Patent · US Active

Minimum background estimation for peripheral equalization

US9901319B2 · kind B2 · utility

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1References

20Claims

0Family size

Assignee

KONINIKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V. · NL

Inventors

Frank Bergner · Hamburg, DE
Hanno Homann · Hamburg, DE
Andre Goossen · Radbruch, DE
Hanns-Ingo Maack · Norderstedt, DE

Key dates

Filing date	Nov 16, 2015
Grant date	Feb 27, 2018
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Nov 16, 2035

Classification

Technology area (CPC G)Physics
CPC primaryG06T2207/30068
WIPO fieldMedical technology
WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

The invention relates to peripheral equalization during a mammography X-ray examination. High contrast tissue pixel values are removed from the background estimate by finding the minimum intensity values of the pixel located in the neighborhood, which have approximately the same distance to the skin line. Thus, high attenuating pixel values may be removed from the estimate and replaced by lower attenuating tissue pixel values. After a minimum filtration, a conventional peripheral equalization is performed. This may result in less overshoots and intensity values for higher attenuating structures in the peripheral region may become more consistent with intensity values for higher attenuating structures in the fully compressed region.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.