Four-dimensional helical tomographic scanner
First Claim
1. A helical cone beam computed tomography imaging method comprising:
- acquiring helical cone beam computed tomography projection data for a volume of interest using a plurality of source trajectory helices;
reconstructing the acquired helical cone beam computed tomography projection data for each helix to generate a corresponding time skewed volume image representation of the volume of interest;
for each time skewed volume image representation, computing a voxel acquisition time for each voxel; and
for each voxel, computing an interpolated voxel value based on values of the voxel in the plurality of image representations and corresponding voxel acquisition times.
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Abstract
A computed tomography imaging scanner (10) acquires helical cone beam projection data for a volume of interest (46) using at least two source trajectory helices. A reconstruction processor (62) reconstructs the projection data for each helix to generate a corresponding time skewed image representation. A voxel time processor (66) computes an acquisition time for each voxel in each time skewed image representation. A voxel interpolator (68) computes an interpolated voxel value for each voxel based on values of the voxel in the time skewed image representations and corresponding voxel acquisition times. In an electronic embodiment, the computed tomography scanner (10) includes an x-ray source (12) with an axially oriented cylindrical anode (92), an electron source (961, 962) irradiating the cylindrical anode (92) to produce an x-ray beam (120, 122, 124, 126), and an electron beam deflector (98, 100) that deflects the electron beam along the anode (92) to axially sweep the x-ray beam.
89 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A helical cone beam computed tomography imaging method comprising:
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acquiring helical cone beam computed tomography projection data for a volume of interest using a plurality of source trajectory helices;
reconstructing the acquired helical cone beam computed tomography projection data for each helix to generate a corresponding time skewed volume image representation of the volume of interest;
for each time skewed volume image representation, computing a voxel acquisition time for each voxel; and
for each voxel, computing an interpolated voxel value based on values of the voxel in the plurality of image representations and corresponding voxel acquisition times. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An apparatus for performing helical cone beam computed tomography imaging, the apparatus comprising:
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a means for acquiring helical cone beam computed tomography projection data for a volume of interest using a plurality of source trajectory helices;
a means for reconstructing the acquired helical cone beam computed tomography projection data for each helix to generate a corresponding time skewed volume image representation of the volume of interest;
a means for computing a voxel acquisition time for each voxel of each time skewed image representation; and
a means for computing an interpolated voxel value for each voxel based on values of the voxel in the plurality of time skewed image representations and corresponding voxel acquisition times. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. An apparatus for performing high-speed computed tomography imaging, the apparatus comprising:
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a rotating gantry;
an x-ray source disposed on the rotating gantry and rotating therewith, the x-ray source including an axially oriented cylindrical anode, an electron source irradiating the cylindrical anode to produce an x-ray beam traversing a volume of interest, and an electron beam deflector that axially deflects the electron beam along the cylindrical anode to axially sweep the x-ray beam, the deflector cooperating with the rotating gantry to produce a helical trajectory of the x-ray beam about the volume of interest;
a radiation detector arranged to measure the x-ray beam after passing through the volume of interest; and
a reconstruction processor that reconstructs the acquired projection data to produce a time skewed image representation corresponding to the helical trajectory. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
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30. An x-ray tube comprising:
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a cylindrical anode whose cylindrical axis is axially oriented;
an electron source that produces an electron beam generally directed toward the cylindrical anode, which electron beam interacts with the cylindrical anode to produce x-rays; and
an electron beam deflector that sweeps the electron beam axially across the cylindrical anode.
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Specification