초록

The present invention relates to methods and devices for analyzing x-ray images. In particular, devices, methods and algorithms are provided that allow for the accurate and reliable evaluation of bone mineral density and bone structure from x-ray images.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A method to derive quantitative information on bone structure from an x-ray image comprising: (a) obtaining an x-ray image; and (b) analyzing the image obtained in step (a) using one or more indices selected from the group consisting of Hough transform, skeleton operator, mor

What is claimed is: 1. A method to derive quantitative information on bone structure from an x-ray image comprising: (a) obtaining an x-ray image; and (b) analyzing the image obtained in step (a) using one or more indices selected from the group consisting of Hough transform, skeleton operator, morphological operators, mean pixel intensity, variance of pixel intensity, frequency spectral analysis, fractal dimension, morphological parameters and combinations thereof, thereby deriving quantitative information on bone structure, wherein at least one of the indices is a skeleton operator. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the indices is a morphological operator. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the indices is mean pixel intensity. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the indices is variance of pixel intensity. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the indices is a frequency spectral analysis. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the indices is fractal dimension. 7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the indices is a morphological parameter. 8. A method to derive quantitative information on bone structure from an x-ray image comprising: (a) obtaining an x-ray image; and (b) analyzing the image obtained in step (a) using one or more indices selected from the group consisting of Hough transform, skeleton operator, morphological operators, mean pixel intensity, variance of pixel intensity, frequency spectral analysis, fractal dimension, morphological parameters and combinations thereof, thereby deriving quantitative information on bone structure, wherein at least one of the indices is a morphological operator. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein at least one of the indices is mean pixel intensity. 10. The method of claim 8, wherein at least one of the indices is variance of pixel intensity. 11. The method of claim 8, wherein at least one of the indices is a frequency spectral analysis. 12. The method of claim 8, wherein at least one of the indices is fractal dimension. 13. The method of claim 8, wherein at least one of the indices is a morphological parameter. 14. A method to derive quantitative information on bone structure from an x-ray image comprising: (a) obtaining an x-ray image; and (b) analyzing the image obtained in step (a) using one or more indices selected from the group consisting of Hough transform, skeleton operator, morphological operators, mean pixel intensity, variance of pixel intensity, frequency spectral analysis, fractal dimension, morphological parameters and combinations thereof, thereby deriving quantitative information on bone structure, wherein at least one of the indices is a mean pixel intensity. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein at least one of the indices is variance of pixel intensity. 16. The method of claim 14, wherein at least one of the indices is a frequency spectral analysis. 17. The method of claim 14, wherein at least one of the indices is fractal dimension. 18. The method of claim 14, wherein at least one of the indices is a morphological parameter. 19. A method to derive quantitative information on bone structure from an x-ray image comprising: (a) obtaining an x-ray image; and (b) analyzing the image obtained in step (a) using one or more indices selected from the group consisting of Hough transform, skeleton operator, morphological operators, mean pixel intensity, variance of pixel intensity, frequency spectral analysis, fractal dimension, morphological parameters and combinations thereof, thereby deriving quantitative information on bone structure, wherein at least one of the indices is variance of pixel intensity. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein at least one of the indices is a frequency spectral analysis. 21. The method of claim 19, wherein at least one of the indices is fractal dimension. 22. The method of claim 19, wherein at least one of the indices is a morphological parameter. 23. A method to derive quantitative information on bone structure from an x-ray image comprising: (a) obtaining an x-ray image; and (b) analyzing the image obtained in step (a) using one or more indices selected from the group consisting of Rough transform, skeleton operator, morphological operators, mean pixel intensity, variance of pixel intensity, frequency spectral analysis, fractal dimension, morphological parameters and combinations thereof, thereby deriving quantitative information on bone structure, wherein at least one of the indices is frequency spectral analysis. 24. The method of claim 23, wherein the frequency spectral analysis is a spatial frequency spectral analysis. 25. A method to derive quantitative information on bone structure from an x-ray image comprising: (a) obtaining an x-ray image; and (b) analyzing the image obtained in step (a) using one or more indices selected from the group consisting of Hough transform, skeleton operator, morphological operators, mean pixel intensity, variance of pixel intensity, frequency spectral analysis, fractal dimension, morphological parameters and combinations thereof, thereby deriving quantitative information on bone structure, wherein at least one of the indices is fractal dimension. 26. The method of claim 25, wherein at least one of the indices is a frequency spectral analysis. 27. The method of claim 25, wherein at least one of the indices is a morphological parameter. 28. A method to derive quantitative information on bone structure from an x-ray image comprising: (a) obtaining an x-ray image; and (b) analyzing the image obtained in step (a) using one or more indices selected from the group consisting of Hough transform, skeleton operator, morphological operators, mean pixel intensity, variance of pixel intensity, frequency spectral analysis, fractal dimension, morphological parameters and combinations thereof, thereby deriving quantitative information on bone structure, wherein at least one of the indices is a morphological parameter. 29. The method of claim 28, wherein at least one of the indices is a frequency spectral analysis. 30. The method of claim 28, wherein at least one of the indices is fractal dimension.