Method for operating an X-ray device and X-ray device
阅读说明:本技术 用于运行x射线装置的方法和x射线装置 (Method for operating an X-ray device and X-ray device ) 是由 安德烈亚斯·菲塞尔曼 路德维希·里奇尔 朱莉娅·维克莱因 玛格达莱娜·赫布斯特 克里斯托弗· 于 2019-07-25 设计创作,主要内容包括:一种用于运行X射线装置(1)的方法,其中记录患者(6)的一系列图像,并且包括至少一个X射线辐射器(3)的记录装置(2)在记录该系列图像期间在扫描方向上沿着患者(6)运动,其中通过评估示出患者(6)的至少两个相同特征的不同图像,求取所述特征中的至少一个的深度信息,其中与描述记录装置(10)沿着扫描方向的位置的位置信息相关地,操控X射线辐射器(3)的准直器(9)的准直器开口,以沿着扫描方向改变由X射线辐射器(3)产生的辐射场的张角。(A method for operating an X-ray device (1), in which a series of images of a patient (6) is recorded and a recording device (2) comprising at least one X-ray emitter (3) is moved along the patient (6) in a scanning direction during the recording of the series of images, wherein depth information of at least one of the features is ascertained by evaluating different images which show at least two identical features of the patient (6), wherein a collimator opening of a collimator (9) of the X-ray emitter (3) is actuated in dependence on position information which describes a position of the recording device (10) in the scanning direction in order to vary an opening angle of a radiation field generated by the X-ray emitter (3) in the scanning direction.)
1. A method for operating an X-ray apparatus (1), in which a series of images of a patient (6) is recorded and a recording apparatus (2) comprising at least one X-ray emitter (3) is moved along the patient (6) in a scanning direction during the recording of the series of images, wherein depth information of at least one of the features is ascertained by evaluating different images which show at least two identical features of the patient (6),
it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,
in connection with position information describing the position of the recording device (2) along the scanning direction, a collimator opening of a collimator (9) of the X-ray irradiator (3) is manipulated to vary an opening angle of a radiation field generated by the X-ray irradiator (3) along the scanning direction.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second light sources are selected from the group consisting of,
it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,
the position information describes an anatomical position describing an instantaneous positioning of the recording device (2) with respect to the patient (6).
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first and second light sources are selected from the group consisting of,
it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,
the anatomical position is determined from image data recorded by means of an optical camera (25) of the X-ray device (1) and/or the anatomical position is determined from at least one already recorded image of the series of images.
4. The method according to claim 2 or 3,
it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,
the anatomical position is determined from spatial positions describing the instantaneous distance of the recording device (2) from the start or end of its movement.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first and second light sources are selected from the group consisting of,
it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,
the association of different anatomical positions with different spatial positions is performed by a user input into a computing device (7) of the X-ray device (1) and/or by manually moving the recording device (2) into a spatial position corresponding to the anatomical position.
6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims,
it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,
an anatomical landmark is determined from at least one image of the series of images, wherein at least one depth information is determined for the anatomical landmark.
7. The method according to any one of the preceding claims,
it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,
the correlation of the collimator opening with the anatomical position is carried out in relation to correlation information which is stored in particular in a computing device (7) of the X-ray device (1).
8. The method according to any one of the preceding claims,
it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,
manipulating the collimator opening of the collimator (9) of the X-ray irradiator (3) to change an opening angle of a radiation field generated by the X-ray irradiator (3) orthogonal to the scanning direction in dependence on the position information.
9. The method according to any one of the preceding claims,
it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,
in addition to the collimator opening of the collimator (9) of the X-ray irradiator (3), at least one further recording parameter of the X-ray apparatus (1) is changed, wherein in particular as recording parameter: the scanning speed of the recording device (2) and/or the tube current-time product of the X-ray emitter (3) and/or the voltage of the X-ray emitter (3) and/or the X-ray focus-patient distance of the X-ray emitter (3).
