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  Integrated x-ray and ultrasound medical imaging systemUSPTO Application #: 20070276233Title: Integrated x-ray and ultrasound medical imaging system Abstract: An integrated x-ray and ultrasound medical imaging system is provided, wherein a radiation detection means and ultrasound transducer may be disposed for scanning movement for image acquisition along either the same or substantially coincidental paths. The radiation detection means and ultrasound transducer may be advantageously located on the same side of the imaged body portion: The x-ray and ultrasound imaging operations may be sequential, partially overlapping, or synchronous. By virtue of the noted arrangement, increased accuracy and medical efficiencies can be realized. (end of abstract) Agent: Cooper & Dunham, LLP - New York, NY, US Inventors: Guy M. Besson, Morgan W. Nields USPTO Applicaton #: 20070276233 - Class: 600437000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Surgery, Diagnostic Testing, Detecting Nuclear, Electromagnetic, Or Ultrasonic Radiation, Ultrasonic The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070276233. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to medical imaging systems, and more particularly, to an improved system that combinatively employs x-ray imaging and ultrasound imaging in a manner thai yields enhanced accuracy and multiple efficiencies. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] The advantages of early detection of potential lesions and suspicious masses within bodily tissue have been well-established. Increasingly, screening for common cancers of the breast, lung, colon, and prostate has gained support and acceptance in the medical community, but improvements in the sensitivity and specificity of the techniques remain key and are readily identifiable objectives. [0003] Of particular interest is the area of mammographic screening. After a given age or maturity, normally beginning at age 40, it is common for women to undergo periodic examinations, wherein film-based and/or digital x-ray screening mammograms are obtained. While significant advances have been made, current screening approaches may provide mammograms with insufficient "sensitivity" to allow for the detection of the presence of a potential lesion, thereby resulting in a "false negative". Further, current screening approaches may provide mammograms with insufficient "specificity" to allow for accurate characterization of detected suspicion tissue masses, thereby potentially resulting in "false positives". [0004] Presently, in the event of an equivocal screening mammogram, a callback examination may be conducted, wherein a diagnostic mammogram is obtained and/or an ultrasound imaging procedure is performed, thereby entailing another patient office visit, additional medical personnel time and increased cost. More particularly, an ultrasound examination may be utilized (e.g. as opposed to a biopsy) to rule out the presence of a solid mass. In this regard, current practice can entail free-hand ultrasound imaging during which a specialist manipulates a hand-held probe relative to a patient's breast while viewing a display to obtain depth-profile information. As may be appreciated, the ability to mentally correlate such depth-profile information with the location of a potential lesion/suspicious mass visualized on an x-ray image can be quite challenging, thereby sometimes compromising characterization efforts. Moreover, such procedures are time consuming and entail significant expertise. These considerations present significant limitations to the realization of increased efficacies and efficiencies of practice. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0005] In view of the foregoing, a primary objective of the present invention is to provide a medical imaging system that reduces instances of undetected malignancies (e.g. false negatives) and/or falsely characterized non-malignancies (e.g. false positives) by providing increased sensitivity and specificity. [0006] Another objective of the present invention is to provide a medical imaging system that reduces the need of callbacks for patients undergoing screening examinations. [0007] Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a medical imaging system that improves overall efficiencies in the delivery of medical screening services. [0008] A further objective of the present invention is to provide a medical imaging system that is patient and user-friendly in implementation, including in particular patient screening applications. [0009] One or more of the above objectives and additional advantages are realized by the present invention. An inventive apparatus includes a radiation source for transmitting a radiation signal through a selected region of a patient's body, and a radiation detection means for receiving a portion of the radiation signal passing through the selected body region and providing a first image signal responsive thereto. Further, the apparatus includes at least one ultrasound transducer for sending/receiving an ultrasound signal into/from the selected region of the patient's body and providing a second image signal responsive thereto. The radiation detection means and ultrasound transducer may be disposed in known spatial relation to a predetermined imaging frame of reference in which the selected body region may be immobilized, wherein the first and second image signals may be readily correlated and otherwise processed for the generation and display of images to medical personnel (e.g. specialists located at a patient screening site or a networked location). [0010] More particularly, and in one aspect, the inventive apparatus may be provided so that the radiation detection means and ultrasound transducer are each operable for scanning movement relative to the selected body region along the same or substantially coincidental paths during image acquisition (e.g. parallel, linear or arcuate paths). In this regard, the radiation detection means and ultrasound transducer may each be of a width that is less than a width of the selected body region, wherein the noted scanning movement allows the entirety of the selected body region to be progressively, or incrementally, imaged with enhanced results. For example, the radiation signal may be substantially focused upon and scanned in synchronous relation with the radiation detection means to reduce scattering effects and otherwise yield high detection quantum efficiencies. Relatedly, it may be preferable for one or both of the radiation detection means and ultrasound transducer to have corresponding lengths that are at least as great as the length of the selected body region. In turn, image acquisition for the entire selected body region may be achieved via a single scanning movement, or pass, of the radiation detection means and/or ultrasound transducer across the width of selected body region, wherein temporal decorrelation effects may be reduced. Alternatively, one or both of the radiation detection means and ultrasound transducer may be of a length that is less than the length of the selected body region, wherein a plurality of scanning movements along parallel paths may be utilized (e.g. via raster, bi-directional or return carriage, unidirectional imaging arrangements). [0011] The radiation detection means may comprise an array of radiation detector elements and the ultrasound transducer may comprise an array of ultrasound transducer elements, wherein each of the arrays are positioned or positionable in known spatial relation relative to the imaging frame of reference. Further, the array of radiation detector elements and array of ultrasound transducer elements may be positioned or positionable so that the row(s)/column(s) thereof are disposed in a like relationship relative to their respective scanning travel paths. For example, the element row(s) of each of the arrays may be oriented substantially perpendicular to their corresponding scanning travel paths and the element column(s) of each of the arrays may be oriented substantially parallel to their corresponding scanning travel paths, wherein such scanning travel paths are the same or substantially coincidental. [0012] To effect scanning movement, the radiation detection means and ultrasound transducer may be operably interconnected to a common or separate corresponding drive means (e.g. one or more stepper motor(s)) for moving the radiation detection means and ultrasound transducer in a controlled manner relative to the predetermined imaging frame of reference. Preferably, the drive means may be provided so that the radiation detection means and ultrasound transducer may each be scanned at corresponding predetermined and substantially constant velocities, wherein such velocities may be the same or different. For example, the detection means and ultrasound transducer may be driven for at least partially synchronous scanning, preferably at substantially the same, constant velocity. Alternatively, radiation and ultrasound scanning may be conducted sequentially at the same or different corresponding velocities as may be desired due to varying acquisition system bandwidths. [0013] The radiation source and radiation detection means may be provided to maintain a substantially fixed distance therebetween throughout scanning. In this regard, the radiation source may be rotatable about and have a focal point located on a substantially fixed axis, and the radiation detection means may be disposed for movement along an arcuate path centered at the focal point of the radiation source during imaging. Further, the ultrasound transducer may also be provided for movement along a coincidental, arcuate path or along a linear path during imaging. [0014] In another aspect, the inventive apparatus may be provided so that the ultrasound transducer is disposed for scanning co-movement with and in fixed relation to the radiation detection means. In this regard, the radiation detection means and ultrasound transducer may be physically interconnected or interconnectable. For example, one of the radiation detection means and ultrasound transducer may be supportably carried by the other, wherein the carrier is supportably interconnected to a drive means. Alternatively, the radiation detector and ultrasound transducer may each be interconnected or interconnectable in known spatial relation to a common support member. [0015] According to a further aspect of the present invention, the inventive apparatus may be provided so that a selected region of the patient's body is positionable with (i.) the radiation source on a first side thereof, and (ii.) the radiation detection means and ultrasound transducer on an opposing, second side thereof. In one arrangement, the selected body region may be located in contact relation with a first side of a support layer, wherein the radiation detection means and ultrasound transducer are located or locatable on an opposing second side of the support layer for imaging through the support layer. As may be appreciated, the support layer should be both radiolucent and sonolucent to accommodate the passage of x-ray and ultrasound imaging signals therethrough. Further, an acoustic coupling means may be positioned or positionable in contact relation with both the ultrasound transducer and the second side of the support layer. For example, the acoustic coupling means may be sonolucent and flowable (e.g. conformable) to facilitate an acoustic interface between the ultrasound transducer and support layer. [0016] The support layer may be of an arcuate or planar (e.g. flat) configuration and may be of rigid or pliable construction. In turn, to facilitate the maintenance of a contact relationship between the ultrasound transducer, acoustic coupling means, support layer and selected body region, the ultrasound transducer may be disposed for