General Electric Company

Other

Ge Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC

Hologic, Inc.

Fischer Imaging Corporation

Stereotaxis, Inc.

Guy M Besson

Hui Hu

Morgan W Nields

Tin-Su Pan

Jiang Hsieh

David Michael Hoffman

Thomas L Toth

Robert F Senzig

Jeffrey M Garibaldi

Hui David He

Armin H Pfoh

Min Xie

Mike Tesic

Raju R Viswanathan

Walter M Blume

Sandeep Dutta

Sarah Kathryn Patch

Jonathan Alan Murray

Nathan Kastelein

Neil Barry Bromberg

George E Seidenschnur

Willi W Hampel

Gary R Strong

Thomas J Minyard

Girish Saligram

Gery Tomassoni

Stephen W Metz

Chess piece set

A multiple-source CT system has an annular vacuum chamber surrounding a passage wherein lies an object. A target is in the chamber, the passage passing through an opening of the target. Multiple electron beam emitters are on an emitter gantry within the chamber, each emitting an electron beam towards the target to cause x-rays. An x-ray detector array is mounted on a detector gantry and feeds an image processing system configured to generate tomographic images of the object from detector data. In embodiments, multiple electron beam emitters energize simultaneously. In embodiments, target and emitter gantry counter-rotate. The method includes rotating electron-beam emitters with respect to the target to generate x-rays from the target while rotating a detector about a passage and acquiring data from the detector while multiple detector elements receive x-rays stimulated by multiple emitters, forming a sinogram, and processing the sinogram into a tomographic image of the object.

Annular ring target multi-source CT system

A computed tomography scanner has multiple radiation sources or source arrays, in specific geometric dimensions for optimized imaging speed. A CT system with maximum fan-angle &#x393; and K simultaneously active x-ray sources distributed over an angle of &#x3c0;&#x2212;2&#x393; radians, the sources partially overlapping on a detector array, measures summed projection data corresponding to K or less line-integrals at each detector element. When the CT machine's dimensions R, R, and R, corresponding respectively to the measurement field-of-view, detector distance from iso-center, and source distance from iso-center, are such that projections of the two extreme radiation sources do not overlap on the detector, the individual line-integrals can be recovered by inversion of linear systems comprising K or less rows in fewer unknown than rows; the unknowns given by the exponential of the negative of the line integrals to be recovered. The CT scanner then reconstructs an image from the line-integral estimates.

Multi-source CT systems and pre-reconstruction inversion methods

A CT scanner has multiple X-ray sources on a first rotatable gantry disposed to illuminate an X-ray detector array. An image processor receives data from the detector array, machine readable instructions in the memory include instructions for energizing K&#x3e;=2 X-ray sources simultaneously while rotating the gantry through multiple positions and recording measurements at each gantry position. Some measurements correspond to sums of line integrals of radiation from two or more of the X-ray sources as attenuated by passage through an imaging zone to detector array cells, including a first measurement Nat a first gantry position and a second measurement Nat a second gantry position represent a sum of line integrals comprising a line integral of attenuation of radiation along a same line L. Instructions determine individual line integrals along the line L from the measurements Nand Nthat include sums of line integrals along the line L.

Multi-source CT system and imaging method

A system and method of locally displaying multiple items of medical information from at least one remote medical system having an output display. The method includes assembling the multiple items of medical information from the output display of at least one remote medical systems into a composite display having regions corresponding to the multiple items of medical information. Video data for the composite display is communicated over a network to a local display. Video data corresponding to the regions of the display are treated differently to provide a composite display with regions of different image quality.

Management of live remote medical display

An integrated control and display system for operating a plurality of separate computer systems each having a visual display, includes at least one cursor control device for seamlessly moving a cursor among the visual displays of the separate computer systems, the cursor control device operating to control the computer system associated with the display on which the cursor appears.

