Method for reduced-artifact radiological 3D imaging, medical imaging device and method for creating a therapy plan

• US 20070083101A1
• Filed: 09/15/2006
• Published: 04/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Rietzel, Eike
• Granted Patent: US 7,818,045 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/407
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/032 Transmission computed tomography [CT]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/12 Arrangements for detecting or locating foreign bodies
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4447 Tiltable gantries
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/466 adapted to display 3D data
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/5258 involving detection or reduction of artifacts or noise
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/103 Treatment planning systems
• 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 2200/04 involving 3D image data
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30004 Biomedical image processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/50 using two or more images, e.g. averaging or subtraction

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for reduced-artifact 3D-imaging of an imaging volume comprising an interfering element a patient is positioned in a first and second positions spatially different from each other in an imaging device and a first and second 3D-imagings are performed with the interfering element lying within a first and second radiographic layer. A first and second set of raw data of the imaging volume are provided with the first set having artifact-influenced raw data for the first radiographic layer and the second set having artifact-influenced raw data for the second radiographic layer and non-artifact influenced raw data for the first radiographic layer the reduced-artifact 3D data set is created By combining the raw data sets for calculating the reduced-artifact 3D data set or by calculating a first and second 3D image data sets from the raw data sets and combining the 3D image data sets.

Claims

1. A method for generating an artifact-reduced 3D-image data set of an imaging volume having an interfering element, comprising:

positioning a patient in a first imaging position in an imaging device;

generating a first 3D-imaging of the patient in the first imaging position with the interfering element lying within a first illumination layer;

calculating a first raw data set of the imaging volume based on the first 3D-imaging comprising an artifact-influenced raw data for the first illumination layer;

positioning the patient in a second imaging position spatially different from the first imaging position;

generating a second 3D-imaging of the patient in the second imaging position with the interfering element lying within a second illumination layer intersecting with the first illumination layer in an intersection volume where the interfering element lies;

calculating a second raw data set of the imaging volume based on the second 3D-imaging comprising an artifact-influenced raw data for the second illumination layer and non-artifact-influenced raw data for the first illumination layer outside the intersection volume;

combining the first and second raw data sets; and

calculating the artifact-reduced 3D-image data set of the imaging volume based on the combined data set.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the artifact-reduced 3D-image data set is generated by:

calculating a first 3D image data set from the first raw data set,

calculating a second 3D image data set from the second raw data set, and

combining the first and second 3D image data set into the artifact-reduced 3D-image data set.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein an artifact-influenced image data of the first 3D image data set is replaced by a non-artifact-influenced image data of the second 3D image data set during the combination.

4. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein an artifact-influenced image data of the second 3D image data set is replaced by a non-artifact-influenced image data of the first 3D image data set during the combination.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second imaging position is positioned by moving, tilting or turning the patient.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second imaging position is positioned by moving, tilting or turning the imaging device.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a further 3D-imaging with the interfering element lying within a further illumination layer is generated in a further different imaging position to provide a further raw data set which is combined with the first and second raw data sets.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interfering element is selected from the group consisting of:

a heart pacemaker, a tooth crown, and a metal implant of the patient.

9. A medical imaging device system for generating an artifact-reduced 3D-image data set, comprising:

a patient supporting device;

an image device which;

recordes a first 3D-imaging of the patient in a first imaging position with an interfering element lying within a first illumination layer,

recordes a second 3D-imaging of the patient in a second imaging position with the interfering element lying within a second illumination layer intersecting with the first illumination layer in an intersection volume in which the interfering element lies; and

an image processing unit which;

calculates a first raw data set of the imaging volume based on the first 3D-imaging comprising an artifact-influenced raw data for the first illumination layer,

calculates a second raw data set of the imaging volume based on the second 3D-imaging comprising an artifact-influenced raw data for the second illumination layer and non-artifact-influenced raw data for the first illumination layer outside the intersection volume,

combines the first and second raw data sets, and

calculates the artifact-reduced 3D-image data set based on the combined data set.

10. The medical imaging device system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the imaging device is a computer tomography device comprising a gantry which is tiltable, turnable or movable.

11. The medical imaging device system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the patient supporting device is tiltable, turnable or movable.

12. The medical imaging device system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the second imaging position is spatially different from the first imaging position relative to the image device.

13. The medical imaging device system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the image processing unit:

calculates a first 3D image data set from the first raw data set,

calculates a second 3D image data set from the second raw data set, and

combines the first and second 3D image data set into the artifact-reduced 3D-image data set.

14. The medical imaging device system as claimed in claim 13, wherein an artifact-influenced image data of the first 3D image data set is replaced by a non-artifact-influenced image data of the second 3D image data set during the combination.

15. The medical imaging device system as claimed in claim 13, wherein an artifact-influenced image data of the first 3D image data set is replaced by a non-artifact-influenced image data of the second 3D image data set during the combination.

16. A method for creating a therapy plan for a radiotherapy for a patient, comprising:

creating a reduced-artifact radiological image data set by;

positioning the patient in a first imaging position in an imaging device,

generating a first 3D-imaging of the patient in the first imaging position with an interfering element lying within a first illumination layer,

calculating a first raw data set based on the first 3D-imaging comprising an artifact-influenced raw data for the first illumination layer,

positioning the patient in a second imaging position spatially different from the first imaging position,

generating a second 3D-imaging of the patient in the second imaging position with the interfering element lying within a second illumination layer intersecting with the first illumination layer in an intersection volume in which the interfering element lies,

calculating a second raw data set based on the second 3D-imaging comprising an artifact-influenced raw data for the second illumination layer and non-artifact-influenced raw data for the first illumination layer outside the intersection volume,

combining the first and second raw data sets, and

calculating the artifact-reduced radiological image data set based on the combined data set;

selecting a radiological examination parameter based on the artifact-reduced radiological image data set; and

planning the radiotherapy for the patient according to the radiological examination parameter.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the radiotherapy is a radiological examination of the patient comprising a particle therapy system.

18. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the radiological examination parameter is selected from the group consisting of:

examination area, dose distribution, particle beam energy and particle beam intensity.