Methods, systems, and related computer program products for processing and displaying computer-aided detection (CAD) information associated with medical breast x-ray images, such as breast x-ray tomosynthesis volumes, are described. An interactive graphical user interface for displaying a tomosynthesis data volume is described that includes a display of a two-dimensional composited image having slabbed sub-images spatially localized to marked CAD findings. Also described is a graphical navigation tool for optimized CAD-assisted viewing of the data volume, comprising a plurality of CAD indicator icons running near and along a slice ruler, each CAD indicator icon spanning a contiguous segment of the slice ruler and corresponding in depthwise position and extent to a subset of image slices spanned by the associated CAD finding, each CAD indicator icon including at least one single-slice highlighting mark indicating a respective image slice containing viewable image information corresponding to the associated CAD finding.

A method for tomographic imaging comprising acquiring [200] a set of one or more 2D projection images [202] and reconstructing [204] a 3D volumetric image [216] from the set of one or more 2D projection images [202] using a residual deep learning network comprising an encoder network, a transform module and a decoder network, wherein the reconstructing comprises: transforming [206] by the encoder network the set of one or more 2D projection images [202] to 2D features [208]; mapping [210] by the transform module the 2D features [208] to 3D features [212]; and generating [214] by the decoder network the 3D volumetric image from the 3D features [212]. Preferably, the encoder network comprises 2D convolution residual blocks and the decoder network comprises 3D blocks without residual shortcuts within each of the 3D blocks.

Systems and methods of enhanced display and viewing of three dimensional (3D) tomographic data acquired in tomosynthesis or tomography. A set of projection data is acquired with an image acquisition system and used to reconstruct enhanced 3D volume renderings that are viewed with motion, advanced image processing or stereotactically to assist in medical diagnosis. Various enhancements are provided for further processing the images, thereby providing additional features and benefits during image viewing.

The majority of image reconstruction algorithms are common to DT and CT, and require reconstruction volume allocation and are based on ray tracing techniques. Reconstructed three-dimensional images become available only after the entire volume is processed and the algorithm completes. The present invention performs reconstruction on a slice-by-slice basis, instead of waiting for completion of the algorithm by back-projecting each pixel in each attenuation image towards the emitter that generated that image, onto a selected reconstruction slice and determining a proportion of overlap with grid cells in the slice to obtain weighting factors in order to calculate an average back-projected intensity for each grid cell in the selected reconstruction slice.

Digital Tomosynthesis (DT) is a type of limited angle tomography providing the benefits of 3D imaging. Much like Computerized Tomography (CT), DT allows greater detection of 3D structures by viewing one slice at a time. In contrast to CT, the DT projection dataset is incomplete, which violates the tomographic sufficiency conditions and results in limited angle artefacts in the reconstructed images. The present invention provides a method of producing a tomogram in which reconstruction is performed along lines on the x-ray detector panel 20 defined by a point on the detector panel 20 closest to a point location of the x-ray emitter 10, to a location of a respective pixel on the perimeter of the x-ray detector panel 20. In this way, artefact reduction is achieved, particularly at higher cone beam angles, and at lower stand-off distances.

The invention provides, in some aspects, a system for implementing a rule derived basis to display volumetric image sets. In various embodiments of the invention, the selection of the images to be displayed, the generation of the 3-D volumetric image from measured 2-D images including the rendering parameters and styles, the choice of viewing directions and 2-D projection images based on the viewing directions, the layout of the projection images, and the formation of a video can be determined using a rule derived basis. In an embodiment of the present invention, the user is presented with sequential images making up a video displayed based on their preferences without having to first manually adjust parameters. The present invention allows for novel ways of viewing such images to detect microcalcifications and obstructions when reviewing Digital Breast Tomosynthesis and other volumetric mammography images.

Devices, systems, and methods for generating a medical image obtain scan data that were generated by scanning a scanned region, wherein the scan data include groups of scan data that were captured at respective angles; generate partial reconstructions of at least a part of the scanned region, wherein each partial reconstruction of the partial reconstructions is generated based on a respective one or more groups of the groups of scan data, and wherein a collective scanning range of the respective one or more groups is less than the angular scanning range; input the partial reconstructions into a machine-learning model, which generates one or more motion-compensated reconstructions of the at least part of the scanned region based on the partial reconstructions; calculate a respective edge entropy of each of the one or more motion-compensated reconstructions of the at least part of the scanned region; and adjust the machine-learning model based on the respective edge entropies.

A method for image reconstruction may include obtaining projection data D.sub.0 generated by an imaging device by scanning an object at first angles, wherein the first angles may be a subset of second angles. The second angles may include at least short-scan angles for a system to conduct image reconstruction. The method may also include generating an image F.sub.1 based on the projection data D.sub.0. The method may also include determining, based on the image F.sub.1, projection data D.sub.1 corresponding to third angles that are a subset of the second angles and different from the first angles. The method may also include generating a final image associated with the object by performing an iteration process including one or more iterations using initial data including the image F.sub.1, the projection data D.sub.0, and the projection data D.sub.1.

An X-ray imaging system using multiple pulsed X-ray sources to perform highly efficient and ultrafast 3D radiography is presented. There are multiple pulsed X-ray sources mounted on a structure in motion to form an array of sources. The multiple X-ray sources move simultaneously relative to an object on a pre-defined arc track at a constant speed as a group. Electron beam inside each individual X-ray tube is deflected by magnetic or electrical field to move focal spot a small distance. When focal spot of an X-ray tube beam has a speed that is equal to group speed but with opposite moving direction, the X-ray source and X-ray flat panel detector are activated through an external exposure control unit so that source tube stay momentarily standstill equivalently. 3D scan can cover much wider sweep angle in much shorter time and image analysis can also be done in real-time.

The invention relates to a calibration process specifically applicable for limited angle digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT). The method includes acquiring a set of X-ray projection exposure images, forming an initial estimate of the projection geometry corresponding to each of X-ray projection exposure images, computing an intermediate DBT reconstruction, establishing a set of rigid transformation parameters applied to an initial projection geometry estimate for each X-ray projection exposure image corresponding to calibration result, and computing a final DBT reconstruction using the set of X-ray projection exposure images and a final calibrated estimate of the projection geometry.