US 8,620,053 B2 · Completion of truncated attenuation maps using maximum likelihood estimation of attenuation and activity (MLAA)

Abstract

The present invention is a method of generating a best estimate of an image attenuation map derived from a truncated image attenuation map and PET emissions data for the object being imaged by a morphological imaging modality. The method involves a plurality of steps beginning with the recordation and processing of PET emissions data. Next, the morphological imaging modality records image data which is processed to determine an attenuation map. The attenuation map, for image modalities such as CT and MR scanning systems integrated with PET, is truncated, resulting in a truncated attenuation map image. Pixels for which attenuation data needs to be determined are identified and attenuation coefficients for these pixels are estimated and combined with the truncated attenuation map to generate a full initial attenuation map for the image, which is iteratively processed together with the PET emission data until the improvement change in the emission image reaches a defined threshold improvement level.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A method of generating a full image attenuation map of an object from a truncated image attenuation map of the object comprising the steps of:

obtaining measured attenuated PET emissions data associated with the object using a plurality of detector pairs within an imaging system;
obtaining data representative of a truncated image of the object using a second image modality;
converting the data representative of a truncated image of the object to a truncated image attenuation map;
an estimation module within the imaging system further performs the following steps:
determining at least one missing portion of the truncated image attenuation map of the object;
estimating image linear attenuation coefficients for the at least one missing portion of the truncated image attenuation map of the object;
and
generating the full image attenuation map of the object by combining the truncated image attenuation map and the estimated image linear attenuation coefficients for the at least one missing portion of the truncated image attenuation map of the object.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Completion of truncated attenuation maps using maximum likelihood estimation of attenuation and activity (MLAA)

Life of this patent

Completion of truncated attenuation maps using maximum likelihood estimation of attenuation and activity (MLAA)

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims11