent log-on.

21. The method according to claim 17 , further comprising the step of:

inhibiting an increase in zoom setting of the selected intervening selectable zoom setting overriding one of the at least two intervening selectable zoom settings.

22. The method according to claim 12 , further comprising the step of:

resetting the pre-defined field of view by re-defining, for at least one anatomical image, at least one of (a) the pre-defined field of view defining the maximum analog zoom field of view corresponding to a maximum analog zoom setting; and (b) the pre-defined field of view defining the minimum analog zoom field of view corresponding to a minimum analog zoom setting.