Benjamin L Welch

US Patent:

7444009, Oct 28, 2008

Filed:

Oct 8, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/961552

Inventors:

Douglas Arthur Kieper - Newport News VA, US
Stanislaw Majewski - Yorktown VA, US
Benjamin L. Welch - Hampton VA, US

Assignee:

Jefferson Science Associates - Newport News VA

International Classification:

G06K 9/00
A61B 6/04

US Classification:

382128, 378 37

Abstract:

An improved method for enhancing the contrast between background and lesion areas of a breast undergoing dual-head scintimammographic examination comprising: 1) acquiring a pair of digital images from a pair of small FOV or mini gamma cameras compressing the breast under examination from opposing sides; 2) inverting one of the pair of images to align or co-register with the other of the images to obtain co-registered pixel values; 3) normalizing the pair of images pixel-by-pixel by dividing pixel values from each of the two acquired images and the co-registered image by the average count per pixel in the entire breast area of the corresponding detector; and 4) multiplying the number of counts in each pixel by the value obtained in step 3 to produce a normalization enhanced two dimensional contrast map. This enhanced (increased contrast) contrast map enhances the visibility of minor local increases (uptakes) of activity over the background and therefore improves lesion detection sensitivity, especially of small lesions.

US Patent:

7795591, Sep 14, 2010

Filed:

Jul 16, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/218575

Inventors:

Benjamin L. Welch - Hampton VA, US

Assignee:

Dilon Technologies, Inc. - Newport News VA

International Classification:

G01T 1/166

US Classification:

25036304, 382131, 600566, 606170

Abstract:

A combination rigid grid positioning system, stereotactic gamma imager and an obturator for real-time localization of a region of interest during the performance of a surgical procedure including: a) a rigid grid positioning system including a mechanism for the acquisition of images useful in calculating the spatial location of a region of interest in a mass under study; and b) an obturator inserted through the rigid grid positioning system made up of: i) first and second generally parallel capillary tubes for the introduction thereto and the removal therefrom of a radioactive fluid interconnected at a point of connection; and ii) a reservoir for the radioactive fluid at the point of connection; wherein the reservoir is inserted into the mass containing a region of interest and the radioactive fluid provides a marker for the region of interest during subsequent imaging and thereby specific localization of the region of interest during subsequent procedures.

US Patent:

RE43499, Jul 3, 2012

Filed:

Oct 27, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/913372

Inventors:

Douglas Arthur Kieper - Seattle WA, US
Stanislaw Majewski - Morgantown WV, US
Benjamin L. Welch - Hampton VA, US

Assignee:

Jefferson Science Associates, LLC - Newport News VA

International Classification:

G06K 9/00
A61B 6/04

US Classification:

382128, 378 37

Abstract:

An improved method for enhancing the contrast between background and lesion areas of a breast undergoing dual-head scintimammographic examination comprising: 1) acquiring a pair of digital images from a pair of small FOV or mini gamma cameras compressing the breast under examination from opposing sides; 2) inverting one of the pair of images to align or co-register with the other of the images to obtain co-registered pixel values; 3) normalizing the pair of images pixel-by-pixel by dividing pixel values from each of the two acquired images and the co-registered image by the average count per pixel in the entire breast area of the corresponding detector; and 4) multiplying the number of counts in each pixel by the value obtained in step 3 to produce a normalization enhanced two dimensional contrast map. This enhanced (increased contrast) contrast map enhances the visibility of minor local increases (uptakes) of activity over the background and therefore improves lesion detection sensitivity, especially of small lesions.

US Patent:

8249693, Aug 21, 2012

Filed:

Jul 16, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/218602

Inventors:

Douglas A. Kieper - Seattle WA, US
Benjamin Lawrence Welch - Hampton VA, US
Lee Holland Fairchild - Poquoson VA, US

Assignee:

Dilon Technologies, Inc. - Newport News VA

International Classification:

A61B 6/00

US Classification:

600436, 600407, 600425, 600426

Abstract:

A stereotactic gamma-guided localization system for imaging a suspected cancer and guiding a physician in the removal of tissue samples for biopsy. The gamma-guided localization system includes a three step procedure including localization, correlation, and verification. The localization system includes a gamma camera with a set of slant-hole collimators for producing stereo images of a region of interest. A positioning system including a fiducial marker is placed adjacent to the object to be imaged and held rigidly in place to provide correlation of the location of the region of interest relative to the fiducial marker. A gamma emitting marker is then positioned at the calculated location of the region of interest and imaged to verify that that the calculated position corresponds to the actual location. The positioning system can then be used to accurately position and support any other hardware that needs to be positioned at the region of interest.

