Methods and systems for beam attenuation
AssigneeGE Precision Healthcare LLC
InventorsBrian Edward Nett, Chelsey Lewis, Bradley Gabrielse, Karen Procknow, Holly McDaniel, Meghan Lynn Yue
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Various methods and systems are provided for displaying to an operator an attenuation map of a filter relative to a current location of an anatomical feature of a subject; and in response to the anatomical feature being within a region of the attenuation map, prompting an operator to reposition the subject. In this way, centering of the anatomical feature relative to an attenuation system may be facilitated for improved image quality.
Claims19
A method for an imaging system, comprising:
- displaying a representation of an attenuation map of a filter relative to a current location of an anatomical feature of a subject;
- and in response to the anatomical feature being within a region of the representation of the attenuation map, prompting an operator to reposition the subject, wherein the representation of the attenuation map includes a degree of attenuation of a portion of an x-ray beam passing through the filter, the degree of attenuation displayed as a color gradient.
A method for an imaging device, comprising:
- prior to a diagnostic scan of an anatomy of a patient,
- receiving a selection of a bowtie filter to be positioned between a radiation source and the patient;
- retrieving a representation of an attenuation map for the bowtie filter showing a variation in a degree of attenuation of a radiation passing through the bowtie filter;
- overlaying the representation of the attenuation map with an image of the anatomy captured at a current location of the patient;
- and
- in response to a field of view of the image overlapping with a portion of the representation of the attenuation map having a higher than threshold degree of attenuation,
- prompting an operator to adjust a position of the patient.
An imaging system, comprising:
- a gantry for receiving an imaging subject;
- a radiation source positioned in the gantry for emitting radiation exposure;
- an attenuation filter positioned between the radiation source and the imaging subject;
- a computation device with instructions stored in a non-transient memory to:
- prior to a diagnostic scan of an anatomical feature of the imaging subject, provide visualization, via a display device, of an overlay of an attenuation map displaying a degree of attenuation of a radiation beam passing through the attenuation filter and an image of the anatomical feature of the imaging subject;
- and
- send out a notification to an operator in response to the image being off-centered relative to a center of the attenuation filter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.