Method of and apparatus for predicting computed tomography contrast enhancement
First Claim
1. A method of scanning a tissue in a patient using computed tomography, said patient having a plurality of patient specific parameters, wherein the tissue to be scanned is enhanced with an intravascularly injected contrast agent, comprising the steps of:
- selecting an injection protocol for the contrast agent;
predicting, using a mathematical model, prior to implementing said injection protocol a tissue enhancement level as a function of an elapsed time after injection based on the injection protocol and said patient specific parameters;
determining a set of parameters for an optimum scan based on the predicted tissue enhancement level; and
performing the scan in accordance with the pre-determined set of optimum scan parameters.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus are disclosed for predicting prior to injection an organ specific contrast enhancement in a patient for a preselected contrast injection protocol for pre-determining a computed tomography scan. The invention is preferably implemented in a computer program which creates a mathematical model of human cardiovascular physiology in a hypothetical patient with a specific body habitus subjected to the pre-selected contrast injection protocol. The predicted contrast enhancement is then displayed for operator approval and may be then used to control a CT scanner to perform the scan with the pre-selected injection protocol. The mathematical model includes models of organs and vessels using differential equations to describe mass transport of contrast agent through the cardiovascular system.
114 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method of scanning a tissue in a patient using computed tomography, said patient having a plurality of patient specific parameters, wherein the tissue to be scanned is enhanced with an intravascularly injected contrast agent, comprising the steps of:
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selecting an injection protocol for the contrast agent; predicting, using a mathematical model, prior to implementing said injection protocol a tissue enhancement level as a function of an elapsed time after injection based on the injection protocol and said patient specific parameters; determining a set of parameters for an optimum scan based on the predicted tissue enhancement level; and performing the scan in accordance with the pre-determined set of optimum scan parameters. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for predicting a tissue enhancement level as a function of time for a specific tissue in a patient receiving an intravascularly injected contrast agent via a specified injection protocol, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing a mathematical model of the cardiovascular system of the patient, said model mathematically describing the transport of said contrast agent through said cardiovascular system, inputting into said model a plurality of patient specific parameters which impact the transport of said contrast agent, using said model to calculate a predicted concentration of said contrast agent in said tissue as a function of time in response to said specified injection protocol, and displaying said predicted contrast agent concentration as a function of time as representative of said tissue enhancement level as a function of time. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A computer being programmed for predicting a structure specific CT enhancement level in a patient for a given patient habitus and a specific contrast injection protocol comprising:
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a computer having a memory; a computer program in said memory, said program having means for accepting patient specific information and contrast specific information which affect physiological parameters of contrast enhancement and means for computing and outputting operator selected organ specific contrast concentration as a function of time. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A computed tomography machine comprising:
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a computed tomography machine; a computer having a memory connected to said computed tomography machine for controlling its operation; and a computer program in said computer memory, said computer program having means for predicting a structure specific CT enhancement level in a patient for a given patient habitus and a specific contrast injection protocol. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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Specification