Computerized detection of masses and microcalcifications in digital mammograms
US5627907A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 1, 1994 |
| Grant date | May 6, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 1, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06V20/69
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Method and apparatus for detecting abnormal regions such as masses and microcalcifications in living tissue depicted in radiographs such as mammograms is presented by digitizing the radiograph to produce a digitized radiograph, and, by computer, identifying, according to predetermined criteria, any suspected abnormal regions; and for each identified suspected abnormal region, extracting multiple topographic layers of the region from the digitized radiograph; and evaluating the extracted multiple topographic layers' abnormal regions to determine whether the region is an abnormal region; and displaying the abnormal regions in a version of the radiograph. Layers are extracted by thresholding the digital radiograph at a particular threshold value for each topographic layer. The threshold value for each other layer is based on the threshold and contrast values in a previous layer.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.