4D contrast enhanced computed tomography (CT)

An imaging system, comprising:

• a radiation source that rotates around an examination region about a z-axis and emits x-ray radiation that traverses the examination region;
• a detector array, an entirety of which is located across the examination regional and opposite the radiation source, that detects x-ray radiation traversing the examination region, wherein the detector array includes a plurality of rows of detectors along a direction of the z-axis providing a z-axis scan coverage, wherein the z-axis scan coverage of the detector array is in a range of eleven centimeters to twenty centimeters;
• a subject support which supports a patient in the examination region and translates, with respect to the examination region, and is synchronized with administration of a contrast material;
• an operator console configured to position the subject support with an entire volume of interest of a moving tissue of interest within the examination region and perform a scan of the examination region comprising the entire volume of interest during a peak uptake of the contrast material by the tissue of interest;
• and
• a reconstructor that reconstructs a four dimensional contrast enhanced data set from the performed scan.

An imaging system, comprising:

• a radiation source that rotates around an examination region about a z-axis and emits radiation that traverses the examination region;
• a detector array, located across the examination region, opposite the radiation source, that detects radiation traversing the examination region, wherein the detector array includes a plurality of rows of detectors along a direction of the z-axis providing a z-axis scan coverage;
• a motion sensor configured to sense an entire motion cycle of a patient and the motion cycle comprises at least one selected from a group consisting of a respiratory cycle and a cardiac cycle;
• an operator console configured to;
• perform a low dose pre-scan of a patient which generates an image comprising a complete range of motion of an entire volume of interest of a tissue of interest relative to the z-axis for the sensed entire motion cycle;
• determine two end points of the complete range of motion of the entire volume of interest of the tissue of interest relative to the z-axis from the low dose pre-scan, wherein the tissue of interest moves in coordination with the entire motion cycle over the complete range of motion;
• position the patient in the examination region wherein the entire volume of interest with the determined two end points of the complete range of motion of the volume of interest relative to the z-axis is located within the examination region for a single rotation of the radiation source and the detector array as the tissue of interest moves in coordination with the entire motion cycle;
• determine an estimated time to peak contrast uptake of a bolus of contrast material for the tissue of interest;
• and
• select and control a motion-gated scan of the examination region with the determined two end points located within the examination region during the single rotation of the radiation source and the detector array in a zero pitch scan, before, concurrently with, or after administration of the bolus of the contrast material depending on the estimated time to peak contrast uptake for the tissue of interest, wherein the motion-gated scan images the peak contrast uptake of the contrast material by the tissue of interest, the complete range of motion of the volume of interest of the tissue of interest, and the entire volume of interest of the tissue of interest during the single rotation of the radiation source and the detector array;
• and
• a reconstructor that reconstructs a four dimensional contrast enhanced data set from the selected and controlled motion-gated scan.