Method of reducing the x-ray dose in an x-ray system

Abstract

A method of reducing the x-ray dose of a patient in an x-ray system includes defining a region of interest of the patient, obtaining at least two tracking images of a tracking element taken with at least one camera having a known positional relationship relative to an x-ray source and/or sensor, determining any movement of the tracking element between the acquisition of at least two tracking images, adjusting the collimator of the x-ray source to compensate for any movement of the tracking element between the acquisition of the at least two tracking images, providing that the field of exposure of the x-ray source is confined to the region of interest and obtaining at least one x-ray image of the region of interest after the adjustment of the collimator.

1 - 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . A method of obtaining medical images of a patient using a medical imaging device, the method comprising:
 defining a region of interest of the patient;   obtaining at least two tracking images of a tracking element taken with at least one camera having a known positional relationship relative to the medical imaging device;   determining any movement of the tracking element between the acquisition of at least two tracking images;   obtaining a plurality of images of the region of interest simultaneously with the tracking images; and   dynamically adjusting the medical imaging device to compensate for any movement of the tracking element between the acquisition of the at least two tracking images.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the medical imaging device obtains an x-ray image. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the medical imaging device is a magnetic resonance imaging device. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the medical imaging device comprises is a positron emission tomography device. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the medical imaging device is a cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scanner. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one medical image are x-ray images defining a panoramic trajectory, wherein the method further comprises:
 adjusting the CBCT scanner to follow the determined panoramic trajectory based on the determined movement from the tracking element.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the cone beam computed tomography system is configured to take one of a panoramic x-ray image, a cephalometric image, or any other type of 2-dimensional x-ray image or a 3D cone beam computed tomography scan of the patient. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein dynamically adjusting comprises dynamically adjusting a collimator of a radiation source of the cone beam computed tomography scanner. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein a scout image is taken with a lower resolution/image quality using the medical imaging device, and the region of interest is defined using the scout image. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein a scout image is taken using a face scanner, an intra-oral scanner and/or a surface contour laser scanner, and the region of interest is defined using the scout image. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein a scout image is taken using an imaging device to obtain a 2-D image, and the region of interest is defined using the scout image. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the tracking element comprises a predefined geometry and/or predefined information. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein determining any movement of the tracking element between the acquisition of at least two tracking images comprises:
 recognizing a plurality of fiducial markers in each tracking image;   obtaining a digital representation in a database of the known predefined pattern and/or shape of the fiducial markers; and   recognizing the pattern of the fiducial markers in each image to achieve a best fit to the known predefined pattern of the fiducial markers on the tracking element from each tracking image.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein determining any movement of the tracking element between the acquisition of at least two tracking images comprises:
 recognizing a plurality of the individual fiducial markers in each tracking image;   using classification of the indices of the fiducial markers; and   matching the known pattern of the fiducial markers on the tracking element to the pattern of the fiducial markers on the tracking image using the classification of the indices of the fiducial markers.   
     
     
         26 . The method of any  claim 12 , wherein the images are combined to make a digital medical model. 
     
     
         27 . A system for obtaining medical images of a patient, the system comprising:
 a medical imaging device;   one or more tracking image cameras configured to take tracking images of a tracking element;   a computer device comprising a microprocessor and a computer readable medium;   a visual display unit; and   input means for controlling the medical imaging device;   wherein the computer device is configured to the medical imaging device in response to determined movement of the tracking element.   
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the computer device is further configured to adjust the medical imaging device by changing the geometry of the medical imaging device.