Methods and systems for locating objects embedded in a body

1. A method of processing image data from an imaging system for locating a plurality N of objects embedded in a body, comprising:

receiving data for a first two-dimensional image of a region of interest of said body containing said plurality N of objects, said first two-dimensional image being obtained from a first imaging setting of said imaging system relative to said region of interest;

receiving data for a second two-dimensional image of a region of interest of said body containing said plurality N of objects, said second two-dimensional image being obtained from a second imaging setting of said imaging system relative to said region of interest;

receiving data for a third two-dimensional image of a region of interest of said body containing said plurality N of objects, said third two-dimensional image being obtained from a third imaging setting of said imaging system relative to said region of interest;

determining two-dimensional positions for a first plurality of objects N 1 in said first two-dimensional image, each of said first plurality of objects N 1 corresponding to at least one of said plurality N of objects;

determining two-dimensional positions for a second plurality of objects N 2 in said second two-dimensional image, each of said second plurality of objects N 2 corresponding to at least one of said plurality N of objects;

determining two-dimensional positions for a third plurality of objects N 3 in said third two-dimensional image, each of said third plurality of objects N 3 corresponding to at least one of said plurality N of objects;

calculating a cost associated with each of said first plurality of objects N 1 paired with each of said second plurality of objects N 2 to provide N 1 ×N 2 pair combinations, each said cost being indicative of a likelihood of a correct pairing;

eliminating some of said N 1 ×N 2 pair combinations from further calculations based on a predetermined threshold to result in a reduced number n 1 of remaining pairs for further calculations, n 1 being less than N 1 ×N 2 ;

calculating a cost associated with each of said n 1 pairs and each of said third plurality of objects N 3 to provide n 1 ×N 3 triplet combinations, each said cost being indicative of a likelihood of a correct triplet matching;

eliminating some of said n 1 ×N 3 triplet combinations from further calculations based on said predetermined threshold to result in a reduced number n 2 of remaining triplets, n 2 being less than n 1 ×N 3 ; and

calculating three-dimensional positions of each of said plurality N of objects embedded in said region of interest of said body based on surviving matches of objects in each said two-dimensional image,

wherein said first, second and third imaging settings all are different from each other.

2. A method of processing image data according to claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving data for a fourth two-dimensional image of a region of interest of said body containing said plurality N of objects, said fourth two-dimensional image being obtained from a fourth imaging setting of said imaging system relative to said region of interest;

determining two-dimensional positions for a fourth plurality of objects N 4 in said fourth two-dimensional image, each of said fourth plurality of objects N 4 corresponding to at least one of said plurality N of objects;

calculating a cost associated with each of said n 2 triplets and each of said fourth plurality of objects N 4 to provide n 2 ×N 4 quartet combinations, each said cost being indicative of a likelihood of a correct quartet matching;

eliminating some of said n 2 ×N 4 triplet combinations from further calculations based on said predetermined threshold to result in a reduced number n 3 of remaining quartets, n 3 being less than n 2 ×N 4 ; and

calculating three-dimensional positions of each of said plurality N of objects embedded in said region of interest of said body based on surviving matches of objects in each said two-dimensional images,

wherein said first, second, third and fourth imaging settings all are different from each other.

3. A method of processing image data according to claim 1 , wherein said threshold is selected based on known properties of said imaging system.

4. A method of processing image data according to claim 3 , wherein said known properties of said imaging system include known measurement precision.

5. A method of processing image data according to claim 3 , wherein said known properties of said imaging system include positioning precision.

6. A method of processing image data according to claim 1 , wherein said cost is a function of distance of closest approach of lines extending from a corresponding two-dimensional position to an imaging source direction.

7. A method of processing image data according to claim 1 , wherein said imaging system is an x-ray imaging system.

8. A method of processing image data according to claim 7 , wherein said plurality N of objects are radiotherapy seeds implanted in a patient.

9. A method of processing image data according to claim 1 , wherein said plurality N of objects are at least N=10 objects.

10. A method of processing image data according to claim 1 , wherein said plurality N of objects are at least N=100 objects.

11. A method of processing image data according to claim 1 , wherein said calculating three-dimensional positions of each of said plurality N of objects embedded in said region of interest of said body is performed sufficiently fast to provide real time results to a doctor providing a surgical procedure.

12. A method of processing image data according to claim 1 , further comprising:

assigning said calculated three-dimensional positions of each of said plurality N of objects embedded in said region of interest of said body as fiducial positions,

receiving data for at least one subsequent two-dimensional image of said region of interest of said body containing said plurality N of objects subsequent to said assigning;

determining two-dimensional positions of at least some of said plurality of objects N in each of said at least one subsequent two-dimensional image;

projecting each of said fiducial positions onto each of said at least one subsequent two-dimensional image to determine expected positions of each of said plurality of objects N therein; and

determining corrections to tracking error of said imaging system or a patient motion of said region of interest so that the expected position of each plurality of objects match to two-dimensional positions of corresponding plurality of objects in each two-dimensional image.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising software for processing image data from an imaging system for locating a plurality N of objects embedded in a body, which software when executed by a computer causes the computer to:

receive data for a first two-dimensional image of a region of interest of said body containing said plurality N of objects, said first two-dimensional image being obtained from a first imaging setting of said imaging system relative to said region of interest;

receive data for a second two-dimensional image of a region of interest of said body containing said plurality N of objects, said second two-dimensional image being obtained from a second imaging setting of said imaging system relative to said region of interest;

receive data for a third two-dimensional image of a region of interest of said body containing said plurality N of objects, said third two-dimensional image being obtained from a third imaging setting of said imaging system relative to said region of interest;

determine two-dimensional positions for a first plurality of objects N 1 in said first two-dimensional image, each of said first plurality of objects N 1 corresponding to at least one of said plurality N of objects;

determine two-dimensional positions for a second plurality of objects N 2 in said second two-dimensional image, each of said second plurality of objects N 2 corresponding to at least one of said plurality N of objects;

determine two-dimensional positions for a third plurality of objects N 3 in said third two-dimensional image, each of said third plurality of objects N 3 corresponding to at least one of said plurality N of objects;

calculate a cost associated with each of said first plurality of objects N 1 paired with each of said second plurality of objects N 2 to provide N 1 ×N 2 pair combinations, each said cost being indicative of a likelihood of a correct pairing;

eliminate some of said N 1 ×N 2 pair combinations from further calculations based on a predetermined threshold to result in a reduced number n 1 of remaining pairs for further calculations, n 1 being less than N 1 ×N 2 ;

calculate a cost associated with each of said n 1 pairs and each of said third plurality of objects N 3 to provide n 1 ×N 3 triplet combinations, each said cost being indicative of a likelihood of a correct triplet matching;

eliminate some of said n 1 ×N 3 triplet combinations from further calculations based on said predetermined threshold to result in a reduced number n 2 of remaining triplets, n 2 being less than n 1 ×N 3 ; and

calculate three-dimensional positions of each of said plurality N of objects embedded in said region of interest of said body based on surviving matches of objects in each said two-dimensional image,

wherein said first, second and third imaging settings all are different from each other.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising software according to claim 13 , wherein said imaging system is an x-ray imaging system.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising software according to claim 14 , wherein said plurality N of objects are radiotherapy seeds implanted in a patient.

16. An imaging system for locating a plurality N of objects embedded in a body, comprising:

an illumination system;

a detection system arranged to form two-dimensional images of a region of interest containing said plurality N of objects embedded in said body; and

a data processor encoded with software for processing image data from a detection system,

wherein said software, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to:

receive data for a first two-dimensional image of a region of interest of said body containing said plurality N of objects, said first two-dimensional image being obtained from a first imaging setting of said imaging system relative to said region of interest;

receive data for a second two-dimensional image of a region of interest of said body containing said plurality N of objects, said second two-dimensional image being obtained from a second imaging setting of said imaging system relative to said region of interest;

receive data for a third two-dimensional image of a region of interest of said body containing said plurality N of objects, said third two-dimensional image being obtained from a third imaging setting of said imaging system relative to said region of interest;

determine two-dimensional positions for a first plurality of objects N 1 in said first two-dimensional image, each of said first plurality of objects N 1 corresponding to at least one of said plurality N of objects;

determine two-dimensional positions for a second plurality of objects N 2 in said second two-dimensional image, each of said second plurality of objects N 2 corresponding to at least one of said plurality N of objects;

determine two-dimensional positions for a third plurality of objects N 3 in said third two-dimensional image, each of said third plurality of objects N 3 corresponding to at least one of said plurality N of objects;

calculate a cost associated with each of said first plurality of objects N 1 paired with each of said second plurality of objects N 2 to provide N 1 ×N 2 pair combinations, each said cost being indicative of a likelihood of a correct pairing;

eliminate some of said N 1 ×N 2 pair combinations from further calculations based on a predetermined threshold to result in a reduced number n 1 of remaining pairs for further calculations, n 1 being less than N 1 ×N 2 ;

calculate a cost associated with each of said n 1 pairs and each of said third plurality of objects N 3 to provide n 1 ×N 3 triplet combinations, each said cost being indicative of a likelihood of a correct triplet matching;

eliminate some of said n 1 ×N 3 triplet combinations from further calculations based on said predetermined threshold to result in a reduced number n 2 of remaining triplets, n 2 being less than n 1 ×N 3 ; and

calculate three-dimensional positions of each of said plurality N of objects embedded in said region of interest of said body based on surviving matches of objects in each said two-dimensional image,

wherein said first, second and third imaging settings all are different from each other.

17. An imaging system according to claim 16 , wherein said illumination system comprises an x-ray source and said detection system comprises an x-ray imaging detector.