Medical imaging systems and methods

• US 20040044282A1
• Filed: 08/28/2002
• Published: 03/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company LLC (GE Healthcare Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company LLC (GE Healthcare Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mixon, Lonnie Mark, Launay, Laurent, Shai, Eyal, Okerlund, Darin R., Hertel, Sarah Rose
• Application Number:
  US10/229,715
• Publication Number:
  US 20040044282A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/427
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/032 Transmission computed tomography [CT]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/037 Emission tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/504 for diagnosis of blood vessels, e.g. by angiography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/5235 combining images from the same or different ionising radiation imaging techniques, e.g. PET and CT

Abstract

A method for providing diagnostic information regarding a coronary artery includes performing a Computed Tomography (CT) scan of the coronary artery to obtain structural data regarding the artery, performing a Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scan of the coronary artery to obtain functional data regarding the artery, and combining the structural data with the functional data in a single image.

Claims

1. A method for providing diagnostic information regarding a coronary artery, said method comprising:

performing a Computed Tomography (CT) scan of the coronary artery to obtain structural data regarding the artery;

performing a Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scan of the coronary artery to obtain functional data regarding the artery; and

combining the structural data with the functional data in a single image.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising generating a wire mesh geometric model of the artery based upon the obtained structural data.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising generating a segmented volume of binary images of the artery based upon the obtained structural data.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising generating a computer program object of the artery based upon the obtained structural data.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising generating a centerline trace of the artery based upon the obtained structural data.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said performing a Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scan of the coronary artery to obtain functional data regarding the artery comprises performing a Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scan of the coronary artery to obtain a perfusion map.

7. A method in accordance with claim 6 further comprising three-dimensionally registering the structural data with the perfusion map.

8. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising three-dimensionally registering the structural data with the functional data.

9. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising displaying the image in at least one of a 3-D and a 4-D rendering mode;

a polar plot with or without normals databases, and a orthogonal slicing with or without triangulation.

10. An imaging system comprising:

a radiation source;

a radiation detector; and

a computer operationally coupled to said radiation source and said radiation detector, said computer configured to;

perform a first scan of a coronary artery in a first mode to obtain structural data regarding the artery;

perform a second scan of the coronary artery in a second mode different from the first mode to obtain functional data regarding the artery; and

combine the structural data with the functional data in a single image.

11. An imaging system in accordance with claim 10 wherein said computer further configured to:

perform the first scan in a Computed Tomography (CT) mode; and

perform the second scan in a Positron Emission Tomography (PET) mode.

12. An imaging system in accordance with claim 10 wherein said computer further configured to generate a wire mesh geometric model of the artery based upon the obtained structural data.

13. An imaging system in accordance with claim 10 wherein said computer further configured to generating a segmented volume of binary images of the artery based upon the obtained structural data.

14. An imaging system in accordance with claim 10 wherein said computer further configured to generate a computer program object of the artery based upon the obtained structural data.

15. An imaging system in accordance with claim 10 wherein said computer further configured to generating a centerline trace of the artery based upon the obtained structural data.

16. An imaging system in accordance with claim 10 wherein said computer further configured to perform the second scan in a Positron Emission Tomography (PET) mode to obtain a perfusion map.

17. An imaging system in accordance with claim 16 wherein said computer further configured to three-dimensionally register the structural data with the perfusion map.

18. An imaging system in accordance with claim 10 wherein said computer further configured to three-dimensionally register the structural data with the functional data.

19. A computer readable medium encoded with a program configured to instruct a computer to:

perform a first scan of a coronary artery in a first mode of a medical imaging device to obtain structural data regarding the artery;

perform a second scan of the coronary artery in a second mode of the medical imaging device different from the first mode to obtain functional data regarding the artery;

generate at least one of a wire mesh geometric model of the artery, a segmented volume of binary images of the artery, a computer program object of the artery, and a centerline trace of the artery based upon the obtained structural data; and

combine the structural data with the functional data in a single image.

20. A computer readable medium in accordance with claim 19 wherein said program further configured to instruct the computer to:

perform the first scan in a Computed Tomography (CT) mode; and

perform the second scan in a Positron Emission Tomography (PET) mode.

21. A computer readable medium in accordance with claim 19 wherein said program further configured to instruct the computer to perform the second scan in a Positron Emission Tomography (PET) mode to obtain a perfusion map.

22. A computer readable medium in accordance with claim 21 wherein said program further configured to instruct the computer to three-dimensionally register the structural data with the perfusion map.

23. A computer readable medium in accordance with claim 19 wherein said program further configured to instruct the computer to three-dimensionally register the structural data with the functional data.

24. A Computed Tomography/Positron Emission Tomography (CT/PET) medical imaging system comprising:

a radiation source;

a radiation detector; and

a computer operationally coupled to said radiation source and said radiation detector, said computer configured to;

perform a first scan of a coronary artery in a CT mode to obtain structural data regarding the artery;

perform a second scan of the coronary artery in a PET mode to obtain functional data regarding the artery including a perfusion map; and

combine the structural data with the functional data in a single image.

25. A CT/PET medical imaging system in accordance with claim 24 wherein said computer further configured to three-dimensionally register the structural data with the perfusion map.

26. A computer configured to

perform a first scan of a coronary artery in a Computed Tomography CT mode to obtain structural data regarding the artery;

perform a second scan of the coronary artery in a Positron Emission Tomography (PET) mode to obtain functional data regarding the artery including a perfusion map;

generate at least one of a wire mesh geometric model of the artery, a segmented volume of binary images of the artery, a computer program object of the artery, and a centerline trace of the artery based upon the obtained structural data;

combine the structural data with the functional data in a single image by three-dimensionally registering the structural data with the perfusion map.

27. A computer in accordance with claim 26 further configured to displaying the image in at least one of a 3-D and a 4-D rendering mode;

a polar plot with or without normals databases, and a orthogonal slicing with or without triangulation.