Method of and apparatus for bone measurement

Claim 1

A method of measuring bone, in which a light is illuminated onto an X-ray film having therein both of simultaneously taken radiographic pictures of sample bones to be examined and of a given standard matter having a gradational thickness to detect a light transmitting through the pictures of the X-ray picture film, thereby using a detected quantity of the transmitting light for a measurement of a sample bone data, wherein said method comprises the steps of: selecting a given quantity Lc of light illuminating said pictures in the X-ray picture film, from a preset plurality of quantities of illuminating light; applying said selected quantity Lc of illuminating light to the X-ray picture film for illuminating said pictures thereby allowing a cursory reading of said pictures in the X-ray picture film to obtain a cursory information of pixel of said pictures through detection of quantity of transmitting light that transmits through various regions of said pictures in the X-ray picture film; determining a maximum quantity ICmax of transmitting light from detected quantities of transmitting light transmitting through a predetermined examined region of a picture of the sample bones during said cursory reading of the pictures in the X-ray picture film; applying a predetermined quantity L 1 , of illuminating light to the X-ray picture film for illuminating said picture thereof and for allowing a detailed reading of a picture of the given standard matter through detection of transmitting light that transmits through the picture of said given standard matter; detecting a thickness R 1 of the standard matter which permits the illuminating light to transmit therethrough, a quantity of said transmitting light being close to and more than said maximum quantity level ICmax of light; determining a quantity I R1 of transmitting light that transmits through the picture of the standard matter at a portion thereof having a thickness R 1 ; and adjustably changing a quantity of illuminating light for illuminating the X-ray picture film until an obtained quantity I R1 of transmitting light is close to a predetermined quantity Imax of transmitting light without exceeding said predetermined quantity Imax of transmitting light.

Claim 2

A method of measuring bone, in which a light is illuminated onto an X-ray film having therein both of simultaneously taken radiographic pictures of sample bones to be examined and of a given standard matter having a gradational thickness to detect a light transmitting through the pictures of the X-ray picture film, thereby using a detected quantity of the transmitting light for a measurement of a sample bone data, wherein said method comprises the steps of: selecting a given quantity Lc of light illuminating said pictures in the X-ray picture film, from a preset plurality of quantities of illuminating light; applying said selected quantity Lc of illuminating light to the X-ray picture film for illuminating said pictures thereby allowing a cursory reading of said pictures in the X-ray picture film to obtain a cursory information of pixel of said pictures through detection of quantity of transmitting light that transmits through various regions of said pictures in the X-ray picture film; determining a maximum quantity ICmax of transmitting light from detected quantities of transmitting light transmitting through a predetermined examined region of a picture of the sample bones during said cursory reading of the pictures in the X-ray picture film; applying a predetermined quantity L 1 , of illuminating light to the X-ray picture film for illuminating said picture thereof and for allowing a detailed reading of a picture of the given standard matter through detection of transmitting light that transmits through the picture of said given standard matter; detecting a thickness R 1 of the standard matter which permits the illuminating light to transmit therethrough, a quantity of said transmitting light being close to and more than said maximum quantity level ICmax of light; determining a quantity I R1 of transmitting light that transmits through the picture of the standard matter at a portion thereof having a thickness R 1 ; and adjustably changing a quantity of illuminating light for illuminating the X-ray picture film until an obtained quantity I R1 of transmitting light is close to a predetermined quantity Imax of transmitting light without exceeding said predetermined quantity Imax of transmitting light.

