Regional pulmonary V/Q via image registration and multi-energy CT

Abstract

A method for imaging a lung of a patient is provided. The method includes acquiring a full inspiration computed tomography (CT) scan of the lung to provide a total lung capacity (TLC) image and acquiring a functional residual capacity contrast enhanced multi-energy CT scan of the lung. The method further includes processing the functional residual capacity contrast enhanced multi-energy CT scan of the lung to generate a perfused blood volume (PBV) image and a virtual non-contrast (VNC) image. The method further includes registering the TLC image to at least one of the PBV and VNC images so as to provide a map of regional ventilation and to co-register local ventilation with blood perfusion, generating a lung performance metric using the co-registered images, and outputting the lung performance metric at a user interface of a computing device.

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