| Patent application number | Description | Published |
|---|
| 20100329425 | READOUT ELECTRONICS FOR PHOTON COUNTING AND ENERGY DISCRIMINATING DETECTORS - A data acquisition system includes a charge-sensitive amplifier (CSA) configured to receive a charge from an x-ray detector, the CSA includes a high-gain electronic voltage amplifier, an electrical energy storage device coupled with the amplifier, and an electrical resistor coupled with the amplifier. The data acquisition system includes a baseline sampling circuit configured to receive an output from the CSA and to sample a baseline signal from the CSA, at least one discriminator coupled to an output of the CSA and to an output of the baseline sampling circuit, the at least one discriminator configured to output a voltage if the output of the CSA exceeds a threshold, and a counter coupled to an output of the discriminator and configured to output a digital signal indicative of a photon count received at the x-ray detector and based on the output from the CSA and on the signal from the CSA. | 12-30-2010 |
| 20110051888 | Electronic Packaging Technique to Improve Sensor Failure Robustness - A modular sensor assembly comprises: sensor arrays electrically coupled to a sensor substrate; a plurality of integrated circuits with sensor signal processors electrically coupled to a package substrate; and an interconnect assembly including electrical paths configured to electrically couple analog output signals from a first sensor array to a first integrated circuit and from a second sensor to a second integrated circuit, the first sensor disposed adjacent to the second sensor. | 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 |
| 20110085719 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF IMAGE ARTIFACT REDUCTION IN FAST KVP SWITCHING CT - A CT system includes a generator configured to energize an x-ray source to a first kilovoltage (kVp) and to a second kVp, and a computer that is programmed to acquire a first view dataset with the x-ray source energized to the first kVp and a second view dataset with the x-ray source energized to the second kVp, generate a base correction image using the first view dataset and the second view dataset, and reconstruct a pair of base material images from the first view dataset and from the second view dataset. The computer is also programmed to estimate artifact correlation in the pair of base material images using the base correction image, generate a pair of final base material images and a final monochromatic image, and correct one of the pair of final base material images and the final monochromatic image at a keV value using the estimated artifact correlation. | 04-14-2011 |
| 20110142194 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF ACQUIRING MULTI-ENERGY CT IMAGING DATA - A CT system includes a rotatable gantry having an opening for receiving an object to be scanned, and a controller configured to apply a first kVp for a first time period, apply a second kVp for a second time period, wherein the second time period is different from the first time period, acquire a first asymmetric view dataset during at least a portion of the first time period, acquire a second asymmetric view dataset during at least a portion of the second time period, and generate an image using the acquired first and second asymmetric view datasets. | 06-16-2011 |
| 20110142312 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF MITIGATING LOW SIGNAL DATA FOR DUAL ENERGY CT - A CT system includes a rotatable gantry having an opening for receiving an object to be scanned, and a controller configured to obtain kVp projection data at a first kVp, obtain kVp projection data at a second kVp, extract data from the kVp projection data obtained at the second kVp, add the extracted data to the kVp projection data obtained at the first kVp to generate mitigated projection data at the first kVp, and generate an image using the mitigated projection data at the first kVp and using the projection data obtained at the second kVp. | 06-16-2011 |
| 20110150175 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SPECTRAL PROJECTION IMAGING WITH FAST KV SWITCHING - A CT system includes a gantry, an x-ray source configured to project x-rays toward an object, an x-ray detector positioned to receive x-rays from the x-ray source that pass through the object, a generator configured to energize the x-ray source to a first voltage and to a second voltage that is distinct from the first voltage, and a controller configured to cause the gantry to position the source and generator at a circumferential position during an imaging session, pass the object through the opening during the imaging session, cause the generator to energize the x-ray source to the first voltage and to the second voltage, acquire imaging data while the generator energizes the x-ray source to the first voltage and to the second voltage while the rotatable gantry is at the circumferential position, and generate an image using the imaging data. | 06-23-2011 |
| 20110150187 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CALIBRATING AN X-RAY TUBE - An apparatus and method for calibrating an x-ray tube include a computer programmed to acquire a starter voltage/current value corresponding to a width, a length, or a position of a target focal spot capable of being generated by the x-ray tube. The computer is programmed to generate an electron beam and to steer the electron beam based on the starter voltage/current value. The computer is also programmed to steer the electron beam based on a value adjusted from the starter voltage/current value. The computer is programmed to calculate a final voltage/current value that is configured to generate the width, length, or position of the target focal spot based on the starter voltage/current value and the adjusted starter voltage/current value. | 06-23-2011 |
