Variable-depth stereotactic surface projections
AssigneeGe Healthcare Limited
InventorsJohan Axel Lilja, Nils Lenaart Thurf Jell, Roger Lundqvist
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An implementation of SSP using variable depth for the vectors extending normal to the surface voxels of the brain so as to avoid white matter uptake extraction is provided. The implementation also provides the possibility to compare SSP for an individual amyloid imaging agent image to a SSP normal database and allows for 3D visualization of SSP information.
Claims20
A method of stereotactic surface projection of a PET/SPECT image comprising the steps of;
- (a) spatially normalizing a PET/SPECT image, wherein each voxel on the surface of a brain is registered to a standard space, and
- (b) calculating SSP for each surface voxel of the spatially normalized PET/SPECT image, wherein, said calculating step further comprises calculating the maximum intensity along a line extending from each surface voxel and perpendicular to the surface into the tissue such that each line extends to a predefined maximum depth that is calculated individually for each surface voxel.
A positron emission tomography (PET) system comprising:
- a storage device;
- a detector for detecting positron emissions from a brain of a subject, wherein the detector generates signals representing the positron emissions that are stored in the storage device;
- an image processor that is programmed to:
- generate a PET image data set comprising surface voxels based on the signals stored in the storage device;
- wherein the surface voxels represent a surface of the brain of the subject;
- store the PET image data set in the storage device;
- spatially normalize the PET image data set, wherein the surface voxels are registered to a standard space for a brain;
- and
- calculate a stereotactic surface projection (SSP) data set for the surface voxels by calculating a maximum intensity along a line extending from the surface voxels and perpendicular to the surface of the brain into brain tissue such that each line extends to a predefined maximum depth, wherein the image processor calculates the predefined maximum depth individually for each surface voxel such that at least some positron emissions from brain white matter are eliminated from the SSP data set.
A non-transitory storage medium comprising computer readable program code including instructions for generating a stereotactic surface projection (SSP) image, wherein execution of the computer readable program code causes a processor to carry out the steps of:
- (a) receiving a PET/SPECT image data set of a brain of a subject that has been generated with a PET/SPECT detector;
- (b) storing the PET/SPECT image data set in a memory;
- (c) spatially normalizing the PET/SPECT image data set with the processor, wherein the processor is programmed to register each voxel on the surface of the brain to a standard space for a brain, and
- (d) calculating, with the processor, an SSP data set for the surface voxels of the spatially normalized PET/SPECT image data set, wherein the calculating step comprises calculating a maximum intensity along a line extending from each surface voxel and perpendicular to the surface into the brain tissue such that each line extends to a predefined maximum depth that is calculated individually by the processor for each surface voxel such that at least some positron emissions from brain white matter are eliminated from the SSP data set.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.