# US 10,870,017 B2 · Fall-back solution for uncertain regions in MRCAT images

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- Number: US 10,870,017 B2
- Document ID: US10870017B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/559,210
- Filed: 2016-03-18
- Published: 2018-03-15
- Granted: 2020-12-22
- Earliest claimed: 2015-03-20
- Assignees: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
- Applicants: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
- Inventors: Steffen Renisch; Nicole Schadewaldt; Sven Prevrhal; Heinrich Schulz; Thomas Blaffert
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10870017B2

## CPC

- A61N 5/1039: {using functional images, e.g. PET or MRI}
- A61B 5/0033: {Features or image-related aspects of imaging apparatus, e.g. for MRI, optical tomography or impedance tomography apparatus; Arrangements of imaging apparatus in a room}
- A61B 5/45: {For evaluating or diagnosing the musculoskeletal system or teeth (A61B5/1036, A61B5/1074, A61B7/006 take precedence)}
- A61B 5/7278: {Artificial waveform generation or derivation, e.g. synthesizing signals from measured signals}
- A61N 5/1031: {using a specific method of dose optimization}
- G01R 33/4812: {MR combined with X-ray or computed tomography [CT]}
- G01R 33/5608: {Data processing and visualization specially adapted for MR, e.g. for feature analysis and pattern recognition on the basis of measured MR data, segmentation of measured MR data, edge contour detection on the basis of measured MR data, for enhancing measured MR data in terms of signal-to-noise ratio by means of noise filtering or apodization, for enhancing measured MR data in terms of resolution by means for deblurring, windowing, zero filling, or generation of gray-scaled images, colour-coded images or images displaying vectors instead of pixels (image data processing or generation, in general G06T)}
- A61B 5/0035: {adapted for acquisition of images from more than one imaging mode, e.g. combining MRI and optical tomography}
- A61B 5/748: {Selection of a region of interest, e.g. using a graphics tablet}
- A61B 2576/00: Medical imaging apparatus involving image processing or analysis (A61B1/00009, A61B6/52 and A61B8/52 take precedence)
- G01R 33/543: {Control of the operation of the MR system, e.g. setting of acquisition parameters prior to or during MR data acquisition, dynamic shimming, use of one or more scout images for scan plane prescription (G01R33/546 takes precedence)}
- G16H 30/40: for processing medical images, e.g. editing
- A61N: ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY (measurement of bioelectric currents A61B; surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body A61B18/00; anaesthetic apparatus in general A61M; incandescent lamps H01K; infrared radiators for heating H05B)
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12)
- G16H: HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA

## Abstract

The present invention teaches a method and system for computing an alternative electron density map of an examination volume. The processing system is configured to compute a first electron density map using a plurality of imaging data, compute a second electron density map, wherein the second electron density map is a simplified version of the first electron density map, and compute the alternative electron density map, using the first electron density map and the second electron density map.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A processing system for computing an alternative electron density map of an examination volume, the processing system configured to:
compute a first electron density map using a plurality of imaging data,
compute a second electron density map, wherein the second electron density map is a simplified version of the first electron density map, and
compute the alternative electron density map, using the first electron density map and the second electron density map.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The processing system according to claim 1, wherein the processing system is configured to replace, in one or more artefact areas, the first electron density map by the second electron density map, to obtain the alternative electron density map.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The processing system according to claim 1, comprising a user interface system, the user interface system being configured to display the first electron density map, and the user interface system comprising a user input system for a user to input user data identifying and delimiting the one or more artefact areas on the first electron density map.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The processing system according to claim 1, wherein the second electron density map corresponds to a contour of the first electron density map and is filled with a uniform value.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The processing system according to claim 4, wherein the uniform value is an equivalent water density value.

### Claim 6

A method of computing an alternative electron density map of an examination volume, the method comprising:
computing a first electron density map using a plurality of imaging data,
computing a second electron density map, wherein the second electron density map is a simplified version of the first electron density map, and
computing the alternative electron density map using the first electron density map and the second electron density map.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method according to claim 6, further comprising:
replacing, in one or more identified artefact areas, the first electron density map by the second electron density map, to obtain the alternative electron density map.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The method according to claim 6, comprising displaying the first electron density map and obtaining user input data identifying the one or more artefact areas.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The method according to claim 6, comprising assigning to the second electron density map an uniform density value.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method according to claim 9, wherein the uniform value is an equivalent water density value.

### Claim 11 (depends on 6)

A computer program product comprising control logic stored on a non-volatile computer readable medium for causing a computer to execute instructions that enable a processor to carry out the steps of the method of claim 6.

### Claim 12 (depends on 6)

A method of computing a dose radiation distribution
computing a first electron density map,
computing a first dose radiation distribution using the first electron density map,
computing an alternative density map using a method according to claim 6, and
computing a second dose distribution using the alternative electron density map.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

A computer program product comprising control logic stored therein for causing a computer to execute instructions that enable a processor to carry out the steps of the method of claim 12.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

A planning system for computing a dose radiation distribution comprising:
a processing system according to claim 1, configured for computing a first electron density map using a plurality of imaging data, a second electron density map and an alternative electron density map, the alternative electron density map being computed using said first and second electron density maps, and
a radiation therapy planning system configured to compute a first dose radiation distribution using the first electron density map and to recompute a second dose distribution using the alternative electron density map.

### Claim 15

A computer program product comprising computer means configured to:
compute a first electron density map using a plurality of imaging data
compute a second electron density map, wherein the second electron density map is a simplified version of the first electron density map; and
compute an alternative electron density map, using the first electron density map and the second electron density map.