Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090003655 | Methods and systems for assessing patient movement in diagnostic imaging - Methods and systems for automatically detecting gross patient motion using a diagnostic medical imaging system are provided. The method provides for acquiring a plurality of frames of image data, positioning a first time window and a second time window over overlapping frames of image data, calculating a statistical correlation value based on the first time window and the second time window, and comparing a first derivative of the statistical correlation value to a threshold value to determine patient motion. | 01-01-2009 |
20090253980 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF AN IMAGE TRANSFORMATION PROCESS - A method for determining the effectiveness of an image transformation process includes acquiring a four-dimensional (4D) image data set, sorting the 4D image data set into separate field-of-view bins using a temporal gating system generating a plurality of deformation vectors using the sorted 4D image data set, and using the plurality of deformation vectors to generate a transformation effectiveness value that is representative of the effectiveness of the image transformation process. The method further includes acquiring a respiratory signal, calculating a power spectrum of the respiratory signal, calculating a power spectrum for each of the plurality of deformation vectors, and comparing the power spectrum of the respiratory signal to the power spectrum of the plurality of deformation vectors to generate the transformation effectiveness value. | 10-08-2009 |
20100116994 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SCATTER CORRECTION - A method and apparatus are provided for correcting primary and secondary emission data. The method includes obtaining an emission data set having primary and secondary emission data representative of primary and secondary emission particles emitting from a region of interest and applying a scatter correction model to the emission data set to derive an estimated scatter vector. The method also includes comparing the emission data set to the estimated scatter vector to identify an amount of secondary emission data in the emission data set and correcting the emission data set based on the amount of secondary emission data identified in the comparing operation. | 05-13-2010 |
20100189324 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REDUCING IMAGE ARTIFACTS - A method and apparatus are provided for reducing motion related imaging artifacts. The method includes obtaining an image data set of a region of interest in an object, obtaining a motion signal indicative of motion of the region of interest, and determining a displacement and a phase of at least a portion of the motion signal. The method also includes mapping the image data set into a matrix based on the displacement and phase of the motion signal, and generating an image of the region of interest from the matrix. | 07-29-2010 |
20100220909 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REDUCING IMAGE ARTIFACTS - A method and apparatus are provided for reducing motion related imaging artifacts. The method includes determining an internal motion for of two regions of the object, each region having a different level of motion, scanning the first region using a first scan protocol based on the motion, scanning a second region using a second different scan protocol based on the motion, and generating an image of the object based on the first and second regions. | 09-02-2010 |
20110116695 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REDUCING MOTION-RELATED IMAGING ARTIFACTS - A method and apparatus are provided for reducing motion related imaging artifacts. The method includes obtaining an image data set of a region of interest in an object, obtaining a motion signal indicative of motion of the region of interest, determining at least one quiescent period of at least a portion of the motion signal, extracting image data from the image data set that is within the determined quiescent period to form an image data subset, and generating an image of the region of interest using the image data subset. | 05-19-2011 |
20110127434 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR DETERMINING A MEDICAL SYSTEM ALIGNMENT - Methods and systems for performing a patient scan using a three-dimensional (3D) cylindrical Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging system are provided. The method includes acquiring a count-rate profile of a brain, repositioning at least one of a detector and the brain based on the count-rate profile and a detector sensitivity profile, and scanning the brain when the acquired count-rate profile substantially matches the detector sensitivity profile. | 06-02-2011 |
20110142367 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR CORRECTING IMAGE SCATTER - Methods and systems for correcting image scatter are provided. The method includes generating an estimate of a detector activity, determining a probability that a scatter event has been counted as a true event using the estimate of a detector activity; generating a scatter correction estimate based on the determined probability, and applying the scatter correction estimate to an emission data set to generate an image of an object. | 06-16-2011 |
20110150306 | APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR DETERMINING A BOUNDARY OF AN OBJECT FOR POSITRON EMISSION TOMOGRAPHY SCATTER CORRECTION - Apparatus and methods for determining a boundary of an object for positron emission tomography (PET) scatter correction are provided. One method includes obtaining positron emission tomography (PET) data and computed tomography (CT) data for an object. The PET data and CT data is acquired from an imaging system. The method further includes determining a PET data boundary of the object based on the PET data and determining a CT data boundary of the object based on the CT data. The method further includes determining a combined boundary for PET scatter correction. The combined boundary encompasses the PET data boundary and the CT data boundary. | 06-23-2011 |
20120078089 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR GENERATING MEDICAL IMAGES - A method for generating a hybrid imaging volume includes acquiring a Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging dataset of an object using a PET imaging system, the PET imaging dataset including at least one motion affected portion and at least one non-motion affected portion, identifying a motion affected portion of the PET imaging dataset, motion correcting the identified portion of the PET imaging dataset to generate a hybrid portion, and constructing a hybrid PET image volume using the hybrid portion and the at least one non-motion affected portion. A system for implementing the method is also described herein. | 03-29-2012 |
20120082350 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ASSESSING MOTION CORRECTION - A method for evaluating the effectiveness of a motion correction procedure includes acquiring an imaging dataset of an object using an imaging system, identifying a motion affected portion of the imaging dataset, motion correcting the identified portion to generate a motion corrected imaging dataset, and displaying both the identified portion and the motion corrected imaging dataset on a display device in a comparable manner or format. A system and computer readable medium for implementing the method are also described herein. | 04-05-2012 |
