Method and apparatus for detection of caries
A method for obtaining an image of tooth tissue directs incident light toward a tooth, wherein the incident light excites a fluorescent emission from the tooth tissue. Fluorescence image data is obtained from the fluorescent emission. Back-scattered reflectance image data is obtained from back-scattered light from the tooth tissue. The fluorescence and back-scattered reflectance image data are combined to form an enhanced image of the tooth tissue for caries detection.
1. A method for calibrating an imaging apparatus for teeth comprising:
(a) obtaining a spectral measurement from at least one light source;
(b) obtaining a spectral measurement from a fluorescent emission generated from a tooth in response to said at least one light source;
(c) measuring the spectral response of a camera; and
(d) generating scalar multiplier values to be used in image processing, according to the spectral measurements made in steps (a), (b), and (c), where the image processing comprises,
accessing fluorescence image data obtained from a fluorescent emission excited by incident light directed toward a tooth,
multiplying the fluorescence image data value by a first scalar multiplier according to the spectral measurements made in steps (b) and (c) to form a first value,
accessing back-scattered reflectance image data from the tooth tissue obtained from back-scattered light,
multiplying the back-scattered image data value by a second scalar multiplier according to the spectral measurements made in steps (a) and (c) to form a second value,
adjusting the multiplied fluorescence image data with the multiplied back-scattered reflectance image data to form an enhanced image of the tooth tissue.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising storing, transmitting, or displaying the scalar multiplier values.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
processing an image using the scalar multiplier values; and
displaying the processed image.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying, storing, or transmitting the enhanced image of the tooth tissue.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the camera is a color camera, wherein the fluorescence image data and back-scattered reflectance image data are obtained from different color planes of a single, full-color image capture.
6. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
directing incident light toward the tooth;
obtaining fluorescence image data from a fluorescent emission excited by the incident light; and
obtaining, from back-scattered light, back-scattered reflectance image data from tooth tissue.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the obtaining steps are performed simultaneously.
8. The method of claim 6 wherein directing incident light comprises energizing at least two light sources.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the at least two light sources are energized over different time intervals.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the adjusting is a subtraction operation.