# US 9,436,989 B2 · System and method for rapid quantitative dynamic molecular imaging scans

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- Number: US 9,436,989 B2
- Document ID: US9436989B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/123,390
- Filed: 2012-06-04
- Published: 2014-05-01
- Granted: 2016-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 2011-06-03
- Assignees: Bayer HealthCare LLC
- Applicants: Arthur E. Uber, III
- Inventors: Arthur E. Uber, III
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9436989B2

## CPC

- G16H 20/17: delivered via infusion or injection
- A61B 5/055: involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
- A61B 5/704: {Tables}
- A61B 6/032: {Transmission computed tomography [CT]}
- A61B 6/037: {Emission tomography}
- A61B 6/0407: {Supports, e.g. tables or beds, for the body or parts of the body}
- A61B 6/467: {characterised by special input means}
- A61B 6/481: {involving the use of contrast agents}
- A61B 6/486: {involving generating temporal series of image data}
- A61B 6/503: {for diagnosis of the heart}
- A61B 6/507: {for determination of haemodynamic parameters, e.g. perfusion CT}
- A61B 6/5217: {extracting a diagnostic or physiological parameter from medical diagnostic data}
- A61B 6/5288: {involving retrospective matching to a physiological signal}
- A61B 6/54: {Control of apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis}
- A61B 6/566: {involving communication between diagnostic systems}
- A61K 49/0002: {General or multifunctional contrast agents, e.g. chelated agents}
- A61M 5/007: {for contrast media}
- G01R 33/4808: {Multimodal MR, e.g. MR combined with positron emission tomography [PET], MR combined with ultrasound or MR combined with computed tomography [CT]}
- G01R 33/5601: {involving use of a contrast agent for contrast manipulation, e.g. a paramagnetic, super-paramagnetic, ferromagnetic or hyperpolarised contrast agent}
- G06T 7/0012: {Biomedical image inspection}
- G06T 12/10: Image preprocessing, e.g. calibration, positioning of sources or scatter correction
- G06T 12/30: Image post-processing, e.g. metal artefact correction
- G16H 30/20: for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS
- G16H 30/40: for processing medical images, e.g. editing
- A61B 5/7285: {for synchronizing or triggering a physiological measurement or image acquisition with a physiological event or waveform, e.g. an ECG signal}
- A61B 2576/023: for the heart
- G16H: HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- A61K: PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES (devices or methods specially adapted for bringing pharmaceutical products into particular physical or administering forms A61J3/00; chemical aspects of, or use of materials for deodorisation of air, for disinfection or sterilisation, or for bandages, dressings, absorbent pads or surgical articles A61L; soap compositions C11D)
- A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)}
- G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12)
- G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL

## Abstract

Methods and systems for controlled administration of a tracer and quantification of uptake of the tracer by a target organ are described. The method includes administering a tracer to a patient and imaging at least two regions of the patient's body that cannot be imaged simultaneously. An input function for the tracer can be determined by imaging a first region of the patient's body during selected times, and using an injector to administer the tracer in a manner that accurately estimates the input function when this first region is not being imaged. One or more additional regions of the body may then be imaged to create data that may be used to estimate the input function. One or more parameters may then be estimated from each additional region of the body based on the input function and the imaging data gathered from each region.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for imaging tissue, the method comprising:
administering a tracer;
imaging at least two regions of a body, wherein the at least two regions of the body cannot be imaged simultaneously;
determining an input function for the tracer by imaging a first region of the body during selected times;
using an injector to administer the tracer in a manner that accurately estimates the input function when said first region is not being imaged;
imaging one or more additional regions of the body to create imaging data;
estimating the input function from all information gathered; and
estimating one or more parameters from each additional region of the body based on the input function and the imaging data gathered from each region.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein administering the tracer comprises bolus injection of the tracer.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein administering the tracer comprises slow injection of the tracer over a period of time.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the period of time comprises a time period selected from the group consisting of about 30 seconds, about 60 seconds, about 120 seconds, about 240 seconds, and about 360 seconds.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein administering the tracer comprises delivering the tracer over a time that is longer than an average circulation time of the tracer in a patient's blood stream.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein administering the tracer comprises a bolus injection of a first amount of the tracer followed by an infusion of a second amount of the tracer.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein determining the input function comprises determining a plasma concentration of the tracer in the first region of the body during the selected times.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein determining the plasma concentration of the tracer in the first region of the body during the selected times comprises determining a concentration of tracer for whole blood, determining a concentration of tracer for red blood cells, and subtracting the concentration of tracer for red blood cells from the concentration of tracer from whole blood.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying a maximum blood value after administering the tracer and before determining the input function.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein determining the input function is carried out using only image data.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising administering a second dose of the tracer.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the input function is estimated by a process selected from the group consisting of determining a plasma concentration of the tracer, determining a time required for the tracer to reach a patient's heart after administration, determining a time required for spread of the tracer through a patient's lungs, determining a transit time of the patient's heart, determining a time and distribution of circulation or recirculation, determining uptake and metabolization rates of the tracer in various tissues, determining rates of removal of the tracer from a patient's blood stream, determining absorption and elimination of the tracer in tissues and organs, determining diffusion rates into and out of blood cells, determining diffusion rates into and out of extravascular and extracellular spaces, determining diffusion rates into and out of cells, determining a time scale of an imaging system, and combinations of any thereof.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising determining coordination times to optimize at least one PK/PD parameter associated with the imaging.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the coordination times are physiological event times, imaging acquisition times, first pass flow times of a drug, PK/PD phenomena times or combinations of any thereof.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising utilizing iterative reconstruction techniques during analysis to at least partially compensate for one or more non-idealities or non-linearities in an imaging system.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising normalizing imaging data based on multiple input functions determined throughout a procedure.