Leland Stanford Junior University

General Electric Company

General Electric Corporation Gmbh

Lunar Corporation

Triple Ring Technologies, Inc.

Other

University of California

Pulmera, Inc.

Nova Ray, Inc.

Norbert Joseph Pelc

Gary H Glover

Rebecca Fahrig

Marcus Tedrow Alley

Scott Brian Reeder

Edward Gerald Solomon

Robert Steven Stormont

Hui Hu

Carl R Crawford

Stephen W Flax

Armin H Pfoh

Scott S Hsieh

Zhifei Wen

Michael Markl

John Mark Pauly

Joseph A Heanue

Matthew A Bernstein

Brian Patrick Wilfley

Steven M Conolly

Roland Bammer

Arundhuti Ganguly

Huanzhou Yu

Bryan Irby Hartley

John M Sandrik

Bruno K B De Man

Adam S Wang

Dennis G DallaPiazza

Samuel M Song

Jongduk Baek

Bruno Madore

Yudong Zhu

Thomas L Toth

Matthew N O'Donnell

Kevin Franklin King

Albert Macovski

Craig H Meyer

Rene Vargas-Voracek

Stephen J Riederer

David Leo McDaniel

Brian Edward Nett

Jed Douglas Pack

Tobias Funk

Kenneth B Welles, Ii

Sandy A Napel

Lei Xing

Alexander Ganin

Jason Andrew Polzin

Steven P Souza

Zhye Yin

Jean Helen Brittain

Grant T Gullberg

Thomas W Lambert

Greig Scott

Paul J Keall

Daniel Mark Spielman

David M Barrett

Amit Ramakant Sawant

Michael E Moseley

Matthew G Eash

Kim Butts Pauly

Waldo Stephen Hinshaw

Arthur K Collins

Charles McKenzie

Zhi-Pei Liang

Steven G Karr

Herbert E Daniels

James R MacFall

Stephen G Hushek

Carl C Scheid

James A McFaul

Kenneth Marel Bradshaw

Angel R Pineda

Rosemary Kim Butts

Burak Acar

Douglas C Noll

Xiaohang Zhou

Viola Rieke

Jeffrey P Noonan

Susan Teeter Wallenslager

Michael C Anas

Prasheel Lillaney

Thomas J Brosnan

Daniel S Small

Jill O Fredrickson

Samuel R Mazin

Frank Bernstein

Harmeet Bedi

Benjamin Berkowitz

Dimitri Augustin

Taly Gilat Schmidt

Racquel Redwood

Zach Wolf

Yuan Yao

Scott Hsieh

A method of x-ray fluoroscopy images a region of interest at distinct first and second imaging projection angles using digital subtraction x-ray fluoroscopic imaging with a fiducial marker board positioned in a field of view containing the region of interest to produce first and second sets of images. Image segmentation information is determined to identify an anatomical feature in the region of interest imaged in the first set of images and the second set of images. The region of interest is then imaged using x-ray fluoroscopic imaging, again with the fiducial marker board positioned in a third field of view containing the region of interest, but without digital subtraction, to produce a third set of images. A virtual image of the anatomical feature is projected onto the third set of images, computed from the image segmentation information and from a predetermined geometric relationship of markers within the fiducial marker board.

Augmented fluoroscopy with digital subtraction imaging

An airway visualization system is described herein having an elongate delivery sheath and defining at least one lumen therethrough, wherein the length is positionable within an airway of a subject. An isolation component positioned near or at a distal end of the elongate delivery sheath is expandable to at least partially obstruct the airway and a controller is in communication with the delivery sheath. The controller is also configured to manipulate a fluid flow through the at least one lumen whereby a pressure change within the airway of the subject is imparted sufficiently to at least partially expand or collapse the airway to alter the density of the airway.

Airway visualization system

An x-ray apparatus includes an x-ray source capable of producing an x-ray beam with a focal spot having a spatial shape that is selected to pre-amplify predetermined spatial frequencies exceeding half a cutoff frequency as compared to spatial frequencies below half the cutoff frequency; an x-ray detector capable of detecting the x-ray beam; and a processor adapted to reconstruct an image from the detected x-ray beam using a filter that compensates the pre-amplified predetermined spatial frequencies. The spatial shape comprises two or more disconnected regions that preferably have widths less than that of a nominal focal spot, combined widths greater than or equal to that of a nominal focal spot, and are separated by less than three times a width of a nominal focal spot.

Focal spot shape for computed tomography

A CT apparatus for scanning an object is provided. An x-ray source is provided, wherein the x-ray source provides a collimated x-ray beam with a cross-section. A plurality of attenuation elements is provided between the source and object. An actuator is connected to the attenuation elements for moving the attenuation elements. An x-ray detector is located on an opposite side of the object from the x-ray source and is for detecting x-rays that pass through the object and the plurality of attenuation elements. A gantry rotates the x-ray source, the plurality of attenuation elements, and the x-ray detector around an axis of rotation.

Computed tomography system with dynamic bowtie filter

Spectral x-ray imaging using a photon counting x-ray detector (PCXD) transmits a broad spectrum x-ray beam through an object, detects the transmitted x-ray beam with the PCXD and processes the detected signals to determine material characteristics of the object using both the detected signals as a function of detector layer and the detected signals as a function of the particular energy band. Each detector layer of the multiple detector layers produces at least two signals, each signal representing a detected x-ray intensity in a particular energy band, and the depth information contained in the separate read-out channels.

