| Patent application number | Description | Published |
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| 20080267476 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR RECONSTRUCTING IMAGE VOLUMES FROM HELICAL SCAN ACQUISITIIONS - A method and computer-readable medium for reconstructing an image volume of an object scanned in helical mode is provided. The method and computer-readable medium include obtaining one or more helical views corresponding to an image volume of an object and determining a plurality of discretized focal lengths within an imaging plane of the reconstructed field of view comprising the image volume. The method then comprises generating a plurality of circular scan sinograms for the plurality of discretized focal lengths. The plurality of circular scan sinograms are generated by interpolating the helical views. The method then comprises selecting one or more circular scan sinograms from the plurality of circular scan sinograms, based on the plurality of discretized focal lengths, wherein the selection is performed within a backprojection operation, for one or more image points within the imaging plane, over one or more circular views. The method then comprises using one or more of the selected circular scan sinograms, in the backprojection of one or more of the image points over one or more of the circular views. The method finally comprises performing a backprojection for all the image points over all the circular views to generate a reconstructed image of the object. | 10-30-2008 |
| 20090161939 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR EXTRACTING FEATURES OF INTEREST FROM AN IMAGE - A technique is provided for extracting one or more features of interest from one or more projection images. The technique includes accessing projection images comprising at least one feature of interest enhanced by a contrast agent, generating a contrast agent null image based on the projection images, generating a bone mask based on the contrast agent null image, and generating a bone extracted image based on the bone mask. | 06-25-2009 |
| 20090214095 | SYSTEM AND METHOD TO OBTAIN NOISE MITIGTED MONOCHROMATIC REPRESENTATION FOR VARYING ENERGY LEVEL - In dual energy CT, through basis material decomposition (BMD), a pair of density images can be reconstructed. The noises in this image pair are negatively correlated due to the BMD process. A technique is presented for obtaining the monochromatic images at desired energy levels with reduced correlation noise. The technique includes obtaining a plurality of optimum attenuation coefficients for an energy level, selecting a desired energy level, obtaining a plurality of desired attenuation coefficients for the desired energy level, computing a scaling factor for a corresponding noise component based on the optimum attenuation coefficients and the desired attenuation coefficients, and generating a monochromatic image based upon the scaling factor. | 08-27-2009 |
| 20100310044 | PORTABLE TOMOGRAPHIC DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM WITH OPEN GANTRY - An imaging system includes a portable litter including a structural housing and a digital detector positioned in the structural housing to detect X-ray signals corresponding to a region of interest to be imaged. The imaging system further includes at least one X-ray source for generating the X-ray signals, the at least one X-ray source positioned above the portable litter on an open gantry arrangement and configured to generate X-rays from different focal spot locations. | 12-09-2010 |
| 20110052022 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF DATA INTERPOLATION IN FAST KVP SWITCHING DUAL ENERGY CT - A CT system includes a rotatable gantry having an opening for receiving an object to be scanned, an x-ray source coupled to the gantry and configured to project x-rays through the opening, a generator configured to energize the x-ray source to a first kVp and to a second kVp to generate the x-rays, and a detector having pixels therein, the detector attached to the gantry and positioned to receive the x-rays. The system includes a computer programmed to acquire a first view dataset and a second view dataset with the x-ray source energized to the first kVp, interpolate the first and second view datasets to generate interpolated pixels in an interpolated view dataset at the first kVp, using at least two pixels from each of the first and second view datasets to generate each interpolated pixel in the interpolated view dataset, and generate an image of the object using the interpolated view dataset. | 03-03-2011 |
| 20110081071 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REDUCTION OF METAL ARTIFACTS IN CT IMAGES - A method and apparatus include acquisition of a view dataset based on x-rays received by a detector corresponding to a energy level, reconstruction of an initial image using the view dataset, the initial image comprising a plurality of metal voxels at respective metal voxel locations, and generation of a metal mask corresponding to the plurality of metal voxels within the initial image. The method and apparatus also include forward projection of the metal mask onto the view dataset to identify metal dexels in the view dataset, performance of a weighted interpolation based on the identified metal dexels to generate a completed view dataset, reconstruction of a final image using the completed view dataset, the final image comprising a plurality of image voxels corresponding to the metal voxel locations, and replacement of a portion of the plurality of image voxels corresponding to the metal voxel locations with smoothed metal values. | 04-07-2011 |
| 20110150183 | DUAL-ENERGY IMAGING AT REDUCED SAMPLE RATES - The present disclosure relates to the generation of dual-energy X-ray data using a data sampling rate comparable to the rate utilized for single-energy imaging. In accordance with the present technique a reduced kVp switching rate is employed compared to conventional dual-energy imaging. Full angular resolution is achieved in the generated images. | 06-23-2011 |
| 20110243413 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR IMAGE DATA ACQUISITION - A technique for acquiring desired image data in an imaging system comprising at least one radiation source and a detector is described. Initially, preliminary image data corresponding to an object may be acquired. Further, at least one parameter associated with the radiation source and corresponding to a particular view angle of the radiation source may be determined based on the preliminary image data and a priori information. Similarly, at least one parameter associated with the detector and corresponding to the particular view angle may be determined based on a priori information and the preliminary image data. Efficient operating modes of the radiation source and the detector corresponding to the particular view angle may be selected based on the determined parameters to achieve a desired system performance. Subsequently, the final image data may be acquired using the selected operating modes of the radiation source and the detector. | 10-06-2011 |
