General Electric Company

Canon Medical Systems Corporation

University Health Network

Duke University

Ge Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC

The Texas A&m University System

Bernice Hoppel

Jiang Hsieh

Darin Robert Okerlund

Jianying Li

John Howard Londt

Melissa Liliane Vass

Zhou Yu

Eddy Benjamin Boskamp

Paul Edgar Licato

John Edward Lorbiecki

LeRoy R Blawat

Patrik Rogalla

Gopal Biligeri Avinash

Thomas L Toth

Jian Zhou

Cherik T Bulkes

Sandeep Dutta

Xiangyang Tang

Scott Thomas Mansell

Chung Chan

Prathyusha K Salla

John Skinner

Elisabeth Angelos

James G Colsher

Ting Xia

Kelly Ann Mohr

Cynthia Faye Maier

Rendon Clive Nelson

Kurt Walter Schultz

Heidi A Ward

Timothy Garvey Turkington

TinSu Pan

Tracy Quayle Callister

Lisa Mei-ling Ho

Rodrigo Ayala

Amy Lynette Broadie

Susan Mathew

The present disclosure relates to a method for patient-specific optimization of imaging protocols. According to an embodiment, the present disclosure relates to a method for generating a patient-specific imaging protocol, comprising acquiring scout scan data, the scout scan data including scout scan information and scout scan parameters, generating a simulated image based on the acquired scout scan data, deriving a simulated dose map from the generated simulated image, determining image quality of the generated simulated image by applying machine learning to the generated simulated image, the neural network being trained to generate at least one probabilistic quality representation corresponding to at least one region of the generated simulated image, evaluating the determined image quality relative to a image quality threshold and the derived simulated dose map relative to a dosage threshold, optimizing. based on the evaluating, scan acquisition parameters and image reconstruction parameters, and generating, optimal imaging protocol parameters, wherein the optimal imaging protocol parameters maximize image quality while minimizing radiation exposure.

System and methods for radiographic image quality assessment and protocol optimization

A method and apparatus is provided to iteratively reconstruct a computed tomography (CT) image using a spatially-varying content-oriented regularization parameter, thereby achieving uniform statistical properties within respective organs/regions and different statistical properties (e.g., degree of smoothing and noise level) among the respective organs/regions. For example, less smoothing and sharper features/resolution can be applied within a lung region than within a soft-tissue region by using a smaller regularization parameter value in the lung region than in the soft-tissue region. This can be achieved, e.g., using a minimum intensity projection to suppress/eliminate sub-solid nodules in the lung region. The content-oriented regularization parameter can be generated by reconstructing an initial CT image, which is then segmented/classified according to organs and/or tissue type. Segmenting the image and generating the content-oriented regularization parameter can be integrated into one process by applying an HU-to-&#x3b2; mapping to the CT image.

Apparatus and method for context-oriented iterative reconstruction for computed tomography (CT)

An imaging system includes a detector configured to receive data that can be reconstructed into a three-dimensional (3D) image of an object, and a computer programmed to obtain 3D image data of the object, the 3D image data including an internal structure of the object, define a longitudinal dimension of the internal structure from the 3D image data along a length of the structure, extract a first set of parameter-of-interest data related to the internal structure from the 3D image data along a first ray extending from a first location along the length of the structure and at a first angular orientation with respect to a base vector that is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal dimension, and plot the extracted first set of parameter-of-interest data at a pixel location of a two-dimensional (2D) plot that corresponds to the first location and corresponds to the first angular orientation.

System and method of visualizing features in an image

A method of evaluating tissue of an organ includes performing at least one of classification processing and clustering processing to obtain a processed dataset to visualize at least one of the imaging agent, blood, the contrast agent, and the biomedical agent distribution in the tissue, a relative regional uptake of the at least one of the imaging agent, blood, the contrast agent, and the biomedical agent in the tissue, relative regional flow of the at least one of the imaging agent, blood, the contrast agent, and the biomedical agent and the clearance or persistence of the at least one of the imaging agent, blood, the contrast agent, and the biomedical agent within the tissue and the characterization of elemental components of disease.

