Image handling and display in x-ray mammography and tomosynthesis
A method and system for acquiring, processing, storing, and displaying x-ray mammograms Mp tomosynthesis images Tr representative of breast slices, and x-ray tomosynthesis projection images Tp taken at different angles to a breast, where the Tr images are reconstructed from Tp images.
1. A method of displaying x-ray images of a compressed breast, the method comprising:
obtaining a reconstructed tomosynthesis image Tr data representative of images of the compressed breast that have selected orientations and thicknesses, wherein the reconstructed tomosynthesis image Tr data is reconstructed from x-ray tomosynthesis image Tp data representative of projection images taken at different angles of an origin or imaging x-rays relative to the compressed breast;
applying computer aided detection (CAD) algorithms to at least one of the x-ray tomosynthesis image Tp data and the reconstructed tomosynthesis image Tr data to detect a suspected abnormality in the breast;
generating a plurality of image slices of the compressed breast from the reconstructed tomosynthesis image Tr data;
identifying a target slice of the plurality of images slices, wherein the target slice displays at least a portion of the suspected abnormality; and
displaying simultaneously at least a subset of the plurality of image slices, wherein the subset includes the target slice.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
displaying a slider bar; and
displaying a marker proximate the slider bar, wherein the marker corresponds to a location within the compressed breast corresponding to the target slice.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the marker comprises a plurality of markers, wherein the plurality of markers correspond to a plurality of heights within the compressed breast corresponding to a plurality of target slices.
4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising displaying a locator on the slider bar corresponding to the target slice.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising acquiring the x-ray tomosynthesis image Tp data.
6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising acquiring the x-ray tomosynthesis image Tp data from an acquisition unit configured to selectively acquire the tomosynthesis image Tp data.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein displaying simultaneously at least a subset of the plurality of image slices comprises stacking the subset of the plurality of image slices into a single displayed image.
8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising identifying a location in the displayed image corresponding to the suspected abnormality.
9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising displaying, on the displayed image, a CAD mark at the location.
10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
displaying a slider bar; and
displaying a marker proximate the slider bar, wherein the marker corresponds to a location within the compressed breast corresponding to the displayed subset of the plurality of image slices.
11. A method of displaying x-ray images of a compressed breast, the method comprising:
obtaining a reconstructed tomosynthesis image Tr data representative of images of the compressed breast that have selected orientations and thicknesses;
applying computer aided detection (CAD) algorithms to the reconstructed tomosynthesis image Tr data to detect a suspected abnormality in the breast;
identifying a plurality of target slices of the images, wherein each of the plurality of target slices displays a suspected abnormality;
combining a first target slice with at least one first adjacent slice into a first combination slice; and
combining a second target slice with at least one second adjacent slice into a second combination slice, wherein the first combination slice and the second combination slice at least partially overlap.
12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
displaying the first combination slice;
receiving a display input; and
displaying, in response to the display input, the second combination slice.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first target slice is not adjacent the second target slice.
14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising displaying a slider bar adjacent at least one of the first target slice and the second target slice.
15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
displaying, proximate the slider bar, a first marker corresponding to a location within the compressed breast of the first target slice; and
displaying, proximate the slider bar, a second marker corresponding to a location within the compressed breast of the second target slice.
16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first target slice and the second target slice comprise different thicknesses.
17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first combined slice and the second combined slice comprise different thicknesses.
18. The method of claim 11 , further comprising reconstructing from x-ray tomosynthesis image Tp data representative of projection images, the reconstructed tomosynthesis image Tr data.
19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the at least one first adjacent slice and the at least one second adjacent slice at least partially overlap.
20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first target slice comprises a plurality of first target slices, wherein each of the plurality of first target slices displays at least a portion of the suspected abnormality.