Global input device for multiple computer-controlled medical systems

Scatter effects are reduced in a radiographic imaging device, such as a digital slot scan mammographic imaging device, by reducing detected scatter and processing detector information to compensate for scatter effects. In one embodiment, a digital mammographic imaging system () includes a source () for transmitting a narrow beam () and a detector assembly () for detecting the beam (). The beam () and the detector assembly () are synchronously scanned across the patient's breast () to obtain an image. Collimator slats () are provided at the leading and trailing edges of the detector to reduce detected scatter. Additionally, attenuators (and) are provided at the ends of the scanned motion and at the anterior edge of the detector array to assist in determining a spatial intensity profile. The spatial intensity profile information together with other imaging signal and patient dependent parameters are used in image processing to estimate and compensate for various scatter effects including single and multiple scatters and Compton and Rayleigh scatter.

Scatter rejection for composite medical imaging systems

A method and system for performing fluoroscopic imaging of a subject has high temporal and spatial resolution in a center portion of the captured dynamic images. The system provides for reduced X-ray dose to the patient associated with that part of the X-ray beam associated with a peripheral portion of the captured images although temporal, and in some embodiments spatial, resolution is reduced in the peripheral portion of the image. The system uses a rotating collimator to produce an X-ray beam having narrow wing portions associated with the peripheral portions of the image, and a broader central region associated with the high resolution center portion of the images.

Method and system for dynamic low dose X-ray imaging

A system for low dose x-ray imaging provides for dynamic generation of an x-ray beam with specific shape, and dynamic tracking of a detector with said beam. The detector is rotatable, and translatable along two orthogonal axes, and may mount with a circular detector tray, the tray rotating around a rotation axis. Specific detector shapes include an elongated rectangular matrix, for example with additional detector cells near the rotation center to provide an increased area of continuous detection. Dynamic low-dose x-ray tomosynthesis or limited-angle tomographic imaging is enabled via simultaneous x-ray tube and detector motions during examination, such as fluoroscopic examination of a human body. Data acquired at multiple projection angles is input to a 3D image reconstruction algorithm that provides a refreshed 3D data set during continuing examination. The system may thus also automatically track a point in three-dimensional space, for example continuously locating the tip of a catheter.

System for dynamic low dose x-ray imaging

System for dynamic low dose x-ray imaging and tomosynthesis

Scatter effects are reduced in a radiographic imaging device, such as a digital slot scan mammographic imaging device, by reducing detected scatter and processing detector information to compensate for scatter effects. A digital mammographic imaging system () may include a source () for transmitting a narrow beam () and a detector assembly () for detecting the beam (). The beam () and the detector assembly () may synchronously scann across the patient's breast () to obtain an image. Collimator slats () at the leading and trailing edges of the detector may reduce detected scatter. Attenuators (and) at the ends of the scanned motion and at the anterior edge of the detector array may assist in determining a spatial intensity profile. The spatial intensity profile information together with other imaging signal and patient dependent parameters may be used to estimate and compensate for various scatter effects.

Method and apparatus for blocking radiographic scatter

A multispectral X-ray imaging system uses a wideband source and filtration assembly to select for M sets of spectral data. Spectral characteristics may be dynamically adjusted in synchrony with scan excursions where an X-ray source, detector array, or body may be moved relative to one another in acquiring T sets of measurement data. The system may be used in projection imaging and/or CT imaging. Processed image data, such as a CT reconstructed image, may be decomposed onto basis functions for analytical processing of multispectral image data to facilitate computer assisted diagnostics. The system may perform this diagnostic function in medical applications and/or security applications.

Methods for acquiring multi spectral data of an object

Scatter effects are reduced in a radiographic imaging device, such as a digital slot scan mammographic imaging device, by reducing detected scatter and processing detector information to compensate for scatter effects. Spatial intensity profile information together with other imaging signal and patient dependent parameters can be used in image processing to estimate and compensate for various scatter effects including single and multiple scatters and Compton and Rayleigh scatter.

Signal profiling for medical imaging systems

Multi-target X-ray tube for dynamic multi-spectral limited-angle CT imaging

Growing community of inventors

Broomfield, CO, United States of America

Guy M Besson