Analogic Corporation

Analogic Corporatiom

David Rozas

Douglas Q Abraham

Charles H Shaughnessy

Basak Ulker Karbeyaz

Aleksander Roshi

Doug Q Abraham

Carl R Crawford

Sergey Simanovsky

John M Dobbs

Ibrahim M Bechwati

Daniel Abenaim

Robert F Riemer

Anton M Deykoon

Seemeen S Karimi

Carl DeVincent

Lane Howitt

Mitchell Surowiec

Kevin Cheng

Charles Shaughnessy

Among other things, one or more techniques and/or systems are described for creating virtual channels in an imaging modality. The imaging modality comprises a plurality of charge integrating channels. Information yielded from two or more charge integrating channels during a same or similar acquisition view may be combined to yield a virtual channel that represents a portion of the detection surface substantially equivalent to an area comprised by the two or more charge integrating channels. In one embodiment, within a same acquisition view, some virtual channels may comprise a different number of charge integrating channels than other virtual channels. Also, different sets of virtual channels may be created for a same acquisition view to produce different images from a single set of data, for example, where there may be overlap between virtual channels such that the same charge integrating channel is comprised in more than one virtual channel.

Charger integration-based virtual CT detector

Among other things, one or more techniques and/or systems for calibration of a radiation system to compute a gain correction(s) are provided. A calibration procedure is performed during which a portion of the detector array is shadowed by an object, causing the detector array to be non-uniformly exposed to radiation. A portion of a projection generated from the calibration procedure and indicative of radiation that did not traverse the object is separated from a portion of the projection indicative of radiation that did traverse the object, and a gain correction(s) is computed from the portion of the projection indicative of radiation that did not traverse the object (e.g., and is thus indicative of radiation that merely traversed air).

Gain calibration and correction in radiation system

Among other things, one or more techniques and/or systems are described for processing images yielded from an examination via radiation to reduce visible noise in the images. After an image is reconstructed, a noise contribution to the image (e.g., an amount of noise in the image) is estimated to determine a target noise contribution for the image. The target noise contribution for the image may vary based upon, among other things, dose of radiation, aspects or properties of an object being imaged, etc. The image is subsequently filtered using one or more filtering techniques to generate a filtered image, and a noise contribution to the filtered image is determined. When the noise contribution to the filtered image satisfies the target noise contribution (e.g., a sufficient amount of noise has been filtered out of the image), the filtered image is combined with the reconstructed image to generate a blended image.

Noise reduction in radiation image

Among other things, one or more techniques and/or systems for counting detection events via a photon counting detector array is provided. A first instance where an amplitude of an electrical signal exceeds an event threshold is detected. The first instance is generated responsive to a first detection event at a detector cell. An event counter is disabled from counting other detection events at the detector cell for a first blocking interval. At a conclusion of the first blocking interval, the amplitude of the electrical signal is determined. Responsive to determining that the amplitude of the electrical signal is below the event threshold, an adjustment is made to an event count based upon the first detection event. Responsive to determining that the amplitude of the electrical signal exceeds the event threshold, the event counter is disabled from counting other detection events at the detector cell for a second blocking interval.

Photon counting system and method

Among other things, one or more techniques and/or systems are described for generating an output of a detector cell of a photon counting detector array. A counter block generates integration data and photon counting data associated with the photon counting detector array. Responsive to a number of detection events counted during a measurement interval (e.g., a view) not exceeding a first detection event count threshold, a first output may be generated based upon the photon counting data. Responsive to the number of detection events exceeding a second detection event count threshold, a second output may be generated based upon the integration data. Responsive to the number of detection events being between the first detection event count threshold and the second detection event count threshold, a blended output may be generated based upon the photon counting data and the integration data.

Data acquisition system of photon counting detector array

A method and system are provided for generating high resolution CT images. The NSR# method improves on the AMPR method, by increasing the in-plane image resolution of CT scanners, in the helical scanning mode. The provided method uses the quarter detector offset and interleaving of complementary data to achieve in plane image resolution that is similar to the high resolution axial scanning mode utilizing quarter detector offset and interleaving. The method includes several ways of choosing the data to be interleaved, like NSR# with two planes, NSR# with 3 planes, NSR# with multiple planes. The interleaved data are used to create high resolution tilted slices. The NSR# method optimizes the untilting filter to create a mix of high and low resolution tilted slices to achieve the desired in-plane image resolution-image artifact balance required for the imaging task. In one embodiment in the untilting process one may use only high resolution tilted slices, for maximum resolution benefit. In another embodiment one may mix high resolution tilted slices with standard resolution tilted slices resulting from data that did not go through interleaving. This creates unfilled slices of higher resolution than the standard and with lower artifacts. In another embodiment for scans with pitch lower than &#x2154; one may reduce the collimation to reduce the dose to the patient.

Method and system for high resolution nutated slice reconstruction using quarter detector offset

Among other things, one or more techniques and/or systems are described for creating virtual channels in a photon emitting imaging modality. The imaging modality comprises a plurality of photon counting channels. Information yielded from two or more photon counting channels during a same or similar acquisition view may be combined to yield a virtual channel that represents a portion of the detection surface substantially equivalent to an area comprised by the two or more photon counting channels. In one example, within a same acquisition view, some virtual channels may comprise a different number of photon counting channels than other virtual channels. Also, different sets of virtual channels may be created for a same acquisition view to produce different images from a single set of data, for example, where there may be overlap between virtual channels such that the same photon counting channel is comprised in more than one virtual channel.

Photon counting-based virtual detector

Among other things, one or more systems and/or techniques are described for dynamically adjusting, in a fan-angle direction, attenuation of radiation during an examination of an object such that portions of the object that are not represented in resulting (tilted/targeted) images of the object are exposed to less radiation than portions of the object that are represented in resulting (tilted/targeted) images of the object. As a rotating gantry is rotated, blades of a pre-object collimator are dynamically repositioned to selectively attenuate emitted radiation. A collimator adjustment component may be configured to determine how to reposition the blades based at least in part upon at least one of a desired tilt of the resulting (tilted) image(s), a translational position of the object, and a gantry rotation angle, for example.

Dose reduction via dynamic collimation adjustment for targeted field of view and/or digital tilt CT

Techniques and systems for supplying fluid to a rotating gantry portion of a radiation treatment apparatus are disclosed where a first batch fluid is supplied to the rotating gantry when the rotating gantry is stationary a first time, discontinuing the supply when the rotating gantry is rotating, and supplying a second batch of fluid when the rotating gantry is stationary a second time. A storage component on the rotating gantry allows supplied fluid to be stored in the rotating gantry and used to shape a radiation beam and/or cool an ionizing radiation source, for example, while the rotating gantry is rotating. The techniques and systems may also be utilized to discharge a first fluid from the rotating gantry and supply a second fluid to replace the first fluid.

Fluid transfer for radiation treatment apparatus

A method of and apparatus for assessing the image quality of a CT scanner is described in which assessment can be made manually or automatically. No special image quality mode of CT scanner operation is necessary, and no precise alignment of the phantom is necessary. In general, performance of the scanner comprises: using the scanner (a) to scan a phantom in one or more of its normal modes of operation while translating said phantom along the scanner axis of rotation and (b) to produce scanned data of the phantom, and assessing the performance of the scanner from the scanned data. In accordance with another aspect, the assessment is performed by (a) using the scanner to scan a phantom in one or more of its normal modes of operation; (b) reconstructing a three-dimensional volume CT image for a region containing at least a portion of the phantom; (c) calculating properties of the CT image; and (d) using the calculated properties of the CT image to assess CT scanner performance.

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Brighton, MA, United States of America

David Rozas