Image Fusion Scheme for Differential Phase Contrast Imaging

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This patent presents an advanced image fusion method for medical X-ray imaging, especially for breast cancer screening (mammography), using differential phase contrast (DPC) techniques. The invention merges three types of X-ray images—traditional absorption, DPC, and scattering signals—into one high-detail, grayscale image that is compatible with existing clinical workflows. The image fusion is achieved through a multi-resolution decomposition (e.g., wavelets), local noise estimation, feature enhancement, and bandwise weighting to create images with superior clarity and diagnostic value while minimizing noise artifacts.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Breast cancer screening and mammography with enhanced diagnostic detail.
• General medical X-ray imaging where differential phase contrast and scattering information are available.
• Tomographic imaging and reconstruction for soft tissue analysis.
• Computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) systems that require high-detailed grayscale images for automated or assisted interpretation.
• Preclinical or research studies exploring new imaging biomarkers in oncology or tissue characterization.
• Integration into radiology departments to improve clarity and accuracy of X-ray assessments.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Produces single images that combine multiple sources of diagnostic information for clearer interpretation.
• Significantly enhances fine details such as tissue edges, microcalcifications, and fibrous structures important in cancer detection.
• Maintains the traditional look of mammograms, easing adoption in clinical settings by radiologists.
• Reduces complexity and time required for reading and interpreting multiple types of X-ray images.
• Minimizes introduction of noise while improving signal-to-noise ratio and contrast in the final image.
• Compatible with established clinical workflows and display equipment, requiring minimal retraining or additional hardware.
• Offers flexibility by allowing tuning for various clinical or research imaging tasks.

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Inventors & Applicants

Patent Abstract

Latest progresses in breast imaging using differential phase contrast technique pose the question how to fuse multiple information (yielded by the absorption, differential phase, and scattering signals) into a single, but more informative image for clinical diagnosis and evaluation. In this work, we propose an image fusion scheme based on the multiple-resolution (MR) framework. The three signals are first transformed into multiple bands presenting information at different frequency and then a two-step processing follows: (1) an intra-band processing enhances the local signal-to-noise ratio using a novel noise estimation method and context modeling; (2) an inter- band processing weights each band by considering their characteristics and contributions, as well as suppressing the global noise level. The fused image, which looks similar to conventional mammogram but with significantly enhanced detail features, is then reconstructed by inverse transform. This fused image is compatible with clinical settings and enables the radiologists to use their years of diagnosis experiences in mammography.