US Patent:

8489177, Jul 16, 2013

Filed:

Jul 16, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/218576

Inventors:

Benjamin Lawrence Welch - Hampton VA, US

Assignee:

Dilon Technologies, Inc. - Newport News VA

International Classification:

A61B 6/02

US Classification:

600436, 600407, 600425, 600426

Abstract:

A fiducial marker for use in a gamma-guided stereotactic localization system for imaging a suspected cancer and guiding a physician in the removal of tissue samples for biopsy. The fiducial marker includes a fiducial source that can be accurately located in a positioning system and used to correlate the location of the positioning system with the detector and therefore the region-of-interest. The fiducial can be made radioactive such that it can be seen by the gamma camera. The fiducial marker enables the accurate positioning of other hardware in proximity to the object to be viewed.

US Patent:

20100012848, Jan 21, 2010

Filed:

Jul 16, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/218601

Inventors:

Benjamin L. Welch - Hampton VA, US

International Classification:

G01T 1/166
A61B 6/00

US Classification:

25036304, 382131

Abstract:

A combination rigid imager and obturator for real-time localization of a region of interest during the performance of a surgical procedure that includes: a) a rigid imaging grid preferably made up of an array of gamma radiation position sensitive photomultipliers; and b) an obturator inserted through the rigid imaging grid into a mass containing a region of interest and including: 1) an outer tube having a first closed end and a distal open end; and 2) an inner tube having an inserted end that includes a radioactive tracer and a remote end inserted into the distal open end; wherein the first closed end is inserted into the mass containing a region of interest and the radioactive source provides a marker for the region of interest during the performance of a surgical procedure.

US Patent:

20130096421, Apr 18, 2013

Filed:

Oct 12, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/271599

Inventors:

Benjamin Lawrence WELCH - Hampton VA, US

International Classification:

A61B 6/00
G09G 5/02
G09G 5/00

US Classification:

600424, 345634, 345596

Abstract:

A method is provided for identifying a marker by co-registering gamma or positron images. The method is capable of being applied during interventional procedures and includes steps for detecting a first two-dimensional image at a first energy level, detecting a second two-dimensional image at a second energy level, displaying simultaneously the first and second two-dimensional images, and selecting display coefficients for the first and second two-dimensional images

US Patent:

6429432, Aug 6, 2002

Filed:

Nov 26, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/449787

Inventors:

Colin J. McNaught - Annapolis MD
Douglas Arthur Kieper - Norfolk VA
Benjamin Lawrence Welch - Hampton VA
Lee Holland Fairchild - Poquoson VA

Assignee:

Dilon Technologies, Inc. - Newport News VA

International Classification:

G01T 1161

US Classification:

25036302, 25037009

Abstract:

An adjustable gamma radiation isolation shield that effectively shields the gamma camera from potentially interfering radiation emitted from sources other than the particular anatomical portion under examination. The shield is placed adjacent to the breast or other body portion under examination on the side thereof opposite that addressed by the gamma camera i. e. , at about 90Â to the viewing angle of the camera. The shield includes a first gamma ray permeable layer capable of absorbing fluorescent low energy radiation produced by a second adjacent gamma radiation absorbing layer or any other source. In operation, the breast is located between the gamma camera/detector and shield. Gamma radiation emitted by the radiopharmaceutical-containing breast impinges the gamma camera for measurement and simultaneously penetrates the gamma permeable layer and is absorbed by the gamma radiation absorbing layer. Fluorescence produced upon absorption of the gamma radiation is inhibited from reintroduction into the gamma camera by absorption in the first gamma permeable layer that absorbs this secondary radiation. Gamma or other potentially interfering radiation entering the system from beyond the gamma radiation absorbing layer is similarly absorbed and any secondary fluorescent radiation produced therein absorbed by the first gamma permeable layer.