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US 2014/0236488 A1Published application
Computed Tomography Calibration Systems and Methods
AssigneeMindways Software, Inc.
InventorJ. Keenan Brown
Life of this patent
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Abstract
According to certain embodiments of the invention, computer hardware and software can perform single or dual-energy decomposition calculations and predict CT values for either single-energy or dual energy CT from basis material decomposition estimates derived using theoretical models. Using that information, the computer hardware and software can (among other things) present one dimensional information from a CT scanner, such as representative pixel value, in two dimensions, such as a line in two dimensional basis material space.
Claims26
A method for execution by a computing device that comprises:
- a. For a reference material and for each of a first basis material and a second basis material, receiving in a computing device an energy-dependent, mass attenuation coefficient for the material as a function of its elemental composition, molecular composition or elemental and molecular composition;
- b. Deriving by the computing device a basis material composition of the reference material relative to the first basis material and the second basis material;
- c. Characterizing by the computing device the response of a CT scanner to the reference material relative to the first basis material and the second basis material at a first energy level by receiving imaging information for the reference material from the CT scanner at the first energy level;
- extracting at least one reference material CT pixel value representative of the imaged reference material;
- describing the at least one reference material CT pixel value by a set of one or more equations predicting the at least one reference material CT pixel value as a function of the basis material composition of the reference material and one or more basis material weights and offsets;
- and solving the set of one or more equations for the basis material weights and offsets;
- d. From imaging information related to an unknown material received from the CT scanner at the first energy level;
- extracting by the computing device at least one unknown material CT pixel value representative of a predetermined region of the unknown material;
- and presenting by the computing device the at least one unknown material CT pixel value as a function of the characterization of the response of the CT scanner to the reference material relative to the first basis material and the second basis material.
6 more elements
A system, comprising:
- A processor device;
- and
- A tangible medium embodying code that is executable by the processor device to cause the system to:
- a. Receive, for a reference material and for each of a first basis material and a second basis material, an energy-dependent, mass attenuation coefficient for the material as a function of its elemental composition, molecular composition or elemental and molecular composition;
- b. Derive a basis material composition of the reference material relative to the first basis material and the second basis material;
- c. Characterize the response of a CT scanner to the reference material relative to the first basis material and the second basis material at a first energy level by receiving imaging information for the reference material from the CT scanner at the first energy level;
- extracting at least one reference material CT pixel value representative of the imaged reference material;
- describing the at least one reference material CT pixel value by a set of one or more equations predicting the at least one reference material CT pixel value as a function of the basis material composition of the reference material and one or more basis material weights and offsets;
- and solving the set of one or more equations for the basis material weights and offsets;
- d. From imaging information related to an unknown material received from the CT scanner at the first energy level, extract at least one unknown material CT pixel value representative of a predetermined region of the unknown material;
- and present the at least one unknown material CT pixel value as a function of the characterization of the response of the CT scanner to the reference material relative to the first basis material and the second basis material.
8 more elements
A tangible computer readable medium that includes program code that is executable by a processor to perform actions, the program code comprising:
- a. Code for causing the processor to receive, for a reference material and for each of a first basis material and a second basis material, an energy-dependent, mass attenuation coefficient for the material as a function of its elemental composition, molecular composition or elemental and molecular composition;
- b. Code for causing the processor to derive a basis material composition of the reference material relative to the first basis material and the second basis material;
- c. Code for causing the processor to characterize the response of a CT scanner to the reference material relative to the first basis material and the second basis material at a first energy level by receiving imaging information for the reference material from the CT scanner at the first energy level;
- extracting at least one reference material CT pixel value representative of the imaged reference material;
- describing the at least one reference material CT pixel value by a set of one or more equations predicting the at least one reference material CT pixel value as a function of the basis material composition of the reference material and one or more basis material weights and offsets;
- and solving the set of one or more equations for the basis material weights and offsets;
- d. Code for causing the processor to do the following:
- From imaging information related to an unknown material received from the CT scanner at the first energy level;
- extract at least one unknown material CT pixel value representative of a predetermined region of the unknown material;
- and present the at least one unknown material CT pixel value as a function of the characterization of the response of the CT scanner to the reference material relative to the first basis material and the second basis material.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.