General Electric Company

Ge Precision Healthcare LLC

Franco Rupcich

Dominic Joseph Crotty

Chelsey Amanda Lewis

Mark Vincent Profio

Darin Robert Okerlund

Jiahua Fan

John Howard Londt

Jacquelyn Lee Gerhardson

Masatake Nukui

Bradley Jay Gabrielse

John Irvin Jackson

Roy A Nilsen

Grant Morey Stevens

Roy-Arnulf Helge Nilsen

Mary Sue Kulpins

Christine Carol Hammond

Tal Gilat Schmidt

Parag Khobragade

A system(s), a computer-implemented method(s) and/or computer executable instructions encoded on a computer readable medium(s) obtains, for a scan series for a subject that includes arms of the subject at different positions relative to the subject, a scout image for the subject, removing the arms of the subject from the scout image, designating the scout image with the arms of the subject removed as a reference image for X-ray source current modulation for the scan series, and utilizes the designated scout image for X-ray source current modulation for the scan series.

Method and system for creating a reference scout image for x-ray source current modulation

A system(s), a computer-implemented method(s) and/or computer executable instructions encoded on a computer readable medium(s) receives a current position of arms of a subject for a group of a scan series, automatically identifies a scout image from a set of scout images with images of the subject with arms in different positions relative to the subject in which arms of the subject are at a position relative to the subject that corresponds to the current position of the arms of the subject, and utilizes the identified scout image for X-ray source current modulation for the group.

Method and system for subject position instructions during an imaging examination

A system(s), a computer-implemented method(s) and/or computer executable instructions encoded on a computer readable medium(s) obtains, for groups of a scan series for a subject, scout images for the subject that were acquired prior to planning the scan series and that include images of arms of the subject in different positions relative to the subject, designates, for each group of the groups, a scout image of the scout images with a position of the arms of the subject that corresponds to a position of the arms of the subject in the group as the reference image for X-ray source current modulation for the group, and utilizes the designated scout images for X-ray source current modulation for the series.

Method and system for selection of reference scout images for X-ray source current modulation

Methods and systems are provided for adjusting medical imaging parameters based on imaging parameters used during a previous imaging session. In one embodiment, a method for a computed tomography (CT) system includes reducing a radiation level of at least one CT scan of one or more successive CT scans performed on a patient based on CT scan information obtained from a previous CT scan performed on the patient, the radiation level reduced relative to a radiation level of the previous CT scan.

Methods and system for optimizing an imaging scan based on a prior scan

Methods and systems are provided for profile-based selection of imaging parameters for a clinical context. In one embodiment, a method comprises selecting a profile based on an indication of clinical context for a scan of a patient, selecting one or more sub-profiles based on the profile, selecting imaging settings for the scan based on the profile and the one or more sub-profiles, and performing the scan according to the selected imaging settings. In this way, a scan prescription may be defined more efficiently and personally for a patient while improving quality assurance and managing an x-ray radiation dose of the patient.

Systems and methods for profile-based scanning

Computed tomography (CT) imaging system has at least one processing unit configured to receive operator inputs that include a modified system feature and a clinical task having a task object and also receive operator inputs for determining a task-based image quality (IQ) metric. The task-based IQ metric represents a desired overall image quality of image data for performing the clinical task. The image data acquired using a reference system feature. The at least one processing unit is also configured to determine an exposure-control parameter based on the task object, the modified system feature, and the task-based IQ metric. The at least one processing unit is also configured to direct the x-ray source to generate the x-ray beam during the CT scan, wherein at least one of the tube current or the tube potential during the CT scan is a function of the exposure-control parameter.

CT imaging system and method using a task-based image quality metric to achieve a desired image quality

A computer-implemented method for generating and simulating a computed tomography (CT) protocol is provided. The method includes receiving, via a graphical user interface, at a processor user input including patient population size settings and scan technique settings for modeling the effects of the scan technique settings across a patient population as a function of patient size. The method also includes generating, via the processor, a patient population profile based on at least the patient population size settings and the scan technique settings, wherein the patient population profile includes specific CT scan technique settings to be applied across different size ranges of the patient population as a function of patient size. The method further includes displaying, on the graphical user interface, one or more visualization elements illustrating the effect of these specific CT scan technique settings on specific imaging metrics across the patient population.

System and method for generating and performing imaging protocol simulations

Methods and systems are provided for automatic exposure control in computed tomography imaging systems. In one embodiment, a method comprises in response to an object-specific dose metric input by a user via a user interface operably coupled to a scanner, predicting an image quality of a diagnostic scan, calculating an output level of a source of the scanner for the image quality, and performing the diagnostic scan at the output level when the image quality is higher than a threshold. In this way, patient-specific image quality settings may be determined.

Growing community of inventors

Wauwatosa, WI, United States of America

Franco Rupcich