System for medical image display and image filter selection

1. A filtered medical image display system, comprising:

an interface processor for receiving data indicating,

image characteristics of a first medical image obtained using a medical imaging device and in the absence of an image filter, wherein the first medical image comprises a positioning image obtained using a first X-ray radiation dose, and

imaging device settings;

a computation processor for using the image characteristics data and imaging device settings in,

computing a change in image display characteristics occurring in a filtered portion of said first medical image in response to filtering a medical imaging beam responsible for producing said filtered portion of said first medical image, and

determining an adjustment of image display characteristics of said first medical image by scaling image display characteristics of said first medical image including said filtered portion, to increase brightness of said first medical image having brightness subtracted in said filtered portion, in response to the computed change in image display characteristics occurring in said filtered portion in response to said filtering; and

a display processor for using the determined adjustment in said image display characteristics of said first medical image in generating data representing a second medical image, wherein the second medical image comprises a diagnostic image obtained using a second X-ray radiation dose higher than the first X-ray radiation dose.

2. A system according to claim 1 , wherein

said computation processor scales image display characteristics comprising at least one of contrast and luminance to adjust brightness of the first medical image including both filtered and unfiltered portions,

said interface processor receives data indicating characteristics of a user selected X-ray attenuation filter including data indicating the size and location of said filtered portion of said medical image, and

said computation processor uses the received data indicating characteristics of the user selected X-ray attenuation filter in computing said change in image display characteristics occurring in said filtered portion of said first medical image and scales brightness of said first medical image by a scaling factor to provide simulated image data for use as said second image.

3. A system according to claim 2 , wherein

said characteristics of the user selected X-ray attenuation filter comprise data indicating degree of X-ray attenuation.

4. A system according to claim 1 , wherein said filtered portion of the first medical image is movable by a user via a user interface control device.

5. A system according to claim 1 , wherein

said image display characteristics comprise at least one of, (a) luminance, (b) contrast and (c) brightness and

said computation processor determines a scaling factor using said image characteristics of said first medical image and said imaging device settings and scales data comprising said image display characteristics using said scaling factor.

6. A system according to claim 1 , wherein

said computation processor uses the image characteristics data and imaging device settings in computing a change in image display characteristics occurring in a plurality of filtered portions of said first medical image in response to introduction of a plurality of X-ray attenuation filters selected by a user for filtering a medical imaging beam responsible for producing said plurality of filtered portions of said first medical image and in determining said adjustment by scaling image display characteristics of said first medical image including said plurality of filtered portions.

7. A system according to claim 1 , wherein

said image characteristics of said first medical image include at least one of, (a) data indicating an image window width, (b) data indicating an image window center and (c) data indicating luminance variation within said first medical image.

8. A system according to claim 1 , wherein

said imaging device settings include X-ray imaging device settings comprising at least one of, (a) acceleration X-ray voltage potential and (b) milli-Amp seconds applied in obtaining said first medical image.

9. A filtered medical image display system, comprising:

an interface processor for receiving data indicating,

image characteristics of a first medical image obtained using an X-ray first radiation dose in an X-ray medical imaging device and in the absence of an X-ray attenuation filter, wherein the first medical image comprises a positioning image obtained using the first X-ray radiation dose, and

imaging device settings;

a computation processor for using the image characteristics data and imaging device settings in,

computing a change in image display characteristics occurring in a filtered portion of said first medical image in response to filtering a medical imaging beam responsible for producing said filtered portion of said first medical image, and

scaling image display characteristics of said first medical image including the filtered portion, to increase brightness of said first medical image having brightness subtracted in said filtered portion, in response to the computed change in image display characteristics occurring in said filtered portion in response to said filtering; and

a display processor for using the scaled image display characteristics of said first medical image in generating data representing a second medical image, said second medical image comprising a diagnostic image obtained using a second X-ray radiation dose higher than said first X-ray radiation dose.

10. A system according to claim 9 , wherein

said computation processor scales said image display characteristics comprising at least one of, (a) luminance, and (b) contrast to adjust brightness of said first medical image including both filtered and unfiltered portions and

said computation processor determines a scaling factor using said image characteristics of said first medical image and said imaging device settings and scales data comprising said image display characteristics using said scaling factor to provide simulated image data for use as said second image.

11. A system according to claim 10 , wherein

said computation processor determines said scaling factor using image characteristics of said first medical image and imaging device settings, said image characteristics include at least one of, (a) an X-ray imaging window width, (b) an X- ray imaging window center and (c) a histogram indicating number of pixels having particular luminance intensity levels in an X-ray image frame, said imaging device settings include at least one of, (i) an acceleration high voltage (KV) and (ii) current (mAs) at the high voltage.

12. A system according to claim 9 , wherein

said interface processor receives data indicating characteristics of the user selected filter including data indicating the size and location of said filtered portion of said medical image, and

said computation processor uses the received data indicating characteristics of the user selected filter in computing said change in image display characteristics occurring in said filtered portion of said first medical image.

13. A system according to claim 12 , wherein

said characteristics of the user selected filter comprise data indicating degree of X-ray attenuation.

14. A method for providing a filtered medical image for display, comprising the activities of:

receiving data indicating,

image characteristics of a first medical image obtained using an X-ray first radiation dose in an X-ray medical imaging device and in the absence of an image filter; and

imaging device settings;

using the image characteristics data and imaging device settings in,

computing a change in image display characteristics occurring in a filtered portion of said first medical image in response to filtering a medical imaging beam responsible for producing said filtered portion of said first medical image, and

scaling image display characteristics of said first medical image including the filtered portion, to increase brightness of said first medical image having brightness subtracted in said filtered portion, in response to the computed change in image display characteristics occurring in said filtered portion in response to said filtering; and

using the scaled image display characteristics of said first medical image in generating data representing a second medical image, said second medical image comprising a diagnostic image obtained using a second X-ray radiation dose higher than said first X-ray radiation dose.

15. A method according to claim 14 , wherein said computation processor scales said image display characteristics comprising at least one of, (a) luminance, and (b) contrast to adjust brightness of said first medical image including both filtered and unfiltered portions and including the activities of

determining a scaling factor using said image characteristics of said first medical image and said imaging device settings and

scaling data comprising said image display characteristics using said scaling factor by scaling luminance or contrast of said first medical image by said scaling factor to provide simulated image data for use as said second image.