IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,808,215
Granted Patent B2
US 9,808,215 · App. 15/088,844 · Granted Nov 7, 2017

System and method for generating a 2D image from a tomosynthesis data set

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,808,215
App. No.
15/088,844
Granted
Nov 7, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

A 2D mammogram image is synthesized from at least one of tomosynthesis projection images and/or the tomosynthesis reconstructed image data. In a simplest form, the mammogram may be synthesized by selecting one of the tomosynthesis projection images for display as a synthesized mammogram. Other methods of synthesizing a mammogram include re-projecting and filtering projection data and/or reconstructed data. The synthesized mammogram is advantageously displayed together with at least a portion of the reconstructed data to aid in review of the reconstructed data. The present invention thus provides a familiar image which may be used to facilitate review of a tomosynthesis data set.

Claims (33)

1. A method for imaging breast tissue, comprising:

obtaining a plurality of tomosynthesis projection images;

processing the plurality of tomosynthesis projection images to generate a plurality of tomosynthesis reconstructed images;

analyzing a tomosynthesis data set comprising one or more of the plurality of tomosynthesis projection images and/or the plurality of tomosynthesis reconstructed images using computer aided detection (CAD);

generating a two-dimensional synthesized mammogram from the tomosynthesis data set; and

displaying the synthesized mammogram on a display device, wherein the synthesized mammogram comprises a synthesized two-dimensional image that simulates a conventional mammography image.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the two-dimensional synthesized mammogram from the tomosynthesis data set comprises generating the synthesized mammogram from only the plurality of tomosynthesis reconstructed images.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the two-dimensional synthesized mammogram from the tomosynthesis data set comprises generating the synthesized mammogram from only the plurality of tomosynthesis projection images.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating a CAD mark by analyzing the tomosynthesis data set using CAD.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising displaying the CAD mark on the synthesized mammogram on the display device.

6. The method of claim 4 , further comprising displaying the CAD mark on a tomosynthesis reconstructed image from the plurality of tomosynthesis reconstructed images on the display device.

7. The method of claim 4 , further comprising displaying the CAD mark on a tomosynthesis projection image from the plurality of tomosynthesis projection images on the display device.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising displaying a tomosynthesis reconstructed image from the plurality of tomosynthesis reconstructed images along with the synthesized mammogram on the display device.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising displaying a tomosynthesis projection image from the plurality of tomosynthesis projection images along with the synthesized mammogram on the display device.

10. A system for generating and displaying a synthesized mammogram, comprising:

a computer system, comprising:

a reconstruction engine configured to receive a tomosynthesis data set comprising one or more of a plurality of tomosynthesis projection images and/or a plurality of tomosynthesis reconstructed slices, and

a synthesizer configured to generate a two-dimensional synthesized mammogram from the tomosynthesis data set; and

a display device configured to display one or more images from the tomosynthesis data set and the synthesized mammogram, wherein the synthesized mammogram comprises a synthesized two-dimensional image that simulates a conventional mammography image.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the display device is a radiologist workstation.

12. The system of claim 10 , further comprising a storage device configured to store the tomosynthesis data set.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the computer system is configured to analyze the tomosynthesis data set using computer aided detection (CAD) to generate a CAD mark, and

wherein the display device is configured to display the CAD mark on the synthesized mammogram.

14. A method for imaging breast tissue, comprising:

obtaining a tomosynthesis data set comprising one or more of a plurality of tomosynthesis projection images and/or a plurality of tomosynthesis reconstructed slices;

transmitting the tomosynthesis data set to a display device;

generating a two-dimensional synthesized mammogram from the tomosynthesis data set; and

displaying the synthesized mammogram, wherein the synthesized mammogram comprises a synthesized two-dimensional image that simulates a conventional mammography image.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the synthesized mammogram is displayed on a radiologist workstation.

16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising storing the tomosynthesis data set.

17. The method of claim 14 , further comprising

analyzing the tomosynthesis data set using computer aided detection (CAD) to generate a CAD mark; and

displaying the CAD mark on the synthesized mammogram.

Assignments (2)
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 13, 2016
From: HOLOGIC, INC.; GEN-PROBE INCORPORATED
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 039321/0688 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 13, 2016
From: RUTH, CHRISTOPHER; SMITH, ANDREW; STEIN, JAY
To: HOLOGIC, INC.
Reel/Frame 038893/0474 →