Multi-cycle dynamic CT imaging

• US 10,271,812 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2017
• Issued: 04/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Healthineers AG (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GMBH (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Hofmann, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): Nakhjavan, Shervin K
• Application Number:
  US15/715,804
• Publication Number:
  US 20180014807A1
• Time in Patent Office: 581 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/03 Computed tomography [CT] echo-tomography A61B8/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/032 Transmission computed tomography [CT]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/5288 involving retrospective matching to a physiological signal
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/541 involving acquisition triggered by a physiological signal
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/00 2D [Two Dimensional] image generation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/005 Specific pre-processing for tomographic reconstruction, e.g. calibration, source positioning, rebinning, scatter correction, retrospective gating
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2211/412 Dynamic

Abstract

A dynamic CT imaging method is provided. With the method, projection measurement data for a region of an examination object to be imaged is captured, with simultaneous correlated capture of the respiratory movement of the examination object. A phase of the respiratory movement, for which image data is to be reconstructed, is selected. Phase projection measurement data assigned to the selected phase is also determined. Transition regions of partial images of the region to be imaged between successive respiratory cycles are then reconstructed on a trial basis based on a part of the phase projection measurement data, and a standard reconstruction is performed using parts of the phase projection measurement data for each of the successive respiratory cycles assigned to an optimum reconstruction.

Claims

1. A dynamic CT imaging method comprising:

capturing projection measurement data for a region of an examination object to be imaged, with simultaneous correlated capture of dynamic movement of the examination object;

selecting a time segment of the dynamic movement, for which image data is to be reconstructed;

determining time segment projection measurement data assigned to the selected time segment;

multiple reconstructing transition regions of subregions of the region to be imaged between successive cycles of the dynamic movement based on candidate projection measurement data sets that are part of the time segment projection measurement data;

determining the candidate projection measurement data sets, which correspond to an optimum reconstruction, as target projection measurement data; and

performing a standard reconstruction using the target projection measurement data for each of the successive cycles.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the time segment projection measurement data assigned to the selected time segment comprises:

determining at least one start projection index interval assigned to the assigned time segment projection measurement data;

determining a plurality of different candidate start projection indices for each start projection index interval; and

performing the reconstruction of transition regions between successive cycles based on a part of the time segment projection measurement data, the multiple reconstruction starting with the plurality of determined different candidate start projection indices.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising determining, for optimum reconstruction, optimum start projection indices, the optimum start projection indices including the plurality of different candidate start projection indices, for which the reconstructed transition regions between successive cycles match one another best, calculating a criterion for how closely reconstructed transition regions between successive cycles match one another in each instance as a displacement value of an artifact metric, or a combination thereof.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the respective candidate start projection indices, for which the displacement value of the artifact metric is a minimum, are determined as the optimum start projection indices.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the standard reconstruction is performed using the determined optimum start projection indices for a plurality of different time segments.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising determining start projection indices that are assigned to a plurality of successive movement cycles and correspond to selected time segment time points with the aid of a binning method.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising determining each of the at least one start projection index interval as an interval around the determined start projection indices.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the time segment comprises determining corresponding phase time points.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the multiple reconstructing of transition regions between successive cycles is performed with interpolation-free assignment to the respective cycle.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the multiple reconstructing of transition regions between successive cycles is performed sequentially for each of the successive cycles, starting with a first cycle that is part of the reconstruction, up to a last cycle.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein freely selectable parameters are adapted in a phase-specific manner with the aid of the simultaneous correlated capture of the dynamic movement of the examination object.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a region in which artifacts are to be reduced based on a previously performed respiration-correlated standard image data reconstruction; and

for the determined region in which artifacts are to be reduced;

capturing projection measurement data with simultaneous correlated capture of respiratory movement of the examination object;

selecting a phase of the respiratory movement, for which image data is to be reconstructed;

determining phase projection measurement data assigned to the selected phase;

multiple reconstructing transition regions of subregions between successive respiratory cycles of the dynamic movement based on candidate projection measurement data sets that are part of the phase projection measurement data;

determining the candidate projection measurement data sets, which correspond to an optimum reconstruction, as target projection measurement data; and

performing a standard reconstruction using the target projection measurement data for each of the successive respiratory cycles.

13. An image data reconstruction device comprising:

an input interface configured to capture projection measurement data for a region of an examination object to be imaged, with simultaneous correlated capture of movement of the examination object;

a processor configured to;

capture selection information relating to a selected time segment of the movement, for which image data is to be reconstructed;

determine the projection measurement data assigned to the selected time segment;

multiple reconstruct of transition regions of subregions of the region to be imaged between successive cycles based on candidate projection measurement data sets of a part of the time segment projection measurement data;

determine the candidate projection measurement data sets, which correspond to an optimum reconstruction, as target projection measurement data; and

perform a standard reconstruction using the target projection measurement data for each of the successive cycles.

14. A computed tomography system comprising:

a control system comprising;

an image data reconstruction device comprising;

an input interface configured to capture projection measurement data for a region of an examination object to be imaged, with simultaneous correlated capture of movement of the examination object;

a processor configured to;

capture selection information relating to a selected time segment of the movement, for which image data is to be reconstructed;

determine the projection measurement data assigned to the selected time segment;

multiple reconstruct of transition regions of subregions of the region to be imaged between successive cycles based on candidate projection measurement data sets of a part of the time segment projection measurement data;

determine the candidate projection measurement data sets, which correspond to an optimum reconstruction, as target projection measurement data; and

perform a standard reconstruction using the target projection measurement data for each of the successive cycles.

15. In a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions executable by a computer for dynamic CT imaging, the instructions comprising:

capturing projection measurement data for a region of an examination object to be imaged, with simultaneous correlated capture of movement of the examination object;

selecting a time segment of the movement, for which image data is to be reconstructed;

determining time segment projection measurement data assigned to the selected time segment;

multiple reconstructing transition regions of subregions of the region to be imaged between successive cycles of the movement based on candidate projection measurement data sets that are part of the time segment projection measurement data;

determining the candidate projection measurement data sets, which correspond to an optimum reconstruction, as target projection measurement data; and

performing a standard reconstruction using the target projection measurement data for each of the successive cycles.