General Electric Company

Lockheed Martin Corporation

David Allen Langan

Bernhard Erich Hermann Claus

Xiaoye Wu

Dan Xu

Peter Michael Edic

John Eric Tkaczyk

Jeffrey Wayne Eberhard

Jed Douglas Pack

Robert F Senzig

James Walter LeBlanc

Omar Al Assad

Hao Lai

Thomas Matthew Benson

James Vradenburg Miller

Colin Richard Wilson

Jean Lienard

Kai Erik Thomenius

Joseph Manak

Yun Zou

Steven James Gray

Prem Venugopal

Michael Robert Hopple

Jeffrey Brian Fowlkes

Jiang Hsieh

John Erik Hershey

Samit Kumar Basu

Bruno Kristiaan Bernard De Man

Peter William Lorraine

John Michael Sabol

Nick Andrew Van Stralen

Gary Jude Saulnier

Rowland F Saunders

Biju Jacob

Stephen Michael Hladik

Walter Vincent Dixon, Iii

Naveen Stephan Chandra

Srikanth Suryanarayanan

Abdalmajeid Musa Alyassin

Yogisha Mallya

Michel Francois Grimaud

Kedar Bhalchandra Khare

Robert Leland Nevin

Feng Pan

Andrea Marie Schmitz

Jeffrey Seymour Gordon

Bernhard Claus

Gregoire Avignon

Guillermo Sander

Taylor Robert Braun-Jones

Robert Franklin Senzig

Disclosed aspects relate to the acquisition and processing of projection data using temporal characteristics of the imaged volume, such as the uptake and clearance of a contrast agent within the volume. Such temporal aspects may be used in the acquisition process, such as to differentially acquire images based on the propagation of the contrast agent. In addition, such temporal aspects may be used in the processing of projection data to generate differential projections (e.g., first or second order subtraction projections), compound projections synthesized using the absolute or relative maximum opacity values observed over time for a region of interest, or interpolated projections synthesized using observed opacity values at known or fixed time intervals and a derived peak opacity time.

Tomographic imaging for time-sensitive applications

A method for X-ray imaging includes determining one or more pre-shot parameters corresponding to a region of interest in a subject based on an optical image of the region of interest obtained from an optical sensor. The method further includes controlling an X-ray device to generate a pre-shot X-ray image using a first X-ray dosage, based on the one or more-pre-shot parameters. The method also includes determining at least one main-shot parameter based on the pre-shot X-ray image. The method includes controlling the X-ray device to generate a main-shot X-ray image using a second X-ray dosage greater than the first X-ray dosage, based on the at least one main-shot parameter.

System and method for mobile X-ray imaging

A method for imaging a target region in a subject is presented. The method includes selecting one or more tomographic angle sequences, acquiring one or more image sequences corresponding to the one or more tomographic angle sequences, where each image sequence has a corresponding tomographic angle sequence, deriving geometric information corresponding to one or more structures of interest in at least one of the image sequences, identifying visualization information, generating one or more displacement maps based on the geometric information, the visualization information, at least a subset of at least one of the one or more tomographic angle sequences, or combinations thereof, transforming at least a subset of images in the one or more image sequences based on corresponding displacement maps to create one or more transformed/stabilized image sequences, and visualizing on a display the one or more transformed/stabilized image sequences to provide a stabilized presentation of the target region.

Multi-perspective interventional imaging using a single imaging system

Approaches for assessing hemodynamic characteristics for an organ of interest are related. In one implementation, a fluid dynamics model may be provided with data derived from an anatomic imaging modality and blood flow information derived by ultrasound to derive the desired hemodynamic characteristics. In one such implementation, a fractional flow reserve is estimated.

Fractional flow reserve estimation

The present disclosure relates various approaches by which mask and contrast projection data may be acquired using a continuous projection acquisition process, without an interruption in acquisition or resetting of the system between the acquisition of the mask projection data and the contrast projection data. In certain implementations, the approaches described herein may be employed with a single-plane or multi-plane tomosynthesis system.

Generation of mask and contrast image data in a continuous acquisition

The present disclosure relates to the iterative reconstruction of projection data. In certain embodiments, the iterative reconstruction is a multi-stage iterative reconstruction in which different feature are selectively emphasized at different stages. Selective emphasis at different stages may be accomplished by differentially handling two or more decompositions of an input image at certain iterations and/or by differently processing certain features with respect to each stage.

