Dense Breast Processing Plug-in

 

Mammography-specific image processing technology is available in eRAD’s AIE Image Enhancement plug-in module. The processing algorithms enhance morphological features in digital mammography images to create sharp and detailed images, improve the conspicuousness and detail of abnormalities and improved the clarity of detail in dense breasts.  The image processing plug-in module requires an eRAD PACS AIE Image Enhancement plug-in module license. The viewer prompts the user to download and install it on the workstation.

 

 

AIE Module Menu

 

The AIE image processing menu can be found in the Extensions menu. It exists when both a mammography plug-in module license and an AIE Image Enhancement plug-in module license are licensed and assigned to your user account.

 

Section Setting Description

AIE

Create Image

Apply the AIE image processing to the selected image. The resulting image appears as a new series in the thumbnail panel.
 

Create Image to Series

Apply the AIE image processing to the selected image. The resulting image appears as another image in the selected series.
 

Configure

Edit the AIE configuration settings
 

About AIE

AIE software product details
Image Auto-Generation No auto-generation Disable auto-generation of processed images
 

Add to new series

Automatically generate processed images and add them as additional series in the thumbnail panel
  Add to current series (Default)

Automatically generate processed images and add them as additional images in their respective series.
 

Auto-generate breast tomosynthesis images

Automatically generate processed images for breast tomography image objects. Disabled by default.
  Auto-generate only for primary study

Automatically generate processed images for the primary (first) study in the session. Enabled by default.
 

Auto (Default)

Auto-detect the image source and select applicable processing parameters
  General Electric

Process the image as a GE image
  Siemens

Process the image as a Siemens image
 

Hologic

Process the image as a Hologic image

Filter Type

 Aggressive (Default) Apply AIE aggressive processing
 

Moderate

Apply AIE moderate processing

 

 

Processed Image Generator

 

There are two ways to generate an AIE enhanced image:

To manually process an image:

  1. Load a mammography image into an image frame.
  2. Expand the AIE menu from the Extensions menu:
    1. Create image - inserts the processed image as a new series in the Thumbnail panel
    2. Create image to series - inserts the processed image as a new image in the same series as the original image

The AIE enhanced image replaces the original image in the image frame. Processed images are denoted with an icon ?in the top left corner of the image. The magnification factor applied to the data in the window is also displayed. The viewer can automatically generate AIE enhanced images when it loads the study. When enabled, the viewer begins processing the data in the background after the full fidelity data is completed loaded. Auto-generation applies to DICOM Digital Mammography X-Ray for Presentation image objects and optionally DICOM Breast Tomosynthesis image objects.

 

To activate automatic generation:

  1. Select AIE and then Configure from the Extensions menu

  2. Under Image auto-generation:

    1. Turn off - disabled automatic generation of AIE enhanced images

    2. New series - process all images and add them to the Thumbnail panel as a new series

    3. Add to series -  process all images and add them as a new image in their series

  3. If auto-generation is enabled:

    1. Auto-generate breast tomosynthesis images - creates processed images for every tomosynthesis image in the study

    2. Auto-generate only for primary study - limits auto-generation to the primary study in the viewer session.

  4. Click OK to save the settings

 Note: When auto-generation is enabled, images from other studies can be processed using the manual selection tools.

 

AIE enhanced images can exist in hanging protocols. Regardless of the image auto-generation setting, if a hanging protocol loads an AIE enhanced image into an image frame, the viewer processes it automatically.

 

Enhanced ROI

 

The enhanced ROI tool displays the AIE enhanced images in a panel that floats over a defined region of the original image. It requires the presence of an AIE enhanced image in the thumbnail panel.