Koninklijke Philips Corporation N.v.

Nuance Communications, Inc.

Kininklijke Philips N.v.

Rolf Dieter Bippus

Thomas Koehler

Michael Grass

Bernhard Johannes Brendel

Frank Bergner

Axel Thran

Roland Proksa

Herfried Karl Wieczorek

Holger Schmitt

Cristian Lorenz

Kevin Martin Brown

Sven Kabus

Andreas Goedicke

Alexander Fischer

Henrik Botterweck

Manindranath Vembar

Berhard Johannes Brendel

Sandra Simon Halliburton

Tanja Elss

Cristian Buerger

A computed tomography imaging system () includes an X-ray radiation source () configured to emit X-ray radiation that traverses an examination region () and an X-ray radiation sensitive detector array () configured to detect X-ray radiation traversing the examination region and generate a view of line integrals. The imaging system further includes a subject support table top () configured to translate in the examination region for a scan based on at least one scan parameter. The imaging system further includes an operator console (), which includes a processor () and computer readable storage medium () with a scan parameter adapter module (). The processor is configured to execute instructions of the scan parameter adapter module, which causes the processor to determine a contrast agent concentration from the view of line integrals and adjust the at least one scan parameter based on the determined concentration.

Scan parameter adaption during a contrast enhanced scan

Motion compensated reconstruction is currently not well-suited for reconstructing the valve, the valve leaflets and the neighboring vascular anatomy of the heart. Blurring of the valve and the valve leaflets occurs. This may lead to wrong diagnosis. A new approach for motion compensated reconstruction of the valve and the related anatomy is presented in which an edge-enhancing step is performed to suppress blurring.

Motion compensated cardiac valve reconstruction

A medical imaging system () includes a masking unit (), an image registration unit (), a motion estimator () and a motion compensating reconstructor (). The masking unit constructs a mask for each reconstructed volumetric phase image of a plurality of reconstructed volumetric phase images that masks portions of a corresponding image external to an anatomical model fitted to a segmented at least one anatomical structure, 5 wherein the plurality of reconstructed volumetric phase images include a target phase and a plurality of temporal neighboring phases reconstructed from projection data. The image registration unit registers the masked reconstructed volumetric phase images. The motion estimator estimates motion between the target phase and the plurality of temporal neighboring phases according to the model based on the registered masked reconstructed 10 volumetric phase images. The motion compensating reconstructor reconstructs a motion compensated medical image from the projection data using the estimated motion of the registered masked reconstructed volumetric phase images.

Model regularized motion compensated medical image reconstruction

In a method and system for reconstructing computed tomography image data in which CT image data is de-noised. Then simulated noise is added, followed by another de-noising step to estimate the bias. Then, the estimated bias information is used to correct the original de-noised image data to arrive at second pass image data.

Image reconstruction

The invention relates to a registration apparatus () for registering images comprising a unit () for providing a first and a second image of an object, such that an image element of the first image at a respective position has been reconstructed by multiplying projection data values of rays traversing the image element with weights and by backprojecting the weighted projection data values, a unit () for providing a confidence map comprising for different positions in the first image confidence values being indicative of a likelihood that an image feature is caused by a structure of the object, the confidence value being calculated as a sum of a function, which depends on the respective weight, over the rays traversing the respective image element, and a unit () for determining a transformation for registering the first and second image to each other under consideration of the confidence map.

Registration apparatus for registering images

The present invention relates to an image reconstruction system for statistically reconstructing images from transmission measurements. The image reconstruction system comprises an update equation providing unit for providing an update equation based on an iterative statistical model. The update equation comprises a data term and a regularization term. The invention proposes to not modify the regularization term, but rather the weights with which individual measurements contribute are modified on a per image voxel and per measurement basis. This is achieved by modifying the contributions of each measurement by including an additional weight on a per image voxel/per measurement basis. The additional weight for each measurement is determined by calculating the noise perpendicular to each measurement ray at each voxel position and a voxel and measurement dependent weight for each measurement, and integrated into the update equation's data term.

Image reconstruction system, method, and computer program

The invention relates to an image generation apparatus () for generating an image of an object. A reconstruction unit () reconstructs the image based on provided measured projection values such that costs defined by a cost function are reduced, wherein the cost function depends on differences between calculated projection values, which have been determined by simulating a forward projection through the image, and the provided measured projection values, and wherein a degree of dependence of the cost function on a respective difference depends on the respective difference. This can allow for a consideration of a degree of disturbance of the measured projection values by motion and/or by an incomplete illumination of the object during the reconstruction process, which can lead to a reconstruction of an image having an improved image quality.

