SYSTEM AND METHOD TO ADAPTIVELY CONTROL CONTRAST-ENHANCED DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING PROCEDURE

• US 20080119715A1
• Filed: 03/27/2007
• Published: 05/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: McDaniel, Holly Ann, Trevino, Scott Eugene, Gonzalez Molezzi, Marcela
• Granted Patent: US 7,974,682 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/407
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/055 involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7285 for synchronising or triggering a physiological measurement or image acquisition with a physiological event or waveform, e.g. an ECG signal A61B6/5205, A61B6/541, A61B8/5207, A61B8/543 take precedence
• 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 6/03 Computed tomography [CT] echo-tomography A61B8/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/481 involving the use of contrast agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/541 involving acquisition triggered by a physiological signal
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/481 involving the use of contrast agent, e.g. microbubbles introduced into the bloodstream analysis of echo signal exploiting properties of a contrast enhancer in devices for short-range imaging with acoustic waves G01S7/52039
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/543 involving acquisition triggered by a physiological signal
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

A system and method are provided for determining individualized scan and injection protocols for contrast-enhanced diagnostic imaging. Taking into account parameters specific to the scan subject, injection-related parameters, and scan parameters, the system and method can determine an optimal timing for a scan sequence to begin, to ensure that the scan sequence coincides with a desired contrast enhancement. Some embodiments further provide for real-time triggering of the scan commencement based on bolus tracking, and can adapt the scan and injection protocols in real-time based on monitored dynamic scan subject parameters and/or actual enhancement values determined from image data.

Claims

1. A system control for a diagnostic imaging apparatus comprising:

a user interface adapted to permit a user to enter data specific to a given scan;

a scan subject monitor configured to monitor at least one dynamic scan subject parameter;

a scan protocol module connected to receive data entered by the user on the user interface and the at least one dynamic scan subject parameter and programmed to prescribe a scan protocol to optimize contrast enhancement;

a contrast delivery device controlled by the scan protocol module to cause a contrast agent to be delivered to a scan subject in accordance with the prescribed scan protocol; and

an acquisition control configured to coordinate commencement of the given scan in accordance with the scan protocol.

2. The system control of claim 1 wherein the data specific to the given scan includes at least one of a static scan subject parameter and a scan type.

3. The system control of claim 1 wherein the scan protocol includes a contrast agent delivery protocol.

4. The system control of claim 3 wherein the scan protocol includes a number of contrast agent delivery protocols corresponding to a number of injection phases of a diagnostic imaging scan.

5. The system control of claim 1 wherein the contrast delivery device includes at least one of an automated contrast injection device to inject the contrast agent and an indicator to inform an operator when to administer the contrast agent.

6. The system control of claim 1 wherein the scan protocol module is configured to adapt the prescribed scan protocol in real time in accordance with changes in the at least one dynamic scan subject parameter.

7. The system control of claim 1 wherein the scan protocol module is configured to adapt the prescribed scan protocol in real time in accordance with a real time contrast enhancement value for a region of interest, calculated from scan data acquired therefrom.

8. The system control of claim 1 wherein the scan subject monitor is configured to track a bolus in the scan subject, as an indicator of contrast agent flow.

9. The system control of claim 8 wherein the scan protocol module is configured to receive bolus tracking data from the scan subject monitor and trigger the acquisition control in real-time to begin the given scan, based on the bolus tracking data.

10. A method for contrast-enhanced diagnostic imaging comprising:

estimating, for a given scan subject, a post-delivery time for a desired contrast agent enhancement value, based on a number of subject parameters, a number of contrast agent parameters, and a number of scan parameters;

administering the contrast agent;

timing at least a portion of an imaging scan sequence to coincide with the post-delivery desired contrast enhancement time of the contrast agent;

adapting at least one of the number of contrast agent parameters and the number of scan parameters during the scan sequence to maintain the timing of the desired contrast enhancement and the portion of the imaging scan sequence; and

reconstructing an image of the scan subject based at least on scan data acquired during the post-delivery desired contrast enhancement time.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the number of subject parameters include static subject parameters and dynamic subject parameters.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the number of static subject parameters include subject weight, gender, age, height, and body mass index, and the number of dynamic subject parameters include heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, and timing bolus data.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the number of contrast agent parameters include contrast agent type, bolus type, number of injection phases, contrast agent volume, contrast agent flow rate, injection duration, and contrast enhancement duration.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the number of scan parameters include a scan dosage, a scan speed, a scan resolution, and a field of view.

15. The method of claim 10 further comprising performing a timing bolus scan prior to the imaging scan sequence.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising determining a time density curve for a region of interest from the timing bolus scan.

17. The method of claim 10 further comprising performing a real-time bolus tracking after injecting the contrast agent.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising automatically triggering the imaging scan sequence to coincide with the peak contrast enhancement time, based on the real-time bolus tracking.

19. The method of claim 10 wherein adapting at least one of the number of contrast agent parameters and the number of scan parameters during the scan sequence includes monitoring a real-time contrast enhancement calculated from image data and monitoring dynamic scan subject parameters.

26. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18 wherein the instructions further cause the computer to control a contrast pump to automatically deliver a contrast agent to the patient in accordance with the protocol.

20. A computer-readable storage medium having a set of instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the computer, causes the computer to:

prompt a user to enter patient-specific information for a given scan patient;

prompt a user to select a scan type;

receive bolus tracking data for the given patient; and

provide an individualized scan protocol defining a contrast agent delivery and scan sequence timing, based upon the patient-specific information, the scan type, and the bolus tracking data.

21. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 20 wherein the set of instructions further causes the computer to receive the bolus tracking data in real-time.

22. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 21 wherein the set of instructions further causes the computer to automatically trigger commencement of a scan sequence based upon the real-time bolus tracking data.

23. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 20 wherein the set of instructions further causes the computer to display default contrast agent parameters to a user after entry of the patient-specific information, selection of the scan type, and receipt of the bolus tracking data.

24. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 23 wherein the default contrast agent parameters include a post-delivery peak contrast enhancement period.

25. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 23 wherein the instructions further cause the computer to display the contrast agent parameters and a number of scan parameters to the user and prompt the user to confirm the parameters prior to contrast delivery and scan commencement.

27. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 20 wherein the instructions further cause the computer to calculate a real time contrast enhancement value for a region of interested based upon at least one of image data acquired in a scan and the dynamic patient-information.

28. The computer readable storage medium of claim 27 wherein the instructions further cause the computer to adapt at least one of the scan parameters and contrast agent parameters in real time during the scan such that a desired portion of the scan substantially coincides with a desired contrast enhancement value.

29. The computer readable storage medium of claim 28 wherein the instructions further cause the computer to adjust x-ray dosage, pitch, or gantry rotation in a CT scan such that a period of maximum dosage of the CT scan substantially coincides with a peak contrast enhancement value.

30. The computer readable storage medium of claim 28 wherein the instructions further cause the computer to adjust contrast agent flow rate, pressure, or volume to achieve a maximum contrast enhancement value during a period of maximum dosage of a CT scan.