10. The method according to any one of the preceding claims,
it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,
at least one X-ray detector (4) is used, which comprises a recording device (2) and is opposite the at least one X-ray emitter (3), wherein recording parameters of the at least one X-ray detector (4) are set in dependence on the position information.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first and second light sources are selected from the group consisting of,
it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,
as a recording parameter of the X-ray detector (4), a collimator opening of a collimator of the X-ray detector (4) and/or a detector input dose and/or an X-ray focal point-detector spacing and/or an angle formed by a central beam (15) of the radiation field and a detector normal of the X-ray detector (3) is changed.
12. The method according to any one of the preceding claims,
it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,
a synthetic radiographic image is generated from the series of images, which is supplemented by at least one depth information of the relevant anatomical region as additional information, and/or a 3D tomosynthesis data set is generated from the series of images.
13. An X-ray device comprising a computing device (7) and a recording device (2), wherein the recording device (2) comprises at least one X-ray irradiator (7) with a collimator (9), and the computing device (7) is designed for carrying out the method according to one of the preceding claims.
14. A computer program comprising instructions which, when executed by a computing device (7) of an X-ray device (1), cause the computing device (7) to carry out the method according to any one of claims 1 to 12.
15. An electronically readable memory medium comprising the computer program according to claim 14.
Technical Field
The invention relates to a method for operating an X-ray device, wherein a series of images of a patient is recorded and a recording device comprising at least one X-ray emitter is moved along the patient in a scanning direction during the recording of the series of images, wherein depth information of at least one of the features is determined by evaluating different images showing at least two identical features of the patient. Furthermore, the invention relates to an X-ray device, a computer program and an electronically readable memory medium.
Background
In order to ascertain orthopaedic problems, X-ray images of the patient are usually recorded, which show a longer body section of the patient, for example the spine or the leg from the hip to the foot. For recording such images, Slot-Scan radiography (SSR) can be used, for example. In SSR, the X-ray tube and the X-ray detector are moved simultaneously along the axis of the patient, while the X-ray beam is extremely collimated by a slit (einkollimieren). By means of extreme collimation, i.e. by means of a small field angle of the radiation field generated by the X-ray tube, the scattered radiation generated during the image recording is reduced, so that the patient experiences a smaller radiation dose with a similar image quality in relation to one or more combined standard radiographic images.
Another recording technique for image recording of longer body segments provides Parallel Scan Tomosynthesis (PST). This provides the following advantages over SSRs: by means of the reconstruction, a 3D tomosynthesis data record can be generated, by means of which the overlap of the anatomical structures can be at least partially reduced. In this case, the collimator of the X-ray radiation source is set such that a relatively large opening angle of the generated radiation field results. The image recording is then carried out such that, when recording a series of images, as large an overlapping region of the radiation field as possible is obtained between the recordings. Thereby, 3D information can be generated when anatomical features of the patient are recorded under different viewing directions. Such a method is described for example in US 8693622B 2. Compared to SSR, PST has the disadvantage that the patient is subjected to a higher radiation dose during image recording due to the overlapping radiation field.
Disclosure of Invention
The present invention is therefore based on the object of specifying an improved method for operating an X-ray apparatus, which enables images to be recorded with corresponding depth information with as little radiation exposure of the patient as possible.
In order to achieve the object, it is proposed according to the invention that the collimator opening of the collimator of the X-ray emitter is actuated in dependence on positional information which describes the position of the recording device in the scanning direction in order to vary the opening angle of the radiation field generated by the X-ray emitter in the scanning direction.
The solution according to the invention provides the advantage that anatomical structures and/or features of a patient that differ along the scanning direction can be imaged with radiation fields that are broadened to different extents, so that depth information about features shown in at least two images at different viewing angles can be derived from the resulting images. At the same time, however, images can be recorded during the recording of the images by means of a reduced collimator opening in regions of the patient where no depth information is required for examination purposes or for anatomical properties of the region, and thus by means of a smaller opening angle of the radiation field. In this way, the radiation dose to which the patient is exposed can be advantageously reduced in the region in question during the image acquisition and, in general, for the entire acquisition of a series of images. That is to say, the method according to the invention makes it possible, when recording a series of images of a patient in the scanning direction, to record the images with a more widely spread radiation field for depth information or with a narrower radiation field for a reduction in the radiation dose, depending on the position of the recording device. This advantageously makes it possible to record images with a more widely spread radiation field only in regions in which depth information is also required subsequently, and to reduce the radiation exposure for the patient in regions in which depth information is not required.
The X-ray irradiator of the X-ray apparatus produces, in particular, a fan beam or a cone beam, wherein the opening angle can be varied along the scanning direction, i.e. along the direction along which the recording apparatus is moved during recording of a series of images, by actuating the collimator of the radiation source. The individual images of the series of images are generated in each case at different positions of the recording device, so that the images each show different parts or different sections of the patient. The degree of overlap of the individual successively recorded images is also dependent on the opening angle in addition to the distance between the positions of the recording devices, so that large overlaps between the recording regions of the individual subsequently recorded images can be used in the regions in which depth information is to be generated, and the overlap regions can be reduced as far as possible in regions in which depth information is not required. It is clear that small overlap regions between the respective successively recorded images can also be left in the regions in which depth information should not be generated, so that said overlap regions can subsequently be stitched into a joint image, for example by image stitching.
During the recording of a series of images, the relative positioning between the recording device and the patient changes. It is possible here for the recording device to be moved along a stationary patient, or for the recording device to be stationary and the patient to be moved relative to the recording device. It is also conceivable for the patient and the movement of the recording device to move the recording device relative to the patient. The patient can be supported in the X-ray device standing or lying on the respective patient support device.
According to the invention, it can be provided that the position information describes the instantaneous position of the recording device with respect to an anatomical position describing the patient. The relationship between the spatial position of the recording device, i.e. its position along the axis running in the scanning direction, and the anatomical position, i.e. the positioning of the recording device relative to the patient, can depend, for example, on how high the patient is and how the patient is supported in the X-ray apparatus. The position information can thus advantageously describe the anatomical position of the patient, so that the collimator opening can be set in accordance with the region of the patient currently to be recorded. The possibility of setting the collimator opening of the collimator of the X-ray irradiator in relation to the anatomical position of the patient makes it possible to: individual anatomical regions with a relatively large opening angle are registered in a targeted manner to generate depth information, while other regions in which depth information is not desired or required are registered with a smaller opening angle to reduce the radiation dose.
For example, when recording a leg of a patient from the hip to the foot, the collimator can be set such that depth information is generated for at least one anatomical feature of the patient only in the region of the hip, knee and ankle joint, so that the image is recorded with a larger opening angle of the radiation field in this region. In other regions, in particular in regions with less complex anatomical structures, images can be recorded with a reduced field angle in order to reduce the radiation dose. In the case of leg recording, therefore, a smaller opening angle can be used in the region of the thigh and the lower leg of the patient, since there is only a respective non-intersecting bone over a relatively large length. The following selections can be made individually for each recording of a series of images and in relation to the examination purpose: for which anatomical features depth information is generated and for which anatomical features depth information is not generated, how to steer the collimator according to the anatomical position.
In order to determine the anatomical position of the patient, it can be provided according to the invention that the anatomical position is determined from image data recorded by means of an optical camera of the X-ray device and/or the anatomical position is determined from at least one already recorded image of the series of images. The optical camera can be arranged on the recording device, for example, so as to be movable with the recording device or fixed in position on the X-ray device. The image data produced by the camera shows the patient or a part of the patient. The image data can also show the position of the recording device and in particular the real-time image data. It is also possible for the image data, in particular in the case of an optical camera arranged on the recording device, to be generated from the current position of the recording device as a viewing angle. From the image data generated by the optical camera, the current anatomical position of the recording device can then be determined. As the optical camera, a 3D camera can be used, for example.