scanning movement along a travel path that substantially coincides with the shape of the support layer (e.g. a coincidental arcuate or linear path). Additionally, to facilitate contact maintenance, the ultrasound transducer may be disposed for movement toward and away from the second side of the support layer during scanning movement. For example, the ultrasound transducer may be biased toward the support layer (e.g. spring-loaded along a slot mount in a support bracket). Further, the ultrasound transducer may be disposed to permit the pitch and/or attitude of the ultrasound transducer (e.g. relative to the support layer) to automatically adjust in response to local shape variations (e.g. variations caused by local tissue variations of a compressed breast deforming a pliable support member). For example, an ultrasound transducer may be mounted to a support bracket via a ball-joint or gimbal arrangement. [0017] In yet a further aspect of the present invention, the inventive apparatus may include a processor means for controlling operation of the radiation source, radiation detection means, ultrasound transducer and scanning drive means. More particularly, the processor means may control the drive means to effect scanning movement of and imaging operations by the radiation detection means and ultrasound transducer in a sequential, partially overlapping or substantially synchronous manner. [0018] Various embodiments of the inventive apparatus may employ one or more of the above-noted aspects and further additional features. Of note, the inventive apparatus may include a user interface means for displaying a plurality of images of the selected body region that are generated by the processor means utilizing image data obtained from the first and/or second image signals. More particularly, the user interface means may include a display and a user input for controlling the processor means, wherein a first image may be displayed and utilized to select at least a second image. For example, a user input (e.g. a mouse) may be provided to control positioning of a cursor relative to a region of interest on a displayed projection image generated from the x-ray image data (e.g. a projected XY plane image), wherein upon locating the cursor and corresponding user input (e.g. via clicking a mouse button), corresponding cross-cut, z-depth plane images may be generated by the processor means from the ultrasound image dataset and displayed to a user (e.g. YZ and XZ plane images extending through the region of interest). Further, the cursor may be positioned relative to a region of interest on one of the YZ or XZ plane images to obtain a desired XY plane image at a selected Z elevation, wherein such image is generated by the processor means from the ultrasound image dataset. As may be appreciated, the ultrasound image dataset may also be utilized to generate three-dimensional images of a region of interest. [0019] In other embodiments a pair of ultrasound transducers may be utilized. For example, a first ultrasound transducer may be disposed on a first side of the selected body region and a second ultrasound transducer may be located on an opposing, second side of the selected body region, wherein the first and second ultrasound transducers are preferably disposed in opposing, aligned relation. More particularly, the first ultrasound transducer may be disposed in contact relation with first acoustic coupling means which is disposed in contact relation with a support layer as described hereinabove. The second ultrasound transducer may be disposed in direction contact with a second acoustic coupling means that is disposed in contact relation with a compression member, wherein the selected body region is immobilized in contact relation between the support layer and the compression member. The utilization of a pair of ultrasound transducer allows for the obtainment of various tissue properties corresponding with the selected body region. For example, an ultrasound signal may be transmitted by the first ultrasound transducer and received by the second ultrasound transducer to yield tissue attenuation and/or signal velocity information, both of which types of information may be utilized to facilitate characterization of tissue masses within the selected body region. [0020] In yet further embodiments, an ultrasound image dataset obtained via one or a pair of ultrasound transducers may be processed to obtain Doppler image data. In turn, the Doppler image data may be utilized to measure the direction and velocity of blood flow in a tissue region of interest and to provide a visual display thereof (e.g. a color Doppler image). [0021] As may be appreciated, an inventive method is also provided for use in obtaining image data with respect to a selected region of a patient's body. The inventive method includes the steps of transmitting a radiation signal from a radiation source through the selected body region and moving a radiation detection means along a first path during the transmitting step, wherein the radiation detection means receives a portion of the radiation signal passing through the selected body region and provides a first image signal responsive thereto. The method further includes a step of displacing an ultrasound transducer along a second path, wherein the ultrasound transducer sends/receives an ultrasound signal from the selected body region as it travels along said second path and provides a second image signal responsive thereto. The method may further provide for processing the first and second image signals, and for the selective display of resultant images to medical personnel. Continue reading... Full patent description for Integrated x-ray and ultrasound medical imaging system Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Integrated x-ray and ultrasound medical imaging system patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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