Method For Controlling The Spatial Position Of A Direct Digital X Ray Detector
Abstract:
The invention relates to a method for controlling for a planned radiographic exposure the spatial position of a portable
digital direct x-ray detector in a medical imaging system comprising multiple radiographic exposure stands. Said method comprises creating a threedimensional spatial model of the medical imaging system, determining within said model the spatial position
of said detector based on input received from three gravity sensors installed thereon, determining a three-dimensional volume space
for each radiographic exposure stand and checking whether the spatial position of said detector fits within the three- dimensional
volume space of the radiographic exposure stand.
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c/o AGFA HEALTHCARE
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Specification
The present invention relates to a method and a processor for controlling the
spatial position of a direct digital x-ray detector in a medical imaging system
comprising multiple radiographic exposure stands. More in particular it relates to
a method and processor for controlling the spatial position of a digital direct x-ray
detector intended for use in a planned radiographic exposure. Said control
includes checking whether the detector is correctly positioned within the
radiographic exposure stand of the medical imaging system.
Background of the invention.
It is known that radiographic illumination or exposure has important applications
in medical imaging, whereby the medical advantages for the patient largely exceed
the small risk of damage resulting from such radiographic illumination.
In earlier days radiographic exposures mostly made use of film based on silver
halide technology as image capturing medium.
Since a number of years the so-called computed radiography technique has gained
wide market acceptance. This technology makes use of a radiographic panel that
does not use silver halide technology as the light capturing medium, but uses
stimulable phosphors.
This method is described amongst others in detail in the Handbook of Medical
Imaging, (ed. R.V. Matter et al., SPIE Press, Bellingham, 2000).
During recent years, radiographic exposures increasingly make use of direct digital
radiographic techniques, known as DR (Direct Radiography).
This method is increasingly used as alternative for film-based imaging techniques,
as well as for the panels based on the use of stimulable phosphor-technologies, as
described supra.
In this digital radiographic method the radiographic exposure energy is captured
pixelwise in a radiographycally sensitive panel, and hereupon is converted to
electronic image data by means of electronic components. Hereupon the
information is read out imagewise and displayed on a suitable monitor for
diagnostic purposes by a radiologist.
One of the driving forces behind the success of direct digital radiography is the
ability to rapidly visualise the radiographic images and to efficiently and simply
communicate over datanetworks to one or more sites for analysis and remote
diagnosis by a radiologist or other medical expert. The delays that are
characteristic for the development, packaging and physical transport of
radiographic films are avoided by the above methods. Also the difficulties arising
from the scanning of developed films and the corresponding loss in resolution is
avoided by the above techniques.
The advantage of direct radiographic systems over computed radiographic
systems, based on stimulable phosphors, is that no read-out (in a digitizer) of the
latently captured radiographic image needs to take place. On the contrary, the
digital radiographic image promptly or directly can be read for the purpose of
evaluating the image from a diagnostic point of view. This diagnosis can take
place at a local or remote workstation.
At the beginning the first direct radiographic panels were integrated in the overall
radiographic imaging system. The wiring was designed such that minimal trouble
to the radiographic operator was caused hereby when the radiographic direct
panel was placed for exposure of a body part of a patient.
More recently portable direct radiographic panels have been introduced to the
market place. These panels make use of an on-board battery and communicate
with the radiographic control panel or workstation, as well as with the
datacapturing apparatus and the display components in a wireless manner.
The latter aspects resulted in a wide acceptance of such portable wireless panels
by the marketplace and ensures their practical use in a fully digital radiographic
exposure system.
In a hospital or medical diagnosis center, these panels can be used as well in a
completely newly installed radiographic imaging system or in a so-called retrofit
situation. The term retrofit should be understood as directed to an existing
radiographic system, that previously made use of radiographic films or stimulable
phosphor plates, and whereby the latter registration media have been replaced by
a direct radiographic capturing medium, a so-called direct radiographic or DR
panel, without the need to replace the workstation or the radiographic source
itself.
The advantage of such a retrofit radiographic system as compared to a completely
newly installed radiographic system, is its lower investment cost, as part of the
already installed radiographic system can be re-used.