It is also possible that the current anatomical position of the recording device is determined from at least one already recorded image of the series of images. In this regard, for example, the anatomical structure to be recognized on the image can be associated with the anatomical position of the patient. The determination of the anatomical position can be performed, for example, via software and/or via a computing device of the X-ray device. In this case, for example, the anatomical region of the image recorded by means of the subsequent X-ray scan can be predicted by real-time analysis of the last recorded X-ray image. This can be done, for example, taking into account an anatomical atlas and a known body proportion of the patient and/or taking into account an already existing X-ray scan. Obviously, it is also possible to realize the anatomical data by combining the evaluation of the image data of the optical camera and the evaluation of the last recorded X-ray image.
Additionally or alternatively, it is possible that the anatomical position is determined from a spatial position describing a temporal distance of the recording device from its start or end point of the movement. In this case, it can be provided that the anatomical position is correlated with the spatial position along the scanning direction, for example in relation to the size of the patient and/or the positioning of the patient in the X-ray device. If, for example, the size of the patient is known and the patient is positioned in a defined position, the anatomical position of the patient corresponding to the current spatial position can be deduced in relation to the instantaneous distance of the recording device from the start or end of its movement in the scanning direction.
According to the invention, it can be provided that the association of different anatomical positions with different spatial positions is effected by a user input into a computing device of the X-ray device and/or by a manual movement of the recording device into a spatial position corresponding to the anatomical position. The user input can be made, for example, by an operator of the X-ray apparatus. The correlation between the anatomical position and the spatial position of the patient can be achieved, for example, by measuring the patient and subsequently inputting the measured values obtained by the measurement. In addition or alternatively thereto, it is possible to move the recording device manually into the spatial position, wherein the spatial position set thereby is then associated with the particular anatomical position of the patient via a user input into the computing device, so that the respective anatomical position is known for the subsequent measurement for one or more spatial positions.
It is to be noted that, in addition to the variants described here, it is generally also possible to use the current or to be performed registration of the patient by means of an X-ray device, in particular if such a registration is to be performed anyway. In this case, for example, a model of the patient can be positioned in the coordinate system of the X-ray apparatus, in which the current spatial position of the recording apparatus or the examination table is also present. Suitably, the registration is tracked as the patient moves.
According to the invention, it can be provided that an anatomical marking is determined from at least one image of the series of images, wherein at least one depth information is determined for the anatomical marking. The determination of the at least one depth information can be made from at least two images showing anatomical landmarks. It can also be provided that a plurality of depth information is determined for the anatomical markers, for example in order to identify the profile of the expanded marker, or that a plurality of markers are determined from the series of images, with the depth information being determined in relation to the series of images. In particular, it can be provided that the anatomical marking is determined from the acquired images automatically by a computing device of the X-ray device, in particular also taking into account an image analysis of the recorded series of images. It is clear that from at least one image of the series of images anatomical landmarks can be determined even without taking into account or determining depth information belonging to the landmarks, for example if landmarks are used for subsequent 2D measurements.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, it can be provided that the correlation of the collimator opening with the anatomical position is carried out as a function of correlation information stored, in particular, in a computing device of the X-ray device. Therefore, in the X-ray device, it is possible to store: by means of which collimator opening good results can be obtained in the majority of patients of the representative patient group with respect to generating depth information and/or determining anatomical landmarks with sufficient accuracy.
According to the invention, it can be provided that the collimator opening of the collimator of the X-ray emitter is manipulated in dependence on the position information in order to change the opening angle of the radiation field generated by the X-ray emitter orthogonally to the scanning direction. By varying the angle of the radiation field orthogonally to the scanning direction, the image recording can be matched to the relevant width of the area to be recorded. In this way, the radiation exposure of the patient can be further reduced. Lateral collimation into a change of the slit, i.e. the opening angle, orthogonal to the scanning direction can be performed in particular depending on the anatomical position, parallel to the scanning direction, depending on the angle. For example, the setting of the collimator opening can be carried out while recording the spine of the patient, so that the ribs of the patient, which are laterally connected to the spine, are not recorded together.
