Apparatus And Method Of Improved Angiographic Imaging
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for improved angiographic X ray imaging of a subject'"'"'s body infused with contrast agent, said apparatus comprising:
- an x ray source adapted to emit X rays directed to pass through the subject'"'"'s body wherein said X ray beam is polychromatic;
a sensor system adapted to receive attenuated X rays that passed through the subject'"'"'s body, wherein said sensor comprises detection means divided into a plurality of detector elements, wherein each one of said plurality of detection elements is adapted to convert photon energy of a portion of said attenuated X rays into electric charges;
at least one readout chip divided into a plurality of channels wherein each one of said plurality of channels is electronically connected to one of said plurality of detection elements and wherein each one of said plurality of channels is adapted to convert said electric charges into digital data;
acquisition system adapted to receive said digital data from said sensor and generate at least two electronic representations wherein one of said at least two electronic representations is attained from low energy photons and another one of said at least two electronic representations is attained from high energy photons wherein said at least two electronic representations are measured simultaneously at the subject and at a certain position of said X ray source;
processing means adapted to manipulate said at least two electronic representations into at least one image;
displaying means adapted to display said at least one image;
whereby said at least one image attained from at least two energy bins amplify the appearance of the contrast agent in the blood vessels in respect with the surrounding tissues of the subject'"'"'s body.
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Abstract
The x-ray tube is energized (12) and the myocardium is imaged (16) while contrast agent is infused to the coronary arteries of the subject (14). Single photon counting data acquired with the detector while two thresholds are set to form simultaneously low energy images and high energy images (16). The images are processed (18) and displayed (20).
33 Citations
29 Claims
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1. An apparatus for improved angiographic X ray imaging of a subject'"'"'s body infused with contrast agent, said apparatus comprising:
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an x ray source adapted to emit X rays directed to pass through the subject'"'"'s body wherein said X ray beam is polychromatic;
a sensor system adapted to receive attenuated X rays that passed through the subject'"'"'s body, wherein said sensor comprises detection means divided into a plurality of detector elements, wherein each one of said plurality of detection elements is adapted to convert photon energy of a portion of said attenuated X rays into electric charges;
at least one readout chip divided into a plurality of channels wherein each one of said plurality of channels is electronically connected to one of said plurality of detection elements and wherein each one of said plurality of channels is adapted to convert said electric charges into digital data;
acquisition system adapted to receive said digital data from said sensor and generate at least two electronic representations wherein one of said at least two electronic representations is attained from low energy photons and another one of said at least two electronic representations is attained from high energy photons wherein said at least two electronic representations are measured simultaneously at the subject and at a certain position of said X ray source;
processing means adapted to manipulate said at least two electronic representations into at least one image;
displaying means adapted to display said at least one image;
whereby said at least one image attained from at least two energy bins amplify the appearance of the contrast agent in the blood vessels in respect with the surrounding tissues of the subject'"'"'s body. - 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. A method for producing images of improved X ray angiography of a subject'"'"'s body, said method comprising:
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directing polychromatic X ray beam to pass through the subject'"'"'s body;
positioning a sensor system adapted to receive attenuated X rays that passed through said subject'"'"'s body, said sensor system comprising detection means divided into a plurality of detector elements, wherein each one of said plurality of detection elements is adapted to convert photon energy of a portion of said attenuated X rays into electric charges, and at least one readout chip provided with at least two discriminators, said at least one readout chip divided into a plurality of channels wherein each one of said plurality of channels is electronically connected to one of said plurality of detection elements and wherein each one of said plurality of channels is adapted to convert said electric charges into digital data;
setting threshold levels for said at least two discriminators for each one of said plurality of channels;
injecting a contrast agent into blood vessels of the subject'"'"'s body;
positioning said subject so that X ray beam passes through the body of the subject and attenuated X rays that passed through the subject'"'"'s body are received by said sensor system;
acquiring single photon counting data so as to simultaneously establish at least two images from at least one of low photon energy window and at least one of high energy window;
Processing said at least two images so as to provide high contrast and motion artifact free image of the subject'"'"'s blood vessels. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification