# US 12,183,009 B2 · Imaging method and imaging apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,183,009 B2 - Document ID: US12183009B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/369,149 - Filed: 2023-09-16 - Published: 2024-03-28 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2022-09-23 - Assignees: Siemens Healthineers AG - Applicants: Siemens Healthcare GmbH - Inventors: Alois Regensburger; Patrick Wohlfahrt - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12183009B2 ## CPC - G06T 7/0016: {involving temporal comparison} - A61B 6/481: {involving the use of contrast agents} - A61B 6/482: {involving multiple energy imaging} - A61B 6/486: {involving generating temporal series of image data} - A61B 6/504: {for diagnosis of blood vessels, e.g. by angiography} - A61B 6/5258: {involving detection or reduction of artifacts or noise} - G06T 5/50: using two or more images, e.g. averaging or subtraction - G06T 7/11: Region-based segmentation - G06T 7/33: using feature-based methods - G06T 2207/10116: X-ray image - G06T 2207/20224: Image subtraction - G06T 2207/30101: Blood vessel; Artery; Vein; Vascular - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract In an imaging method, a first image is generated at a first capture time by an imaging apparatus, the first image representing part of an object to be depicted. A second image is generated at a second capture time after the first capture time, the second image representing the part of the object to be depicted. A further first image is generated based on the first image using a predefined model relating to a development over time of a contrast agent present in the object to be depicted when generating the first image, the further first image taking into account development over time of the contrast agent from the first capture time to the second capture time. A further second image is generated as a function of the second image and further first image, wherein an effect of the contrast agent on the second image is at least partially compensated. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An imaging method comprising: generating a first image at a first capture time by an imaging apparatus, wherein the first image represents an object to be depicted, and wherein the first image comprises residues of a contrast agent used for the generating of the first image or from a preceding image generation; generating a second image at a second capture time that is after the first capture time, wherein the second image represents the object to be depicted, wherein further contrast agent is used in the generating of the second image, and wherein the second image depicts modified residues of the contrast agent as well as a vascular structure of the object highlighted by the further contrast agent; generating a further first image based on the first image using a predefined model relating to a development over time of the contrast agent present in the object to be depicted when generating the first image, wherein the further first image takes into account the development over time of the contrast agent from the first capture time through to the second capture time, wherein the further first image depicts modified residues of the contrast agent, and wherein the modified residues in the further first image correspond to the modified residues in the second image; and generating a further second image as a function of the second image and the further first image, wherein, in the further second image, the vascular structure of the object in the second image remains depicted while the modified residues of the contrast agent in the second image are at least partially eliminated. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The imaging method of claim 1, wherein the predefined model relates to a spatial distribution and/or concentration of the contrast agent as a function of time. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The imaging method of claim 1, further comprising: generating a differential image by subtracting the further first image from the second image or the second image from the further first image, wherein the further second image is generated as a function of the differential image or corresponds to the differential image. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The imaging method of claim 3, wherein the imaging method is embodied as a method for subtraction angiography, wherein the further first image corresponds to a mask image of the subtraction angiography, and wherein the second image corresponds to a vascular image of the subtraction angiography. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The imaging method of claim 1, wherein the first image is segmented to provide a segmented first image, and wherein the further first image and/or the further second image is generated based on the segmented first image. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The imaging method of claim 5, wherein the generating of the further first image comprises modifying a first region of the segmented first image representing the contrast agent as a function of the predefined model according to the development over time of the contrast agent from the first capture time through to the second capture time. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The imaging method of claim 6, further comprising: segmenting the second image; determining a second region in the segmented second image, wherein the second region corresponds to a modified first region of the segmented first image; and removing or partially removing the second region from the segmented second image to generate the further second image. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The imaging method of claim 7, further comprising: determining a further first region of the segmented first image, wherein the further first region corresponds to a stationary anatomical structure; determining a further second region of the segmented second image, wherein the further second region corresponds to the stationary anatomical structure; determining a transformation for image registration as a function of the further first region and the further second region; and generating the further second image as a function of the transformation. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The imaging method of claim 1, wherein the imaging method is embodied as a method for X-ray based angiography. ### Claim 10 An imaging apparatus comprising: an imaging modality configured to: generate a first image at a first capture time, wherein the first image represents an object to be depicted, and wherein the first image comprises residues of a contrast agent used for the generation of the first image or from a preceding image generation; and generate a second image at second capture time that is after the first capture time, wherein the second image represents the object to be depicted, wherein further contrast agent is used in the generation of the second image, and wherein the second image depicts modified residues of the contrast agent as well as a vascular structure of the object highlighted by the further contrast agent; and at least one processor configured to: generate a further first image based on the first image using a predefined model relating to a development over time of the contrast agent present in the object to be depicted when generating the first image, wherein the further first image takes into account the development over time of the contrast agent from the first capture time through to the second capture time, wherein the further first image depicts modified residues of the contrast agent, and wherein the modified residues in the further first image correspond to the modified residues in the second image; and generate a further second image as a function of the second image and the further first image, wherein, in the further second image, the vascular structure of the object in the second image remains depicted while the modified residues of the contrast agent in the second image are at least partially eliminated. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The imaging apparatus of claim 10, wherein the imaging modality is embodied as an X-ray based imaging modality. ### Claim 12 A non-transitory computer program product with commands, which when executed by an imaging apparatus comprising an imaging modality and at least one processor, cause the imaging apparatus to: generate a first image at a first capture time, wherein the first image represents an object to be depicted, and wherein the first image comprises residues of a contrast agent used for the generation of the first image or from a preceding image generation; generate a second image at a second capture time that is after the first capture time, wherein the second image represents the object to be depicted, wherein further contrast agent is used in the generation of the second image, and wherein the second image depicts modified residues of the contrast agent as well as a vascular structure of the object highlighted by the further contrast agent; generate a further first image based on the first image using a predefined model relating to a development over time of the contrast agent present in the object to be depicted when generating the first image, wherein the further first image takes into account the development over time of the contrast agent from the first capture time through to the second capture time, wherein the further first image depicts modified residues of the contrast agent, and wherein the modified residues in the further first image correspond to the modified residues in the second image; and generate a further second image as a function of the second image and the further first image, wherein, in the further second image, the vascular structure of the object in the second image remains depicted while the modified residues of the contrast agent in the second image are at least partially eliminated.