Although portability and wireless communication of the radiographic registration
medium clearly is an advantage when portable and wireless DR panels are used,
these features also are characterized by the occurrence of problems under
practical circumstances of use.
In particular such panels are characterized by identification, or position difficulties
when they are used in a so-called multi-modality environment. This may lead to
mistakes for example when exposing the wrong detector or panel, or exposing a
mis-positioned panel.
Contrary to radiographic films or stimulable phosphor panels that after exposure
need to be removed from the radiographic exposure room for the purpose of being
developed, resp. for being read-out in a digitizer, direct radiographic panels after
use can remain in the radiographic exposure room.
When as a result of the above situation various direct radiographic panels are
available in the radiographic exposure room, the radiographic operator needs to
be fully sure that for the next or planned radiographic exposure the right panel
needs to be identified or selected and that this panel is correctly positioned in the
correct exposure modality.
Absent same it would be possible to expose the wrong DR Panel, or to reset same,
or the collect the data hereof, or to expose an entirely or partly ill-positioned
detector.
Without a specific method that enables to reduce to an absolute minimum the
probability of mis-positioning an x-ray Detector, there remains an enhanced risk
for an incorrect exposure of a patient, resulting in retakes. On its turn, this results
in a number of complaints, confusion, and a loss of time and efforts.
In US Patent Application US 2011/0305319 Al, published December 15, 2011, in
the name of General Electric Company, NY, USA, a portable x-ray detector and a
gravity sensor coupled thereto is described. Aprocessor is coupled to the gravity
sensor, programmed to receive an input from the gravity sensor, determine a
physical orientation of the portable x-ray detector based on the received input, and
generate an indication to reposition the portable x-ray detector. The aim of such
gravity sensor and coupled processor is to solve the problem when the operator
positions the x-ray detector out of alignment with respect to the x-ray source.
Apart from the above, this specification discloses no other function associated with
such gravity sensor and its coupled processor.
Problem to be solved
The method as described above may well solve the problem of a correctly
positioned x-ray detector but that is out-of alignment with respect to the
corresponding x-ray source.
The issue of ensuring that the correct x-ray detector is selected in a multi-panel
environment, and that such selected x-ray detector is positioned in the correct
exposure stand of the medical imaging system wherein the planned radiographic
exposure is planned, is not addressed in the above specification. Nor is it
addressed there that even if such detector is placed in the correct exposure stand,
that is is in spatial alignment with the radiographic source in said stand.
As a result hereof there remains a need for an easy and convenient method for
ensuring that in a planned radiographic exposure the selected x-ray detector is
correctly positioned in the exposure stand of the medical imaging system, before
any such radiographic exposure takes place.
The aim and purpose of the invention is to avoid the abovementioned problems by
providing such an effective method and corresponding processor.
Summary of the invention.
The abovementioned aspects are realised by means of the processor and the
method as described in the independent claims set forth hereinafter.
Specific features of preferred embodiments of the invention are set forth in the
dependent claims.
Further advantages and embodiments of the present invention are clarified in the
description that follows.
Description of the invention :
According to the present invention, a method is provided for controlling for a
planned radiographic exposure the spatial position of a portable digital direct xray
detector in a medical imaging system comprising multiple radiographic
exposure stands , said method comprising the following steps :
° creating a threedimensional spatial model of the medical imaging system ;
° determining within said model the spatial position of said detector based on
input received from three gravity sensors installed within said detector;
° determining within said model a three-dimensional volume space for each
radiographic exposure stand comprised in said medical imaging system;
° checking whether for the planned radiographic exposure the spatial position of
said detector to be used in said exposure fits within the three-dimensional volume
space of the radiographic exposure stand to be used in said exposure.
According to a preferred embodiment of such method, the threedimensional
spatial model of the medical imaging system comprises reference spatial positions
for said detector.
According to a further preferred embodiment, said reference spatial positions for
the detector relate to one or more of the following stands : wall, table, storage
and/or docking position.
According to a further preferred embodiment, the spatial position of said detector
is determined on the movement of said detector relative to said reference points
by double integration of acceleration values as measured by accelerometer sensors
comprised in the gravity sensors installed on said detector.
Further according to the invention, a processor is provided for controlling for a
planned radiographic exposure the spatial position of a portable digital direct xray
detector in a medical imaging system comprising multiple radiographic
exposure stands, said processor comprising the following means :
° means for creating a threedimensional spatial model of the medical imaging
system;
° means for determining within said model the spatial position of said detector
based on input received from three gravity sensors installed within said detector;
° means for determining within said model a three-dimensional volume space for
each radiographic exposure stand comprised in said medical imaging system;
° means for checking whether for the planned radiographic exposure the spatial
position of said detector to be used in said exposure fits within the threedimensional
volume space of the radiographic exposure stand to be used in said
exposure.
According to a preferred embodiment, the threedimensional spatial model of the
medical imaging system comprises reference spatial positions for said detector.
Said reference spatial positions for the detector may relate to one or more of the
following stands : wall, table, storage and/or docking position.
According to a further preferred embodiment, the gravity sensors installed within
said detector comprise accelerometer sensors, and the spatial position of said
detector is determined on the movement of the detector relative to said reference
points by double integration of acceleration values as measured by said
accelerometer sensors.
According to a further preferred embodiment, apart from the accelerometers for
determining the spatial position of the detector, said detector also comprises a
gyroscope to determine the orientation of the detector.
In a further preferred embodiment of the invention the above processor is part of
the radiographic work station of a medical imaging system.
According to a still further preferred embodiment, the medical imaging system
comprises an x-ray source provided with means for determining its spacial
position, said position being communicated to the radiographic workstation.
Tracking means can then be provided enabling the (re-)positioning of this x-ray
source to be in alignment with the detector.
According to a preferred embodiment, the x-ray detector comprises one or more
accelerometers as gravity sensors.
To determine the translation of an object, such as an x-ray detector, three onedimensional
accelerometers, or one three-dimensional (3G-) accelerometer is
preferably used.
So as to obtain spatial or positional information from accelerometer sensors, the
measured values of acceleration (in 1, 2 or 3 axes) preferably are integrated twice.
Asingle integration will lead to the velocity (in all 3 axes), a subsequent
integration of the velocity will yield the positional information (in all 3 axes).
Care should be taken to rule out earth's gravity effect.
In the formulae below, a denotes acceleration, v denotes velocity, t denotes time
and s position.
a = dv/dt and v = ds/dt so a = d 2s/d 2t
thus s= v dt = ( a dt) dt
Asimple double integration of such acceleration values will only provide relative
position or differences in position in all 3 axes.
As not only the relative position, but also the absolute position of a detector should
be determined, the reference position of the detector must be determined prior to
the motion of the detector.
As an example illustrative for the operation of the present invention, an x-ray
detector may be equipped with 3 accelerometers, 1 for each axis of the detector x,
y and z .
Prior to operation of a planned radiographic exposure, the x-ray detector is placed
in its 'home' position and remains motionless. Then a calibration is performed
which leads to initial position values xO, yOand zO. This home position can be a
predetermined position within the medical imaging system.
Positions of interest in the radiology unit (DR modality positions like table and
wallstand) must be determined also. This usually is performed at the time of initial
installation of the medical imaging system.
Such positions of interest are then calculated as xl
Documents
Orders
Section
Controller
Decision Date
Application Documents
#
Name
Date
1
10729-DELNP-2014-IntimationOfGrant14-03-2024.pdf
2024-03-14
1
GPA.pdf
2014-12-23
2
10729-DELNP-2014-PatentCertificate14-03-2024.pdf
2024-03-14
2
Form 5.pdf
2014-12-23
3
Form 3.pdf
2014-12-23
3
10729-DELNP-2014-Written submissions and relevant documents [21-02-2024(online)].pdf
2024-02-21
4
Complete Specification.pdf
2014-12-23
4
10729-DELNP-2014-Correspondence to notify the Controller [09-02-2024(online)].pdf