Claim 5

An apparatus for measuring bone data by using an X-ray picture film having therein a radiographic picture of sample bones and a simultaneously taken picture of a given standard matter having a gradational thickness, comprising in combination: a reading means for reading the pictures by using a quantity of light that transmits through said pictures of the X-ray picture film illuminated by a given quantity of light, said reading means comprising a light emitting means for emitting said given quantity of light illuminating said X-ray picture film, and a light detecting means for detecting a quantity of light that transmits through the X-ray picture film; a storing means for storing said picture of said sample bones read by said reading means; an operating means for calculating bone data of said picture of said sample bones stored in said storing means; an output means for delivering said bone data calculated by said operation means as bone-data output, means for selecting a given quantity Lc of illuminating light for illuminating the pictures in the X-ray picture film, from a preset plurality of quantities of illuminating light; means for applying the selected quantity Lc of illuminating light to the X-ray picture film for illuminating said pictures therein, and for permitting said light detecting means to implement a cursory reading of said pictures in the X-ray picture film for obtaining a cursory information of pixel of said pictures through detection of quantity of transmitting light that transmits through various regions of said pictures in the X-ray picture film; means for determining a maximum quantity ICmax of transmitting light from the detected quantities of light transmitting through a predetermined examined region of said picture of the sample bones during said cursory reading of the pictures in the X-ray picture film, said predetermined quantity L 1 of illuminating light being applied to the X-ray picture film for illuminating said pictures thereof thereby permitting said reading means to implement a detailed reading of the picture of the given standard matter in the film through detection of light transmitting through the picture of said given standard matter; means for detecting a thickness portion R 1 of the picture of the standard matter which permits the illuminating light to transmit therethrough, a quantity of said transmitting light that transmits through said thickness portion of the standard matter being close to and more than said maximum quantity ICmax of light; means for determining a quantity I R1 of light that transmits through the picture of the standard matter at a portion thereof having a thickness R 1 ; a first light adjusting means for adjustably changing a quantity of illuminating light emitted by said light emitting means and illuminating the X-ray picture film until the obtained quantity I R1 , of transmitting light is close to a predetermined quantity Imax of transmitting light without exceeding said predetermined quantity Imax of transmitting light; a region detecting means for detecting a portion of the picture of the standard matter, in which portion a quantity of transmitting light that transmits through said portion satisfies a predetermined condition; a first judgement means for conducting a first judgement as to whether or not said quantity of transmitting light that transmits through a predetermined examined region of the X-ray picture film of the sample bones exists in quantity range of transmitting light that transmits through the detected portion of said picture of the standard matter; a second judgement means for conducting a second judgement as to whether or not the quantity of transmitting light that transmits through said picture of the standard matter corresponding to the quantity of transmitting light that transmit through said predetermined examined region of the picture of the sample bones is able to exhibit a resolving power satisfying a predetermined resolution; and a second light adjusting means for further adjustably changing a quantity of illuminating light emitted by said light emitting means and illuminating said X-ray picture film on the basis of said second judgement.

Claim 6

An apparatus for measuring bone data by using an X-ray picture film having therein a radiographic picture of sample bones and a simultaneously taken picture of a given standard matter having a gradational thickness, comprising in combination: a reading means for reading the pictures by using a quantity of light that transmits through said pictures of the X-ray picture film illuminated by a given quantity of light, said reading means comprising a light emitting means for emitting said given quantity of light illuminating said X-ray picture film, and a light detecting means for detecting a quantity of light that transmits through the X-ray picture film; a storing means for storing said picture of said sample bones read by said reading means; an operating means for calculating bone data of said picture of said sample bones stored in said storing means; an output means for delivering said bone data calculated by said operation means as bone-data output, means for selecting a given quantity Lc of illuminating light for illuminating the pictures in the X-ray picture film, from a preset plurality of quantities of illuminating light; means for applying the selected quantity Lc of illuminating light to the X-ray picture film for illuminating said pictures therein, and for permitting said light detecting means to implement a cursory reading of said pictures in the X-ray picture film for obtaining a cursory information of pixel of said pictures through detection of quantity of transmitting light that transmits through various regions of said pictures in the X-ray picture film; means for determining a maximum quantity ICmax of transmitting light from the detected quantities of light transmitting through a predetermined examined region of said picture of the sample bones during said cursory reading of the pictures in the X-ray picture film, said predetermined quantity L 1 of illuminating light being applied to the X-ray picture film for illuminating said pictures thereof thereby permitting said reading means to implement a detailed reading of the picture of the given standard matter in the film through detection of light transmitting through the picture of said given standard matter; means for detecting a thickness portion R 1 of the picture of the standard matter which permits the illuminating light to transmit therethrough, a quantity of said transmitting light that transmits through said thickness portion of the standard matter being close to and more than said maximum quantity ICmax of light; means for determining a quantity I R1 of light that transmits through the picture of the standard matter at a portion thereof having a thickness R 1 ; a first light adjusting means for adjustably changing a quantity of illuminating light emitted by said light emitting means and illuminating the X-ray picture film until the obtained quantity I R1 , of transmitting light is close to a predetermined quantity Imax of transmitting light without exceeding said predetermined quantity Imax of transmitting light; a region detecting means for detecting a portion of the picture of the standard matter, in which portion a quantity of transmitting light that transmits through said portion satisfies a predetermined condition; a first judgement means for conducting a first judgement as to whether or not said quantity of transmitting light that transmits through a predetermined examined region of the X-ray picture film of the sample bones exists in quantity range of transmitting light that transmits through the detected portion of said picture of the standard matter; a second judgement means for conducting a second judgement as to whether or not the quantity of transmitting light that transmits through said picture of the standard matter corresponding to the quantity of transmitting light that transmit through said predetermined examined region of the picture of the sample bones is able to exhibit a resolving power satisfying a predetermined resolution; and a second light adjusting means for further adjustably changing a quantity of illuminating light emitted by said light emitting means and illuminating said X-ray picture film on the basis of said second judgement.

