Hologic, Inc.
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SYNTHETIC BREAST TISSUE IMAGE GENERATION BY HIGH DENSITY ELEMENT SUPPRESSION

Abstract:

A method and breast imaging system for processing breast tissue image data includes feeding image data of breast images to an image processor, identifying image portions depicting breast tissue and high density elements and executing different processing methods on input images. A first image processing method involves breast tissue enhancement and high density element suppression, whereas the second image processing method involves enhancing high density elements. Respective three-dimensional sets of image slices may be generated by respective image processing methods, and respective two-dimensional synthesized images are generated and combined to form a two-dimensional composite synthesized image which is presented through a display of the breast imaging system. First and second image processing may be executed on generated three-dimensional image sets or two-dimensional projection images acquired by an image acquisition component at respective angles relative to the patient's breast.