Cabinet X-Ray System with Real-Time Camera Overlay
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional breast specimen systems can only capture digital breast specimen radiograms and optical images separately, limiting the sensitivity of breast cancer detection due to dense fibroglandular tissue, which reduces the conspicuity of abnormalities and can lead to missed diagnoses.
Innovation Solution
A cabinet x-ray system incorporating an x-ray tube, detector, and real-time camera that captures and overlays x-ray and optical images simultaneously, allowing for the same or exact orientation of both images, facilitating accurate specimen analysis and orientation confirmation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If separate capture of radiograms and optical images is used, then device complexity is reduced, but diagnostic accuracy and sensitivity are worsened due to inability to correlate images accurately
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines separate x-ray imaging and optical imaging systems into a single integrated cabinet unit. The x-ray tube, x-ray detector, and optical camera are merged into one device, allowing simultaneous capture of both radiogram and optical image of the breast specimen. This integration ensures that both images represent the exact same anatomical region and orientation, thereby improving diagnostic accuracy while maintaining manageable system complexity through unified control and processing.
2Productivity
If separate viewing of radiograms and optical images is used, then ease of operation is improved, but time efficiency is worsened due to need to correlate images manually
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a display system that acts as an intermediary between the captured images and the clinician. The display unit simultaneously presents both the radiogram and optical image, allowing the clinician to view and correlate both images without manual manipulation. This intermediary display mechanism resolves the contradiction by providing automated image correlation that improves time efficiency while maintaining ease of operation through intuitive presentation.
3Loss of information
If separate imaging systems are used, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but information completeness is worsened due to loss of spatial correlation between images
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the imaging mechanisms into a single integrated unit where the x-ray tube, x-ray detector, and optical camera are positioned to capture images of the same specimen simultaneously. This merging ensures that spatial correlation information is preserved because both images are acquired from the exact same anatomical region and orientation. The integrated design maintains manufacturing simplicity through unified construction and alignment procedures.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables accurate and efficient visualization of breast specimens by overlaying x-ray and optical images, improving diagnostic confidence and reducing the likelihood of missed cancer diagnoses by providing clear, aligned images for clinicians.
Implementation Method 1
an x-ray source with x-ray detector
Implementation Method 2
a real-time camera for the production of organic and non-organic specimen images
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to the field of a cabinet x-ray incorporating an x-ray tube, an x-ray detector, and a real-time camera, either high definition or standard resolution, for the production of organic and non-organic images. The computing device can receive video data from the camera and the x-ray detector and determines, based on the video data, an overlay of the captured x-ray image with the captured real-time image or display images adjacently i.e. Picture-In-Picture (PIP). In particular, the disclosure relates to a system and method with corresponding apparatus for capturing a real-time image simultaneously with the x-ray image allowing a cabinet x-ray unit to attain and optimize images with exact orientation of the 2 images.