The present invention relates generally to a camera used with a CT scanner that assists in providing technical support for the CT scanner and that can take external images of a patient in a fluoroscopy mode, provide for motion correction, CT scanner calibration, or image simulation.
A CT scanner takes a plurality of x-ray images of a part of a patient to create a three dimensional CT image. A prior art CT scanner includes a plurality of cameras that take external images of the patient. The cameras are each at a fixed location and do not move during a CT scan. A computer generates a three dimensional external image from the external images taken by the cameras. The three dimensional external image can then be associated with the three dimensional CT image. The cameras are only used to take external images of the patient for association with the three dimensional CT image. It would be beneficial if cameras could be used for other purposes.
If an operator of a prior CT scanner system requires technical assistance, he telephones a technician at an off-site technical support center. A drawback to this type of communication is that the technician cannot see the operator.
A CT scanner includes a gantry including an x-ray source and a detector. The x-ray source generates x-rays that are directed toward the detector that converts the x-rays to visible light and an array of photodetectors behind a converter to create an image. As the gantry rotates about a patient, the detector takes a plurality of x-ray images at a plurality of rotational positions, creating a three dimensional CT image.
In one example, a camera is located on a gantry of the CT scanner and is capable of taking images of an operator of the CT scanner. The images can be a photographic image or a video image. The images of the operator are sent by a computer to an off-site technical support center, where they are viewable by a technician to provide technical assistance. The off-site technical support center can also include a camera that is capable of taking images of the technician that can be viewed by the operator.
In another example, the camera takes external images of the patient when the CT scanner is operating in a fluoroscopy mode. The external images taken by the camera and the x-ray images taken by the CT scanner are provided to the computer and registered relative to each other.
In another example, the camera can take external images of the patient that can be used for motion tracking or motion correction of the three dimensional CT image. The computer evaluates both the external images and the x-rays images to determine if the patient has moved during the CT scan and uses this information to correct for the motion of the patient in the part of the three dimensional CT image that correlates to the time of movement.
In another example, the camera can be used with the CT scanner for soft-tissue simulation of an area of the patient to predict a post-operative appearance of the patient.
These and other features of the present invention will be best understood from the following specification and drawings.
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In another example, the camera 60 can be located anywhere in the room 96, such as at a fixed location near the CT scanner 10. In this example, the camera 60 is capable of taking images of both the operator O and the CT scanner 10.
In one example, the camera 60 can be used to help provide technical support for the CT scanner 10. The camera 60 is associated with the computer 30 or an external computer 115. If the operator O of the CT scanner 10 needs technical assistance with the CT scanner 10, the camera 60 can provide images 107 of the operator O to a technician T at an off-site technical support center 102. In one example, the images 107 taken by the camera 60 are displayed on a display 104 at the off-site technical support center 102 for viewing by the technician T. The display 104 is associated with a computer 117. The images 107 can be provided to the technician T through the Internet. The technician T views the images 107 taken by the camera 60 to help diagnose and solve problems associated with the CT scanner 10 or to answer the questions of the operator O. In one example, the camera 60 includes a microphone 111 that allows the operator O to speak over the Internet. The off-site technical support center 102 also includes a microphone 113 associated with the computer 117 that also allows the technician T to speak over the Internet. In another example, the operator O and the technician T can speak on a telephone 98 and 99, respectively, while the technician T views the images 107.
The off-site technical support center 102 can also include a camera 105 associated with the computer 117 that is capable of taking images 109 of the technician T. The room 96 includes a display 106 associated with the computer 115 (or the display 36 of the computer 30) that allows the operator O to view the images 109 of the technician T captured by the camera 105. In one example, the images 109 are sent to the operator O through the Internet. The operator O can view the technician T, who can show the operator O how to service the CT scanner 10. In this example, the cameras 60 and 105 each include a microphone 111 and 113, respectively, and the operator O and the technician T can both speak over the Internet.
The camera 60 can also be used during a CT scan. The computer 30 can associate each of the external images taken by the camera 60 to one of the x-ray images taken by the CT scanner 10.
In one example, when the CT scanner 10 is operating in a fluoroscopy mode (the motor 50 is not rotating the gantry 12 about the axis of rotation X and the CT scanner 10 takes x-ray images), the camera 60 takes external images of the patient P when the CT scanner 10 takes internal x-ray images. For example, the external images and the x-ray images can be overlapped on the display 36
The operator O can manipulate the x-ray images stored on the computer 30. For example, the operator O can zoom in to view a specific area of the x-ray image on the display 36. If the operator O zooms out and away from an x-ray image, the x-ray image on the display 36 can change into the corresponding external image taken by the camera 60, providing the operator O with a reference image.
Alternately, both the x-ray images and the corresponding external images can be viewed side by side on the display 36. This allows the operator O to view actual external images of the external part of the patient P in addition to the x-ray images of the part of the patient P generated by the CT scanner 10. As the operator O manipulates the x-ray images on the display 36, the corresponding external images of the patient P taken by the camera 60 are also manipulated.
In another example, the camera 60 can take external images of the patient P during the CT scan that can be used for motion tracking or motion correction of the three dimensional CT image generated by the CT scanner 10. During the CT scan, the CT scanner 10 takes a plurality of x-ray images of the patient P. It is possible that the patient P may move during the CT scan. For example, the patient P might move between x-ray image number 45 and x-ray image number 46 taken by the CT scanner 10.
The computer 30 can use the external images to determine if the patient P has moved during the CT scan. The computer 30 evaluates both the external images and the x-rays images to determine if the patient P has moved during the CT scan. For example, the computer 30 evaluates both the external images and the x-ray images to determine that the patient P has moved between x-ray image number 45 and x-ray image number 46. The computer 30 uses this information to correct for the motion of the patient P in the part of the three dimensional CT image that correlates to x-ray image number 45 and x-ray image number 46.
In another example, the camera 60 can be used with the CT scanner 10 for soft-tissue simulation of an area of the patient P. For example, the area of the patient P can be a facial area having facial deformities that will undergo surgery. During a pre-operative CT scan, the CT scanner 10 takes a plurality of x-ray images of the area of the patient P to generate a pre-operative three dimensional CT image, and the camera 60 takes a plurality of external images of the area of the patient P to generate a pre-operative three dimensional external image.
Information about the type of surgery and the desired movement of bones in the facial area during surgery is programmed into the computer 30. Based on the pre-operative three dimensional CT image, the pre-operative three dimensional external image and the programming, the computer 30 predicts and simulates the appearance of the patient P after surgery. The predicted appearance of the patient P after the surgery can be simulated and displayed on the display 36 to give an indication of how the patient P will appear after surgery.
The foregoing description is only exemplary of the principles of the invention. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than using the example embodiments which have been specifically described. For that reason the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this invention.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/897,567 filed Jan. 26, 2007.
Number | Date | Country | |
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60897567 | Jan 2007 | US |