According to the invention, it can be provided that, in addition to the collimator opening of the collimator of the X-ray emitter, at least one further recording parameter of the X-ray device is changed, wherein in particular the scanning speed of the recording device and/or the X-ray focus-patient distance and/or the voltage of the X-ray emitter and/or the tube current-time product of the X-ray emitter are used as recording parameters. The value of the recording parameter can also be correlated with the determined anatomical position in the X-ray device with respect to at least one other recording parameter. This advantageously makes it possible for individual images of the series of images to be recorded as a function of the current anatomical position of the recording device. It is thus possible to achieve the best possible image quality for each individual image of the series of images and/or to achieve the least possible radiation exposure to the patient.
According to the invention, it can be provided that a recording device is used which comprises at least one X-ray detector opposite at least one X-ray emitter, wherein recording parameters of the at least one X-ray detector are set in dependence on the position information. This makes it possible to set the X-ray detector in relation to the current anatomical position of the patient in addition to the X-ray radiation, as a result of which the image quality of the image showing the anatomical structures present in the current anatomical position can be further improved.
Furthermore, it can be provided according to the invention that, as recording parameters of the X-ray detector, the collimator opening of the collimator of the X-ray detector and/or the detector input dose and/or the X-ray focal point detector spacing and/or the angle formed by the central beam of the radiation field and the detector normal of the X-ray detector is changed. By changing the collimator opening of the collimator of the X-ray detector, shielding of scattered radiation can be influenced, for example, whereby an improvement of the image quality can be achieved. A change in the detector input dose and/or the X-ray focus-detector spacing can also contribute to a further reduction of the radiation exposure to the patient to be examined, in addition to an improvement in the image quality of one or more recorded images. The change in the angle between the central beam of the radiation field and the detector normal of the X-ray detector can be produced by tilting the X-ray radiator and/or by tilting the X-ray detector. With regard to the collimator opening of the collimator of the X-ray detector and the detector input dose, the X-ray focus-detector spacing and the angle between the central beam and the detector normal, it can be provided that the correlation of the respective values is stored in each case in relation to the anatomical position in the X-ray apparatus.
According to the invention, it can be provided that a synthetic radiographic image is generated from the series of images, which is supplemented by at least one depth information item of the relevant anatomical region as additional information, and/or that a 3D tomosynthesis data set is generated from the series of images. As a synthetic radiograph, for example, the series of images can be shown to the doctor visually and in a time-saving manner. The 3D tomosynthesis data set created from the series of images can be used, for example, to perform a forward projection at a site where depth information is present for a different viewing angle than the viewing angle at which the series of images was recorded. The structures that are superimposed in the recorded images or in the two-dimensional synthetic radiographs that are generated from said images can therefore be shown differently depending on the depth information. The viewing angle for the forward projection can be selected in relation to the depth information, so that, for example, the spatial separation of the anatomical structures can be shown as well as possible. Obviously, forward projection can also be performed based on the 3D tomosynthesis data set generated from the series of image data at a site where no depth information exists.
In addition or alternatively thereto, a synthetic radiographic image can be created from the 3D tomosynthesis data set by: the anatomical region determined in the forward projection is not taken into account. In this case, anatomical structures are segmented first in the 3D tomosynthesis data set and unimportant structures can be masked. Thus, the overlap of anatomical structures is reduced in the synthetic radiographs. For example, the patient's ribs can be segmented and masked while the patient's spine is being recorded.
It is also possible to show the depth information in the radiographs, for example as a color coding of one or more anatomical features. In addition or alternatively thereto, a 3D tomosynthesis data set can also be generated from the series of images, which 3D tomosynthesis data set contains, at least for a part of the recorded region, a three-dimensional map of the anatomy of the patient at the location. In this case, different, in principle known reconstruction methods can be used, which use recordings with different viewing angles.
For the X-ray device according to the invention, it is proposed that the X-ray device comprises a computing device and a recording device, wherein the recording device comprises at least one X-ray emitter with a collimator and the computing device is designed to carry out the method according to the invention.
