System and method for improved energy series of images using multi-energy CT
AssigneeMayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
InventorsShuai Leng, Cynthia H. McCollough, Lifeng Yu, Joel G. Fletcher, Charles A. Mistretta
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Abstract
A method for creating an energy series of images acquired using a multi-energy computed tomography (CT) imaging system having a plurality of energy bins includes acquiring, with the multi-energy CT imaging system, a series of energy data sets, where each energy data set is associated with at least one of the energy bins. The method includes producing a conglomerate image using at least a plurality of the energy data sets and, using the conglomerate image, reconstructing an energy series of images, each image in the energy series of images corresponding to at least one of the energy data sets.
Claims20
A method for producing enhanced computed tomography (CT) images, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) acquiring a series of energy data sets, each energy data set associated with at least one energy bin of an energy spectrum;
- (b) reconstructing, using a computer system, a series of energy images using the series of energy data sets;
- (c) generating, using the computer system, a conglomerate image using a combination of the series of energy images;
- and
- (d) generating, using the conglomerate image, the time series of energy images and a model, at least one of an enhanced image and an enhanced material-specific image, wherein the model is configured such that a noise variance of the at least one of the enhanced image and the enhanced material-specific image is substantially determined by the conglomerate image.
A computed tomography (CT) imaging system comprising:
- an x-ray source configured to emit x-rays toward an object to be imaged;
- a detector configured to receive x-rays that are attenuated by the object;
- a data acquisition system (DAS) connected to the detector to receive an indication of received x-rays;
- a computer system coupled to the DAS to receive the indication of the received x-rays and programmed to:
- separate the indication of the received x-rays into a series of energy data sets based on an energy level associated with received x-rays;
- reconstruct a series of energy images using the series of energy data sets;
- produce a conglomerate image using a combination of the series of energy images;
- and
- generate at least one enhanced energy image using a model correlating the at least one enhanced energy with the conglomerate image and the series of energy images, wherein the model is configured such that a noise variance of the at least one enhanced energy image is substantially determined by the conglomerate image.
A method for producing enhanced computed tomography (CT) images, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) acquiring a series of energy-selective data sets, each energy-selective data set being associated with at least a portion of an energy spectrum;
- (b) producing a conglomerate data set using a combination of the series of energy-selective data sets;
- (c) reconstructing a conglomerate image using a conglomerate data set;
- and
- (d) generating, using the conglomerate image and a model, at least one enhanced energy image, each image associated with at least one of the energy-selective data set, wherein the model is configured such that the at least one enhanced energy image has a noise variance substantially determined by the conglomerate image.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.