System and method for imaging a subject with a contrast agent

• US 10,638,991 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2018
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Nett, Brian Edward, Londt, John Howard
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Kiho
• Application Number:
  US16/136,881
• Publication Number:
  US 20200093451A1
• Time in Patent Office: 593 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/027 characterised by the use of a particular data acquisition trajectory, e.g. helical or spiral
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/032 Transmission computed tomography [CT]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/481 involving the use of contrast agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/482 involving multiple energy imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/488 involving pre-scan acquisition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/504 for diagnosis of blood vessels, e.g. by angiography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/541 involving acquisition triggered by a physiological signal
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/544 dependent on patient size
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/545 involving automatic set-up of acquisition parameters

Abstract

A system for imaging a subject with a contrast agent is provided. The system includes an X-ray source, an X-ray detector, and a controller. The X-ray source is operative to transmit X-rays through the subject. The X-ray detector is operative to receive the X-rays after having passed through the subject. The controller is in electronic communication with the X-ray source and the X-ray detector and operative to: generate a target contrast level based at least in part on a contrast adjustment factor; determine when a level of the contrast agent in a first plurality of images of the subject acquired via the X-ray source and the X-ray detector reaches the target contrast level; and acquire a second plurality of images of the subject via the X-ray source and the X-ray detector after the level of the contrast agent has reached the target contrast level.

Claims

1. A system for imaging a subject with a contrast agent, the system comprising:

an X-ray source operative to transmit X-rays through the subject;

an X-ray detector operative to receive the radiation rays after having passed through the subject; and

a controller in electronic communication with the X-ray source and the X-ray detector and operative to;

generate a target contrast level based at least in part on a contrast adjustment factor;

determine when a level of the contrast agent in a first plurality of images of the subject acquired via the X-ray source and the X-ray detector reaches the target contrast level; and

acquire a second plurality of images of the subject via the X-ray source and the X-ray detector after the level of the contrast agent has reached the target contrast level.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the contrast adjustment factor is based at least in part on at least one of:

a physical property of the system;

a parameter of the system; and

a property of the subject.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the contrast adjustment factor is based at least in part on one of:

a size of the subject; and

an energy potential setting of the X-ray source.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of images are monitoring images and the second plurality of images are diagnostic images.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the target contrast level is based at least in part on a contrast model.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the contrast model is based at least in part on a lookup table.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the contrast adjustment factor is based at least in part on a scout image of the subject.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the target contrast level is based at least in part on a material decomposition image.

9. A method for imaging a subject with a contrast agent, the method comprising:

generating a target contrast level based at least in part on a contrast adjustment factor;

detecting when a level of the contrast agent in a first plurality of images of the subject has reached the target contrast level; and

acquiring a second plurality of images of the subject after the level of the contrast agent has reached the target contrast level.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the contrast adjustment factor is based at least in part on one of:

a physical property of the system;

a parameter of the system; and

a property of the subject.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the contrast adjustment factor is based at least in part on at least one of:

a size of the subject; and

an energy potential setting of an X-ray source.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the first plurality of images are monitoring images and the second plurality of images are diagnostic images.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the target contrast level is based at least in part on a material decomposition image.

14. A system for imaging a subject with a contrast agent, the system comprising:

an X-ray source operative to transmit X-rays through the subject;

an X-ray detector operative to receive the X-rays after having passed through the subject;

a controller in electronic communication with the X-ray source and the X-ray detector and operative to;

detect when a level of the contrast agent in a first plurality of images of the subject acquired via the X-ray source and the X-ray detector reaches a target contrast level; and

acquire a second plurality of images of the subject via the X-ray source and the X-ray detector after the level of the contrast agent has reached the target contrast level; and

wherein the controller determines the level of the contrast agent based at least in part from a generated material decomposition image or a simulated material decomposition image.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the first plurality of images are monitoring images acquired vial dual-energy scanning and the second plurality of images are diagnostic images.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the generated material decomposition image is based at least in part on the monitoring images.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the controller is further operative to:

acquire the first plurality of images via single energy scanning; and

generate the simulated material decomposition image by simulating a dual energy scanning of the first plurality of images.

18. A method for imaging a subject with a contrast agent, the method comprising:

detecting when a level of the contrast agent in a first plurality of images of the subject reaches a target contrast level;

acquiring a second plurality of images of the subject after the level of the contrast agent has reached the target contrast level; and

wherein the level of the contrast agent is determined based at least in part from a generated material decomposition image or a simulated material decomposition image.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the first plurality of images are monitoring images acquired via dual-energy scanning, and the second plurality of images are diagnostic images.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the generated decomposition image is based at least in part on the monitoring images.