FIELD

The field relates to optical devices for use in medical processes, and more particularly, to cameras and methods for use in a medical environment having radiation.

BACKGROUND

Radiation therapy involves medical procedures that selectively expose certain areas of a human body, such as cancerous tumors, to doses of radiation. The purpose of the radiation therapy is to irradiate the targeted biological tissue such that undesirable tissue is destroyed. Radiation has also been-used to obtain image of tissue for diagnostic or treatment purposes.

During delivery of radiation towards a patient, it may be desirable to ensure that a patient remains at a certain position. Also, it may be desirable to know the position of a patient and/or the position of various components of the treatment system during the treatment session in order to prevent collision between the patient and the components.

SUMMARY

In one or more embodiments described herein, an apparatus comprising a camera may be provided to monitor a patient, and/or components of a medical system. The medical system may comprise a medical device, such as a radiation treatment machine, configured to treat the patient. In some embodiments, the camera may not include radiation-hard electronics. In one implementation, the camera may be an off-the-shelf camera. Because the camera does not have radiation-hard electronics, more and more pixels in the camera may be progressively damaged by radiation over time. As a result, the output (e.g., image, video) from the camera may appear noisy. This, in turn, may render the camera undesirable because the camera may fail to capture important events, such as patient movements during treatment. The noisy image is also annoying to user of the camera. To address such problems, one or more embodiments described herein utilize a technique to replace damaged-pixel values with new pixel values. This has the benefits of improving quality of camera output from radiation damaged camera, prolonging a life of the camera in a radiation-rich environment, and ensuring that patient monitoring and/or component monitoring performed using the radiation damaged camera will achieve desirable performance.

An apparatus for use with a medical system, the medical system comprising a medical device configured to treat and/or image a patient, includes: an input configured to receive an image from a camera, the camera configured to view at least a part of the patient and/or at least a part of the medical system; a processing unit configured to replace a damaged-pixel value in the image corresponding with a damaged pixel in the camera that is damaged due to radiation resulted from an operation of the medical device; and an output for outputting an improved image having less noise compared to the image received from the camera.

Optionally, the processing unit is configured to access a medium storing a location of the damaged pixel.

Optionally, the medium comprises a lookup table storing the location of the damaged pixel.

Optionally, the processing unit is configured to replace the damaged-pixel value with a new pixel value.

Optionally, the processing unit is configured to determine the new pixel value by determining a median or an average of neighboring pixel values of respective neighboring pixels around the damaged pixel.

Optionally, the neighboring pixel values comprise four or more neighboring pixel values.

Optionally, the neighboring pixel values comprise eight or more neighbor pixel values.

Optionally, the processing unit is also configured to replace at least eight neighboring pixel values of respective eight neighboring pixels that are surrounding the damaged pixel.

Optionally, the processing unit is configured to identify the damaged pixel in the camera.

Optionally, the processing unit is configured to identify the damaged pixel in the camera by obtaining a calibration image from the camera, and identifying a pixel value in the calibration image having an intensity that is above a threshold.

Optionally, a majority of the calibration image is black or dark.

Optionally, the processing unit is configured to operate the camera to generate the calibration image.

Optionally, the processing unit is configured to operate the camera to generate the calibration image when the camera is covered by a lens cap, when the camera is viewing a black or dark area, when the camera is in a low-lighting environment, when an image shutter or a chopper is blocking light into the camera, or when a mechanical blocker outside the camera is positioned to block light into the camera.

Optionally, the processing unit is configured to apply a moving window to sequentially process different combinations of X number of pixels in the image; and wherein for each of the combinations of X number of pixels, the processing unit is configured to replace a center-pixel value with a replacement pixel value that is calculated as an average or a median using at least some of the X number of pixels in the window.

Optionally, the window comprises a N-pixel by N-pixel window, wherein N is any odd integer.

Optionally, the processing unit is configured to receive an additional image from an additional camera.

Optionally, the processing unit is configured to replace the damaged-pixel value in the image from the camera with a corresponding pixel value in the additional image from the additional camera.

Optionally, the apparatus further includes the camera and the additional camera, wherein the camera and the additional camera are arranged in a side-by-side configuration with respect to each other.

Optionally, the processing unit or the apparatus is a part of the camera.

A method performed by an apparatus for use with a medical system, the medical system comprising a medical device configured to treat and/or image a patient, includes: receiving, by a processing unit, an image from a camera, wherein the image is generated by the camera while the camera is viewing at least a part of the patient and/or at least a part of the medical system; and replacing, by the processing unit, a damaged-pixel value in the image that corresponds with a damaged pixel in the camera that is damaged due to radiation resulted from an operation of the medical device.

Optionally, the method further includes accessing a medium storing a location of the damaged pixel.

Optionally, the medium comprises a lookup table storing the location of the damaged pixel.

Optionally, the damaged-pixel value is replaced with a new pixel value.

Optionally, the new pixel value comprises a median or an average of neighboring pixel values of respective neighboring pixels around the damaged pixel.

Optionally, the neighboring pixel values comprise four or more neighboring pixel values.

Optionally, the neighboring pixel values comprise eight or more neighbor pixel values.

Optionally, the method further includes replacing at least eight neighboring pixel values of respective eight neighboring pixels that are surrounding the damaged pixel.

Optionally, the method further includes identifying the damaged pixel in the camera.

Optionally, the damaged pixel in the camera is identified by obtaining a calibration image from the camera, and identifying a pixel value in the calibration image having an intensity that is above a threshold.

Optionally, a majority of the calibration image is black or dark.

Optionally, the act of obtaining the calibration image comprises operating the camera to generate the calibration image.

Optionally, the camera is operated to generate the calibration image when the camera is covered by a lens cap, when the camera is viewing a black or dark area, when the camera is in a low-lighting environment, when an image shutter or a chopper is blocking light into the camera, or when a mechanical blocker outside the camera is positioned to block light into the camera.

Optionally, a moving window is applied to sequentially process different combinations of X number of pixels in the image; and wherein for each of the combinations of X number of pixels, a center-pixel value is replaced with a replacement pixel value that is calculated as an average or a median using at least some of the X number of pixels in the window.

Optionally, the window comprises a N-pixel by N-pixel window, wherein N is any odd integer.

Optionally, the method further includes receiving an additional image from an additional camera.

Optionally, the damaged-pixel value in the image from the camera is replaced with a corresponding pixel value in the additional image from the additional camera.

Optionally, the camera and the additional camera are arranged in a side-by-side configuration with respect to each other.

Optionally, the processing unit or the apparatus is a part of the camera.

Other and further aspects and features will be evident from reading the following detailed description.