Iterative reconstruction of projection data

In accordance with one aspect of the present system, a dual energy X-ray imaging system includes a communication module configured to receive a pre-shot image from a detection circuitry and receive one or more pre-shot parameters from a source controller of the dual energy X-ray imaging system. The dual energy X-ray imaging system further includes an analysis module configured to determine one or more image characteristics of the pre-shot image. The dual energy X-ray imaging system further includes a determination module configured to calculate a first and a second set of main-shot parameters based on the one or more pre-shot parameters and the one or more image characteristics of the pre-shot image. The determination module is further configured to send the one or more main-shot parameters to the source controller of the dual energy X-ray imaging system.

System and method for determining X-ray exposure parameters

C-arm systems and method for making and using continuous C-arm spin acquisition trajectories for dynamic imaging and improved image quality are described. In such systems and methods, a C-arm gantry, coupled to a C-arm support assembly, is adapted to retain an x-ray source and an x-ray detector. The C-arm gantry is selectively rotatable relative to the C-arm support assembly about both a C-arm axis and a pivot-axis to displace the x-ray source and the x-ray detector along a continuous C-arm spin trajectory. The C-arm system is adapted for continuous three-dimensional acquisition of data along the continuous C-arm spin trajectory including a plurality of shorts arcs and a plurality of long arcs. The C-arm system is adapted for continuous three-dimensional acquisition of data along the continuous C-arm spin trajectory to provide continuous three-dimensional imaging of dynamic processes.

C-arm system and C-arm spin acquisition trajectories for dynamic imaging and improved image quality and method of use

Systems, methods and non-transitory computer readable media for imaging. The system includes one or more radiation sources and detectors configured to transmit x-ray radiation towards a subject for imaging a dynamic process in a ROI of the subject and to acquire projection data corresponding to the ROI, respectively. The system also includes a computing device operatively coupled to one or more of the radiation sources and the detectors. The computing device is configured to provide control signals for performing one or more reference scans for acquiring reference data from a plurality of angular positions around the subject and for performing one or more tomosynthesis scans using one or more tomosynthesis trajectories for acquiring tomosynthesis data following the onset of the dynamic process. Additionally, the computing device is configured to reconstruct one or more images representative of the dynamic process using the reference data and/or the tomosynthesis data.

Systems and methods for imaging dynamic processes

Approaches are disclosed for removing or reducing metal artifacts in reconstructed images. The approaches include creating a metal mask in the projection domain, interpolating data within the metal mask, and perform a reconstruction using the interpolated data. In certain embodiments the metal structure is separately reconstructed and combined with the reconstructed volume.

Robust artifact reduction in image reconstruction

A method includes, in a bi-plane interventional imaging system, moving a first C-arm supporting a first X-ray source and a first X-ray detector about first and second axes while obtaining a plurality of first X-ray attenuation data sets relating to a subject of interest; moving a second C-arm, positioned crosswise with respect to the first C-arm and supporting a second X-ray source and a second X-ray detector, about the first axis while obtaining a plurality of second X-ray attenuation data sets relating to the subject of interest; and synchronizing the movement of the first and second C-arms to avoid collision therebetween.

System and method for performing bi-plane tomographic acquisitions

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.

System and method for extracting features of interest from an image

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.

Method and apparatus for reduction of metal artifacts in CT images

Methods and systems for correlated noise suppression are presented. The present correlated noise suppression technique estimates a correlation direction between noise values in a first and a second MD image corresponding to a first and a second basis material, respectively. The two MD images are diffused using the estimated correlation direction to generate a first and a second diffused image. Further, first and second noise masks are generated by subtracting the diffused image from the corresponding MD image. Edges in the first and the second MD images are processed with the first and second noise masks, respectively to generate a final first noise mask and a final second noise mask. The first MD image is then processed with the final second noise mask to generate a final first MD image and the second MD image is processed with the final first noise mask to generate a final second MD image.

Method and system for correlated noise suppression in dual energy imaging

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Clifton Park, NY, United States of America

David Allen Langan