Image generation apparatus

A method includes obtaining a set of energy dependent data generated from a spectral scan. The set of energy dependent data includes a sub-set of data corresponding to only contrast agent. The method further includes separating the sub-set of data from other data of the energy dependent data. The other data includes non-contrast agent data. The method further includes scaling the sub-set of data to change a concentration of the contrast agent in the sub-set of data from that of the sub-set of data. The method further includes visually presenting at least the scaled sub-set of data.

Contrast agent dose simulation

Image processing methods and related apparatuses (SEG,UV). The apparatuses (SEG,UV) operate to utilize noise signal information in images (IM). According to one aspect, apparatus (SEG) uses the noise information (FX) to control a model based segmentation. According to a further aspect, apparatus (UV) operates, based on the noise information (FX), to visualize the uncertainty of image information that resides at edge portions of the or an image (IM).

Methods of utilizing image noise information

A method includes re-sampling current image data representing a reference motion state into a plurality of different groups, each group corresponding to a different motion state of moving tissue of interest, forward projecting each of the plurality of groups, generating a plurality of groups of forward projected data, each group of forward projected data corresponding to a group of the re-sampled current image data, determining update projection data based on a comparison between the forward projected data and the measured projection data, grouping the update projection data into a plurality of groups, each group corresponding to a different motion state of the moving tissue of interest, back projecting each of the plurality of groups, generating a plurality of groups of update image data, re-sampling each group of update image data to the reference motion state of the current image, and generating new current image data based on the current image data and the re-sampled update image data.

Motion compensated iterative reconstruction

A method and related apparatus () for iterative reconstruction of a volume. A regularization parameter (&#x3b2;) of an iterative update function is spatially adapted and normalized in respect to a region of interest ROI in the volume. The method allows achieving essentially uniform noise distribution across the reconstructed volume.

Method for local adjustment of regularization parameters for image quality optimization in fully 3D iterative CT reconstruction

A method includes reconstructing measured projection data using an iterative statistical reconstruction algorithm that reduces image artifact caused by differences in variances in projections of the measured projection data used to update a voxel of the image for one or more voxels of the image. A reconstructor includes a processor that reconstructs measured projection data using an iterative statistical reconstruction algorithm that reduces or mitigates image artifact caused by differences in variances in projections used to update a voxel of the image for one or more voxels of the image. A computer readable storage medium encoded with computer executable instructions, which, when executed by a processor of a computer, cause the processor to: reduce image artifact caused by differences in variances in projections used to update a voxel of an image for one or more voxels of the image using an iterative statistical reconstruction algorithm.

Iterative reconstruction algorithm with a constant variance based weighting factor

The invention relates to a forward projection apparatus for performing a forward projection through an image (), wherein at least one of a number of rays () for performing the forward projection, a ray spacing between the rays and a kernel width of an interpolation kernel for calculating interpolated values located on the rays is varied depending on the ray width relative to an effective image element spacing between image elements () of the image. This allows reducing artifacts in simulated projection data and, thus, in an image, which is iteratively reconstructed by using the simulated projection data. For example, if the number of provided rays and/or the ray spacing between the provided rays is varied, aliasing artifacts can be reduced. Moreover, if the ray spacing between the provided rays and/or the kernel width of the interpolation kernel is varied, artifacts caused by varying effective kernel widths may be reduced.

Forward projection apparatus

A patient (), at rest, is injected with a first isotope tracer. After a first uptake period, the patient is stressed and injected with a second isotope tracer. After a second isotope tracer uptake period, first and second isotope imaging data are concurrently detected by data acquiring devices (). The first and second isotope imaging data are reconstructed into a first or rest state image, a second or stressed state image, and optionally a combined first and second isotope image. The image with the better image statistics is segmented to generate segmentation parameters, which segmentation parameters are applied to both the first or rest and second or stressed state images. In this manner, an image whose image statistics may be too weak for accurate segmentation is accurately segmented by generating two inherently aligned images and applying the same segmentation parameters to both.

Heart segmentation in cardiac rest and stress imaging

The invention describes a method and a system for generating training data (D) for an automatic speech recogniser () for operating at a particular first sampling frequency (f), comprising steps of deriving spectral characteristics (S) from audio data (D) sampled at a second frequency (f) lower than the first sampling frequency (f), extending the bandwidth of the spectral characteristics (S) by retrieving bandwidth extending informationfrom a codebook (), and processing the bandwidth extended spectral characteristics (S) to give the required training data (D). Moreover a method and a system () for generating a codebook () for extending the bandwidth of spectral characteristics (S) for audio data (D) sampled at a second sampling frequency (f) to spectral characteristics (S) for a first sampling frequency (f) higher than the second sampling frequency (f) are described.

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Hamburg, Germany

Rolf Dieter Bippus