Methods and apparatus for relative perfusion and/or viability

A method of evaluating changes in contrast of an image using a diagnostic imaging system is provided. The method provides acquiring raw image data of an organ or tissue, calculating a baseline of data based on the raw image data acquired before arrival of an agent, and determining changes in a signal intensity of the agent based on changes in the raw image data compared to the baseline. The agent may be an imaging agent, a contrast agent, a biomedical agent, a needle, a catheter, a biomedical device, and the like.

Method and system for performing high temporal resolution bolus detection using CT image projection data

A computer readable medium is embedded with a program configured to receive or generate a PAI, and/or use the PAI in a diagnostic application.

Methods and apparatus for new useful metrics

An method of computed tomography is disclosed herein. The method includes acquiring an axial dataset and acquiring a helical dataset as part of an acquisition protocol. A computed tomography system is also disclosed.

Computed tomography method and system

The present invention is directed to a method and system of controlling rotation of a gantry to rotate at a rotational speed such that a desired relationship between center projection angles of neighboring partial scans is maintained.

Step-and-shoot cardiac CT imaging

A CT imaging system includes a gantry and a table in a movable relationship with the gantry. The CT imaging system also includes a controller configured to control relative movement between a subject disposed on the table and the gantry from a first data acquisition position to a second data acquisition position. The controller is also configured to determine a total scan time based on a first time for acquiring imaging data at the first data acquisition position and a second time for transitioning from the first data acquisition position to the second data acquisition position. The controller is also configured to disable data acquisition in an immediately subsequent cardiac cycle and re-enable data acquisition in the cardiac cycle following the immediately subsequent cardiac cycle if the total scan time exceeds one cardiac cycle of the subject. A method of CT imaging is also disclosed.

A method and system of gating for a medical imaging system includes utilizing a non-electrical sensor to acquire information for gating. A sensor assembly usable in the method and system of gating may include a non-electrical sensor coupled to one side of a patient-sensor interface, the other side adapted for securing to a patient.

Method and system using a non-electrical sensor for gating

An assembly of RF coils for bilateral imaging of a first and a second breast of the same person is disclosed. The assembly includes a first pair of coils having a first coil juxtaposed and underlapping a second coil, thereby defining juxtaposed edges of the first and second coils, and a second pair of coils having a third coil juxtaposed and underlapping a fourth coil, thereby defining juxtaposed edges of the third and fourth coils. The first coil has a first opening for receiving the first breast, the second coil has a second opening for receiving the second breast, the third coil substantially opposes the first coil, defining therebetween a first region for receiving the first breast, and the fourth coil substantially opposes the second coil, defining therebetween a second region for receiving the second breast.

Bilateral imaging apparatus

A method and apparatus for acquiring high resolution MR images of a carotid artery. A six-channel RF coil array has three RF coils placed in an overlapping pattern and positioned adjacent to a first region-of-interest (ROI) of an imaging patient. The six-channel RF coil also has three RF coils placed in an overlapping pattern and positioned adjacent to a second ROI of an imaging patient.

6-channel array coil for magnetic resonance imaging

A CT imaging system has a rotatable gantry, a table movable fore and aft through an opening defined within the rotatable gantry, and a controller that incrementally moves a subject disposed on the table through a number of discrete data acquisition positions for the acquisition of physiologically gated CT data. The controller also coordinates acquisition of imaging data from the subject at a first data acquisition position within a physiological cycle of the subject and only advances the subject to a next data acquisition position if the imaging data acquired at the first data acquisition position is deemed acceptable. The controller also detects irregularities and physiological motion of the subject and responsive thereto, suspends data acquisition until the irregularity passes, such as, suspending data acquisition until a next cardiac cycle if a heart arrhythmia is detected.

Growing community of inventors

Delafield, WI, United States of America

Bernice Hoppel