20120230556 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MOTION CORRECTING MEDICAL IMAGES - A method for reducing, in an image, motion related imaging artifacts includes obtaining a four-dimensional (4D) image dataset of a region of interest, sorting the 4D image dataset into a plurality of gates, generating an image of the region of interest using the plurality of gates, quantifying a selected feature using at least one metric, selecting a reference gate from the plurality of gates based on the quantification of the feature, and registering one or more of the plurality of gates to the reference gate to generate an image of the selected feature. A system and non-transitory computer readable medium configure to implement the method are also described herein. | 09-13-2012 |
20120271840 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR STORING AND PROVIDING SCAN PROTOCOL INFORMATION - A method for displaying a scan protocol for an imaging system is provided. The method includes receiving a current scan protocol for a scan of a patient. The current scan protocol includes scan parameters related to image quality and quantitation. A stored scan protocol is accessed from a memory. The stored scan protocol includes scan parameters related to image quality and quantitation for a previous scan of the patient. The current scan protocol is compared to the stored scan protocol. Any differences are identified based on the comparison of the current scan protocol to the stored scan protocol. The differences of the current scan protocol and the stored scan protocol are indicated on a display. | 10-25-2012 |
20130131493 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PERFORMING DUAL-MODALITY IMAGING - A method for performing an examination of a patient using a dual-modality imaging system includes accessing a list that includes a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination protocol to be used to perform a predetermined MRI examination, the examination protocol including a plurality of MRI protocol actions, receiving an input selecting at least one of the MRI protocol actions, scanning the patient using the MRI examination protocol, scanning the patient using a positron emission tomography (PET) imaging system to acquire PET data, and marking the PET data, using a first visual indication, to indicate the selected MRI protocol action. An imaging system and a non-transitory computer readable medium are also described herein. | 05-23-2013 |
20130256559 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ALIGNING A MULTI-MODALITY IMAGING SYSTEM - A target object for aligning a multi-modality imaging system includes a body having a cavity therein, a first imaging source being disposed within the cavity, the first imaging source including a body having a cavity defined therein and an emission responsive material disposed within the first imaging source cavity, the first imaging source having a first shape, and a second imaging source being disposed within the cavity, the second imaging source including a body having a cavity defined therein and a magnetic resonance responsive material disposed within the second imaging source cavity, the second imaging source having a second shape that is different than the first shape. A method of aligning a multi-modality imaging system is also provided. | 10-03-2013 |
20130315459 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MOTION CORRECTING MEDICAL IMAGES - A method for reducing, in an image, motion related imaging artifacts. The method includes obtaining a single image of a subject using a computed tomography (CT) imaging system, obtaining a plurality of images of the subject using a positron emission tomography (PET) imaging system, generating a plurality of consistency values, and utilizing the plurality of consistency values to register the CT image and the plurality of PET images. | 11-28-2013 |
20130322715 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR PERFORMING ATTENUATION CORRECTION - A method for correcting a positron emission tomography (PET) image includes obtaining a magnetic resonance (MR) image dataset, classifying at least one object in the MR image as a bone, generating MR-derived PET attenuation correction factors based on the object classified as the bone, and attenuation correcting a plurality of positron emission tomography (PET) emission data using the MR-derived PET attenuation correction factors. A medical imaging system and a non-transitory computer readable medium are also described herein | 12-05-2013 |
20130322716 | METHODS AND SYSTEM FOR DISPLAYING SEGMENTED IMAGES - A method for displaying a segmented two-dimensional (2D) image includes obtaining a three-dimensional (3D) volume dataset corresponding to an imaged volume along a viewing plane, segmenting an object of interest within 3D volume to generate a plurality of segmented two-dimensional (2D) images along the viewing plane, selecting a reference image for viewing from the plurality of segmented 2D images, and displaying the reference image, the reference image having a first segmentation boundary drawn around the object of interest and a second segmentation boundary drawn around the object of interest, the first segmentation boundary being derived from the segmentation performed on the reference image and the second segmentation boundary being derived from the segmentation performed on at least one non-reference image of the plurality of segmented 2D images. | 12-05-2013 |
20140064585 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SELECTING A REFERENCE GATE - A method for selecting a reference gate includes acquiring a four-dimensional (4D) emission dataset of an object of interest, sorting the 4D emission dataset into a plurality of gates, calculating a slice activity value for each slice in the plurality of gates, generating a maximum difference value for each gate using the plurality of slice activity values, and selecting a reference gate based on the locations of the maximum difference values. An imaging system and a non-transitory computer readable medium are also described herein. | 03-06-2014 |
20140099009 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR GENERATING A POSITRON EMISSION TOMOGRAPHY ATTENUATION CORRECTION MAP - A method for generating a positron emission tomography (PET) attenuation correction map. The method includes obtaining a magnetic resonance (MR) image dataset of a subject of interest, obtaining a positron emission tomography (PET) emission dataset of the subject of interest, segmenting the MR image dataset to identify at least one object of interest, determining a volume of the object of interest, and generating a PET attenuation correction map using the determined volume. A medical imaging system and a non-transitory computer readable medium are also described herein | 04-10-2014 |
20140276029 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DATA SELECTION FOR POSITRON EMISSION TOMOGRPAHY (PET) IMAGE RECONSTRUCTION - A method for selecting data to reconstruct a three-dimensional (3D) image of a subject of interest includes acquiring a 3D emission dataset of the subject of interest, acquiring a respiratory signal of the subject of interest, the respiratory signal including a plurality of respiratory cycles, and calculating a respiratory profile using the respiratory signal. The method further includes, for each respiratory cycle, generating a gating window, calculating a minimum total squared difference (TSD) between a plurality of phases in the respiratory profile and the same plurality of phases in the respiratory cycle, and positioning the gating window based on the TSD values calculated, and reconstructing a 3D image using only the emission data within the plurality of gated windows. A system and non-transitory computer readable medium are also described herein. | 09-18-2014 |