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US 6,898,263 B2Granted
Method and apparatus for soft-tissue volume visualization
AssigneeGE Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC
InventorsGopal B. Avinash, John Michael Sabol, Matthew Joseph Walker
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for obtaining data including scanning an object using a multi-energy computed tomography (MECT) system to obtain data to generate an anatomical image, and decomposing the obtained data to generate a first density image representative of bone material and a second density image representative of soft-tissue. The method further includes segmenting at least one of the first density image and the second density image, and volume rendering the second density image.
Claims29
A method for obtaining data, said method comprising:
- scanning an object using a multi-energy computed tomography (MECT) system to obtain data to generate a computed tomographic (CT) anatomical image;
- decomposing the obtained data to generate a first CT density image representative of bone material and a second CT density image representative of soft-tissue;
- segmenting at least one of the first CT density image and the second CT density image;
- and
- volume rendering the second CT density image.
2 more elements
A method for obtaining data, said method comprising:
- scanning an object using a multi-energy computed tomography (MECT) system to obtain data to generate an anatomical image;
- decomposing the obtained data to generate a first density image representative of bone material and a second density image representative of soft-tissue;
- segmenting at least one of the first density image and the second density image;
- and
- volume rendering the second density image;
- wherein segmenting at least one of the first density image and the second density image comprises:
- identifying within the first density image areas smaller than a predetermined size;
- and
- importing data into the second density image from the anatomical image according to the identified areas of the first density image.
6 more elements
A method for obtaining data, said method comprising:
- scanning an object using a multi-energy computed tomography (MECT) system to obtain data to generate an anatomical image;
- decomposing the obtained data to generate a first density image representative of bone material and a second density image representative of soft-tissue;
- segmenting at least one of the first density image and the second density image;
- and
- volume rendering the second density image;
- wherein scanning an object using an MECT comprises scanning the object with a high-energy projection to obtain a high-energy anatomical image and scanning the object with a low-energy projection to obtain a low-energy anatomical image, said decomposing the obtained data comprises:
- using the equation
- I
- b
- =
- H
- L
- wb
- to generate the first density image, wherein 0<ws<wb<1, Ib is the first density image, H is the high-energy anatomical image, and L is the low-energy anatomical image;
- and
- using the equation
- I
- s
- =
- H
- L
- w
- s
- to generate the second density image wherein 0<ws<wb<1, Is is the second density image, H is the high-energy anatomical image, and L is the low-energy anatomical image.
21 more elements
A method for obtaining data, said method comprising:
- scanning an object using a multi-energy computed tomography (MECT) system to obtain data to generate an anatomical image;
- decomposing the obtained data to generate a first density image representative of bone material and a second density image representative of soft-tissue;
- segmenting at least one of the first density image and the second density image;
- and
- volume rendering the second density image;
- wherein scanning an object using an MECT comprises scanning the object with a high-energy projection to obtain a high-energy anatomical image and scanning the object with a low-energy projection to obtain a low-energy anatomical image, said method further comprising contrast matching the second density image with the high-energy image to produce a contrast matched soft-tissue image.
3 more elements
A multi-energy computed tomography (MECT) system comprising:
- at least one radiation source;
- at least one radiation detector;
- and
- a computer operationally coupled to said radiation source and said radiation detector, said computer configured to:
- receive data regarding a first energy spectrum of a scan of an object;
- receive data regarding a second energy spectrum of the scan of the object;
- decompose said received data to generate a first density image representative of bone material and a second density image representative of soft-tissue;
- identify within said first density image areas smaller than a predetermined size;
- and
- import data into said second density image from said data regarding the first energy spectrum according to said identified areas of said first density image.
7 more elements
A multi-energy computed tomography (MECT) system comprising:
- at least one radiation source;
- at least one radiation detector;
- and
- a computer operationally coupled to said radiation source and said radiation detector, said computer configured to:
- receive image data for an object;
- decompose said received image data into a first density image representative of bone material and a second density image representative of soft-tissue;
- identify within said first density image areas smaller than a predetermined size;
- and
- extract said identified areas within said first density image using an algorithm configured to use the connectivity of binary pixels.
6 more elements
A computer readable medium embedded with a program configured to instruct a computer to:
- receive data regarding a first energy spectrum of a scan of an object;
- receive data regarding a second energy spectrum of the scan of the object;
- decompose said received data to generate a first density image representative of bone material and a second density image representative of soft-tissue;
- threshold said first density image to produce a first binary mask image representing bone and calcification;
- extract areas identified as smaller than a predetermined size from said first binary mask image to produce a second binary mask image substantially representing calcification;
- and
- import data into said second density image from said received data according to said extracted areas of said first binary mask image.
4 more elements
A method for obtaining data, said method comprising:
- scanning an object using a multi-energy computed tomography (MECT) system to obtain data to generate a computer tomographic (CT) anatomical image;
- decomposing the obtained data to generate a first CT density image and a second CT density image;
- and
- volume rendering at least one of the first and second CT density image.
1 more element
A method for obtaining data, said method comprising:
- scanning an object using a multi-energy computed tomography (MECT) system to obtain data to generate an anatomical image;
- decomposing the obtained data to generate a first density image representative of bone material and a second density image representative of soft-tissue;
- segmenting at least one of the first density image and the second density image;
- volume rendering the second density image;
- producing at least one binary mask image utilizing the first density image;
- and
- utilizing the at least one binary mask image, the first density image, and the second density image to produce an additional image.
4 more elements
A method for obtaining data, said method comprising:
- scanning an object using a multi-energy computed tomography (MECT) system to obtain data to generate an anatomical image;
- decomposing the obtained data to generate a first density image and a second density image;
- volume rendering at least one of the first and second density image;
- producing at least one binary mask image utilizing the first density image;
- and
- utilizing the at least one binary mask image, the first density image, and the second density image to produce an additional image.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.