Spectral imaging system and method

An apparatus for x-ray imaging of an object is provided. An x-ray source for providing alternating x-ray spectrums is placed on a first side of the object. A spectrum separation fixed filter is placed between the x-ray source and the object. An x-ray detector is placed on a second side of the object opposite the x-ray source. A controller controls the x-ray source and the x-ray detector.

X-ray system utilizing alternating spectrum x-ray source in conjuction with a fixed spectrum separation filter approval

A CT apparatus for scanning an object is provided. An x-ray source is provided, wherein the x-ray source provides a collimated x-ray beam with a cross-section. A plurality of wedges is provided between the source and object. An actuator is connected to the wedges for moving the wedges substantially perpendicular to the length of the cross-section of the collimated x-ray beam. An x-ray detector is located on an opposite side of the object from the x-ray source and is for detecting x-rays that pass through the object and the plurality of wedges. A gantry rotates the x-ray source, the plurality of wedges, and the x-ray detector around an axis of rotation. A detection system measures the relative position of the plurality of wedges. The detection system comprises an optical sensor and a plurality of optical markers, where each wedge has at least one optical marker attached.

A CT apparatus for scanning an object is provided. An x-ray source is provided, wherein the x-ray source provides a collimated x-ray beam with a cross-section with a length and thickness. A plurality of wedges is provided between the source and object. An actuator is connected to the wedges for moving the wedges substantially perpendicular to the length of the cross-section of the collimated x-ray beam. An x-ray detector is located on an opposite side of the object from the x-ray source and is for detecting x-rays that pass through the object and the plurality of wedges. A gantry rotates the x-ray source, the plurality of wedges, and the x-ray detector around an axis of rotation.

A method for performing truncation artifact correction includes acquiring a projection dataset of a patient, the projection dataset including measured data and truncated data, generating an initial estimate of a boundary between the measured data and the truncated data, using the measured data to revise the initial estimate of the boundary, estimating the truncated data using the revised estimate of the boundary, and using the measured data and the estimated truncated data to generate an image of the patient.

Systems and methods for performing truncation artifact correction

The present invention pertains to an apparatus and method for delivering radiation to a human patient or other mammal. A scanning electron beam x-ray source is used and the detector can be a photon counting detector. The area of the detector is less than the area of field of view in the patient. Tomosynthesis can be used to generate images and images can be produced rapidly in real time.

Real-time tomosynthesis guidance for radiation therapy

The present invention pertains to an apparatus and method for inverse geometry volume computed tomography medical imaging of a human patient. A plurality of x-ray sources for producing x-ray radiation are used. The gaps between the x-ray sources is less than 20 cm. A collimator located between the plurality of x-ray sources and the human patient is also used. A detector is also used.

Inverse geometry volume computed tomography systems

The present invention provides a radiotherapy treatment apparatus that includes a treatment beam, a magnetic field disposed parallel collinear to the treatment beam, and a target that is disposed along the treatment beam. The treatment beam can be a charged particle beam, a proton beam, an electron beam, or a linear accelerator (Linac) beam. The magnetic field is from a magnetic resonance imager (MRI), a megavolt x-ray imager, or a kilovolt x-ray imager and is disposed to operate in coordination with operation of the treatment beam and to narrow the beam. The tumor is disposed to rotate with respect to the treatment beam and the magnetic field, or the treatment beam and the magnetic field are disposed to rotate up to 360&#xb0; with respect to the target when mounted to a ring gantry. The apparatus can include a rotation angle dependent shim disposed to account for Earth's magnetic field.

Configurations for integrated MRI-linear accelerators

A method for determining a composition of an object using a spectral x-ray system is provided. X-ray photons of at least two different energies are transmitted through the object. The energy of each detected x-ray photon using a detector in the x-ray system is estimated. A first weighted sum of the number of detected photons of each energy is found using a first weighting function, wherein the first weighting function is dependent on the attenuation coefficient function of a first material. In another embodiment, the photons are binned into two energy bins wherein there is a gap between the energy bins.

Optimal weights for measuring spectral x-ray data

A method for imaging an object in a computed tomography (CT) system with a plurality of sources comprising a first source and a second source, wherein the plurality of sources together with a detector array are mounted on a rotatable gantry, and wherein an intensity of the second source has unknown fluctuations is provided. Projection data is collected using the first source in a first gantry position. Projection data is collected using the second source in a second gantry position, wherein projection data from the first source in the first gantry position substantially overlaps projection data from the second source in the second gantry position. Data from the first source at the first gantry position is used to correct for source fluctuations of the second source at the second gantry position.

Data normalization in inverse geometry computed tomography system

Disclosed are embodiments of methods for reconstructing x-ray projection data (e.g., one or more sinograms) acquired using a multi-source, inverse-geometry computed tomography ('IGCT') scanner. One embodiment of a first method processes an IGCT sinogram by rebinning first in 'z' and then in &#x201c;xy,&#x201d; with feathering applied during the &#x201c;xy&#x201d; rebinning. This produces an equivalent of a multi-axial 3generation sinogram, which may be further processed using a parallel derivative and/or Hilbert transform. A TOM-window (with feathering) technique and a combines backprojection technique may also be applied to produce a reconstructed volume. An embodiment of a second method processes an IGCT sinogram using a parallel derivative and/or redundancy weighting. The second method may also use signum weighting, TOM-windowing (with feathering), backprojection, and a Hilbert Inversion to produce another reconstructed volume.

Methods for analytic reconstruction for mult-source inverse geometry CT

Growing community of inventors

Los Altos, CA, United States of America

Norbert Joseph Pelc