Claim 12

A method of measuring bone including illuminating an X-ray picture film having therein both of simultaneously taken radiographic pictures of sample bones and a given standard matter having a gradational thickness by a light emitted by a light emitting means, and detecting a light transmitting through the pictures of the X-ray picture film by a CCD image sensor having an assembly of a plurality of CCD chips, each chip having at least a plurality of light shielded CCD elements and a plurality of effectively sensible CCD elements, wherein the method comprises the steps of: measuring a part of electric shielded output voltages V 0 (I) with regard to at least one selected chip of the CCD image sensor; measuring electric output voltages V (X) at the time of exposure to light, with regard to each CCD element (X) of the selected chip, to thereby obtain a first order compensation electric voltage V1 (X) corresponding to V (X)-V 0 (I); measuring first order compensation electric shielded output voltages V1 0 (X) with regard to each of said CCD elements of said selected chip, under a condition that each of said CCD elements is shielded from light; and applying an A/D conversion to the measured first order compensation electric shielded output voltages V1 0 (X) to thereby obtain NV1 0 (X); detecting first order compensation electric shielded voltage V1 (X), with regard to each of said CCD elements of said selected chip; applying A/D conversion to said first order compensation electric shielded voltage V1 (X) to obtain a corresponding digital value NV1 (X); and implementing a subtractive calculation of an equation defined as NV1 (X)-NV1 0 (X) to obtain a second order compensation electric output value NV2 (X), said obtained electric output value NV2 (X) being used as data on which further processing is conducted to read the pictures of the X-ray picture film.

Claim 13

A method of measuring bone including illuminating an X-ray picture film having therein both of simultaneously taken radiographic pictures of sample bones and a given standard matter having a gradational thickness by a light emitted by a light emitting means, and detecting a light transmitting through the pictures of the X-ray picture film by a CCD image sensor having an assembly of a plurality of CCD chips, each chip having at least a plurality of light shielded CCD elements and a plurality of effectively sensible CCD elements, wherein the method comprises the steps of: measuring a part of electric shielded output voltages V 0 (I) with regard to at least one selected chip of the CCD image sensor; measuring electric output voltages V (X) at the time of exposure to light, with regard to each CCD element (X) of the selected chip, to thereby obtain a first order compensation electric voltage V1 (X) corresponding to V (X)-V 0 (I); measuring first order compensation electric shielded output voltages V1 0 (X) with regard to each of said CCD elements of said selected chip, under a condition that each of said CCD elements is shielded from light; and applying an A/D conversion to the measured first order compensation electric shielded output voltages V1 0 (X) to thereby obtain NV1 0 (X); detecting first order compensation electric shielded voltage V1 (X), with regard to each of said CCD elements of said selected chip; applying A/D conversion to said first order compensation electric shielded voltage V1 (X) to obtain a corresponding digital value NV1 (X); and implementing a subtractive calculation of an equation defined as NV1 (X)-NV1 0 (X) to obtain a second order compensation electric output value NV2 (X), said obtained electric output value NV2 (X) being used as data on which further processing is conducted to read the pictures of the X-ray picture film.