With regard to the computer program according to the invention, it is proposed according to the invention that the computer program comprises instructions which, when executed by a computing device of the X-ray device, cause the computing device to carry out the method according to the invention.
For the electronically readable memory medium according to the invention, it is proposed that the computer program according to the invention is stored on the electronically readable memory medium.
All the advantages and embodiments described in relation to the method according to the invention apply accordingly also to the X-ray device according to the invention, to the computer program according to the invention and to the electronically readable memory medium according to the invention.
Drawings
Further advantages and details of the invention emerge from the exemplary embodiments described below and from the figures. Shown here are:
figure 1 shows a schematic view of an X-ray device according to the invention,
figure 2 shows a schematic principle view of image recording by means of a large opening angle,
figure 3 shows a schematic principle view of image recording by means of a small opening angle,
figure 4 shows a schematic diagram of the steps of the method according to the invention,
figure 5 shows a schematic view of further steps of the method according to the invention,
fig. 6 shows a graph showing the dependence of the opening angle of the collimator on the scanning direction,
and
fig. 7 shows a schematic representation of a total image generated from a series of images recorded by means of the method according to the invention.
Detailed Description
In fig. 1 a schematic view of an
The
The recording device 2 is movable in the scanning direction along an
In the
The method according to the invention for operating an
The effect of the
Fig. 3 shows the image recording in
Fig. 4 shows a step of the method according to the invention. It is proposed for the method according to the invention that the
Fig. 4 shows the recording of an image in position P1, which image is located in the hip region of the patient. Due to the spatially overlapping anatomical structures of the hip joints as in the hip region of the
In fig. 5, a further method step of the method according to the invention is shown, in which an image recording takes place in the middle of the upper limb of the
Different collimator openings can thus be used for different positions P1 to P9 along the leg of the
In fig. 6 a diagram is shown which plots the collimator opening along the scanning direction, here indicated by the letter α along the z axis, except for the largest collimator opening in the positions P1, P5 and P9 and the smallest collimator opening in the region of the positions P3 and P7, in which case intermediate values are set at the positions P2, P4, P6 and P8, which intermediate values lie between the largest collimator opening and the smallest collimator opening, that is to say, with reference to the example shown in the preceding fig. 4 and 5, images are recorded with the largest collimator opening in the hip region (P1), in the knee region (P5) and in the region of the ankle joint (P9), while images are recorded with the smallest collimator opening in the region of the upper limb (P3) and lower limb (P7) while images are recorded with the smallest collimator opening in the region of the largest and smallest collimator opening (P2, and the intermediate values are recorded in a number different from the intermediate collimator openings that are recorded in the image recording step of the series, which is not selected during the following processing steps of which is possible, which is performed with the most collimator opening, or the intermediate collimator opening is not selected, which is the invention, which is the most collimator opening, the most collimator opening is the intermediate collimator opening of the collimator opening is not selected, the most collimator opening, which is the intermediate collimator opening, which is recorded in the image recording step of the image is recorded in the case, which is recorded, which is not the case of the image recording step of the image is recorded.
Fig. 7 shows a
It is clear that a different association of the collimator openings with the anatomical structure is also possible than described in the above example. For example, it can also be desirable to generate depth information in regions of the upper limb, for example in the presence of a fracture of the upper limb, in which regions depth information is not required for medical problems in the surrounding regions, for example in the knee and hip.
Although the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the context of preferred embodiments, the invention is not limited to the examples disclosed and other variants can be derived therefrom by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of protection of the invention.
List of reference numerals:
1X-ray device
2 recording device
3X-ray radiator
4X-ray detector
5 patient support device
6 patients
7 calculating device
8 arrow head
9 collimator
10 opening angle
11X-ray field
12 axes of rotation
13 starting point
14 terminal point
15 intermediate beam
16 arrow head
17 position
18 position
21 structure
22 structure
23 arrow head
24 overlap region
25 Camera
26 legs
27 total image
28 images
29 hatching line
Position P1-P9
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