Methods and devices for quantitative analysis of x-ray images
View Patent ↗The present invention relates to network enabled analysis of x-ray images. Also described are devices comprising calibration phantoms; methods of using these devices; methods of formulating databases containing information regarding x-ray images; the databases themselves; and methods of manipulating the information and databases.
1. A computer program product for generating a density calibration curve from a digital x-ray image of an anatomic structure, the x-ray image including a wedge-shaped calibration phantom having length (L) and varying thickness (T) along the length, the computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code thereon, the computer readable program code comprising:
(a) program code for generating an expected calibration curve for the wedge-shaped calibration phantom;
(b) program code for measuring attenuation at a multitude of points in the x-ray image including the calibration phantom; and
(c) program code for aligning the points measured in step (b) with the expected calibration curve generated in step (a), thereby generating a calibration curve for the image.
2. The computer program product according to claim 1 , further comprising:
program code for translating the calibration curve describing thickness into a curve describing calcium concentration.
3. The computer program product according to claim 2 , wherein the calibration phantom comprises aluminum and the calibration curve describes aluminum thickness.
4. The computer program product according to claim 2 , further comprising:
(a) comparing attenuation information obtained from the x-ray image of a subject's anatomical structure to the generated calibration curve; and
(b) program code for determining bone mineral density or structure of the subject.
5. The computer program product according to claim 1 , further comprising:
program code for calculating the average of calibration curves to generate a reference calibration curve.
6. The computer program product according to claim 5 , further comprising:
(a) comparing attenuation information obtained from the x-ray image of a subject's anatomical structure to the reference calibration curve; and
(b) program code for determining bone mineral density or structure of the subject.
7. The computer program product according to claim 1 , further comprising:
(a) comparing attenuation information obtained from the x-ray image of a subject's anatomical structure to the generated calibration curve; and
(b) determining bone mineral density or structure of the subject.
8. The computer program product according to claim 1 , wherein the x-ray image is a dental x-ray.
9. The computer program product according to claim 1 , wherein the calibration curve is generated in a network environment.
10. The computer program product according to claim 1 , wherein the calibration phantom varies non-linearly along the length.
11. A system for generating a density calibration curve, the system comprising:
(a) means for generating a digital x-ray image of an anatomic structure that includes a wedge-shaped calibration phantom having length (L) and varying thickness (T) along the length;
(b) means for generating an expected calibration curve for the wedge-shaped calibration phantom; and
(c) means for measuring attenuation at a multitude of points in the x-ray image including the calibration phantom; and
(d) means for aligning the points measured in step (c) with the expected calibration curve generated in step (b), thereby generating a calibration curve for the image.
12. The system according to claim 11 , further comprising:
means for translating the calibration curve describing thickness into a curve describing calcium concentration.
13. The system according to claim 12 , wherein the calibration phantom comprises aluminum and the calibration curve describes aluminum thickness.
14. The system according to claim 12 , further comprising:
(a) means for comparing attenuation information obtained from the x-ray image of a subject's anatomical structure to the generated calibration curve; and
(b) means for determining bone mineral density or structure of the subject.
15. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
means for calculating the average of calibration curves to generate a reference calibration curve.
16. The system according to claim 15 , further comprising:
(a) means for comparing attenuation information obtained from the x-ray image of a subject's anatomical structure to the reference calibration curve; and
(b) means for determining bone mineral density or structure of the subject.
17. The system according to claim 11 , further comprising:
(a) means for comparing attenuation information obtained from the x-ray image of a subject's anatomical structure to the generated calibration curve; and
(b) means for determining bone mineral density or structure of the subject.
18. The system according to claim 11 , wherein the x-ray image is a dental x-ray.
19. The system according to claim 11 , wherein the calibration curve is generated in a network environment.
20. The system according to claim 11 , wherein the calibration phantom varies non-linearly along the length.