Volumetric computed tomography system for cardiac imaging including a system for communicating data over a network
First Claim
1. A method for generating an image of an object using a computed tomography (CT) imaging system, the imaging system including at least one x-ray detector array and at least one rotating x-ray source projecting an x-ray beam, the method comprising the steps of:
- identifying a physiological cycle of the object, the cycle comprising a plurality of phases;
selecting at least one phase of the object;
collecting at least one segment of projection data for each selected phase of the object during each rotation of each x-ray source;
generating a projection data set by combining the projection data segments;
generating a cross-sectional image of the entire object from the projection data set; and
communicating the image or data associated with the image to a remote facility, the remote facility providing remote services over a network.
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Abstract
A method for generating an image of an object using a computed tomography (CT) imaging system, which includes at least one x-ray detector array and at least one rotating x-ray source projecting an x-ray beam, includes the steps of identifying a physiological cycle of the object (the cycle comprising a plurality of phases); selecting at least one phase of the object; collecting at least one segment of projection data for each selected phase of the object during each rotation of each x-ray source; generating a projection data set by combining the projection data segments; generating a cross-sectional image of the entire object from the projection data set; and communicating the image or data associated with the image to a remote facility. The remote facility provides remote services over a network.
55 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method for generating an image of an object using a computed tomography (CT) imaging system, the imaging system including at least one x-ray detector array and at least one rotating x-ray source projecting an x-ray beam, the method comprising the steps of:
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identifying a physiological cycle of the object, the cycle comprising a plurality of phases;
selecting at least one phase of the object;
collecting at least one segment of projection data for each selected phase of the object during each rotation of each x-ray source;
generating a projection data set by combining the projection data segments;
generating a cross-sectional image of the entire object from the projection data set; and
communicating the image or data associated with the image to a remote facility, the remote facility providing remote services over a network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
rotating each x-ray source a plurality of rotations; and
emitting an x-ray beam from each x-ray source toward each x-ray detector array from a plurality of projection angles.
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4. A method in accordance with claim 3 wherein collecting at least one segment of projection data for each selected phase of the object during each rotation of each x-ray source further comprises the step of collecting each segment of projection data for the selected phase from a different projection angle.
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5. A method in accordance with claim 4 wherein collecting each segment of projection data for the selected phase from a different projection angle comprises the step of altering a rotational speed of each x-ray source.
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6. A method in accordance with claim 5 wherein emitting an x-ray beam from each x-ray source toward each x-ray detector array from plurality of projection angles comprises the step of emitting an x-ray beam from each x-ray source for a determined imaging temporal period.
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7. A method in accordance with claim 6 wherein the rotational speed of each x-ray source is determined in accordance with:
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where;
Tc is the cardiac cycle time in seconds;
n is an integer constant; and
Rt is the determined imaging temporal period in seconds.
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8. A method in accordance with claim 6 wherein collecting at least one segment of projection data for each cycle of the object comprise the step of altering the rotational speed of each x-ray source in accordance with:
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(in rotations per second) where; w is a period of a physiological cycle (in seconds), γ
is a projection angle range for a complete projection data set (in degrees), andn is a selected integer number of cycles to collect a complete projection data set.
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9. A method in accordance with claim 6 wherein collecting at least one segment of projection data for each cycle of the object comprise the step of altering the rotational speed of each x-ray source in accordance with:
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(in rotations per second) where;
w is a period of a physiological cycle (in seconds), γ
is a projection angle range for a complete projection data set (in degrees), andn is a selected number of cycles to collect a complete projection data set.
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10. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the imaging system includes a first x-ray source, a second x-ray source, a first detector array and a second detector array.
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11. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein selecting at least one phase of the object comprises the steps of:
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selecting a first selected phase of the object; and
selecting a second selected phase of the object.
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12. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein identifying a physiological cycle of the object comprises the step of identifying a physiological cycle of a heart including a systolic phase and a diastolic phase.
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13. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein identifying a physiological cycle of the object comprises the step of identifying a physiological cycle of a respiratory system.
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14. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein generating a projection data set by combining the projection data segments comprises the steps of:
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rotating each x-ray source a plurality of projection angles;
collecting projection data for a plurality of projection angles using each detector array; and
rebinning the projection data for each selected phase of the object.
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15. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein collecting at least one segment of projection data for each selected phase of the object during each rotation of each x-ray source comprises the steps of:
detecting an arrhythmic cycle of the object; and
collecting replacement projection data for the projection data collected during the arrhythmic cycle.
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16. A computed tomography (CT) imaging system for generating an image of an object, the imaging system including at least one x-ray detector array and at least one rotating x-ray source projecting an x-ray beam, the imaging system configured to:
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identify a physiological cycle of the object, the cycle comprising a plurality of phases;
allow an operator to select at least one phase of the object;
collect at least one segment of projection data -for each selected phase of the object during each rotation of each the x-ray source;
generate a projection data set by combining the projection data segments;
generate a cross-sectional image of the entire object from the projection data set; and
communicate the image or data associated with the image to a remote facility, the remote facility providing remote services over a network. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
rotate each the x-ray source a plurality of rotations; and
emitting an x-ray beam from each the x-ray source toward each the x-ray detector array from a plurality of projection angles.
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19. An imaging system in accordance with claim 18 wherein to collect at least one segment of projection data for each selected phase of the object during each rotation of each the x-ray source, wherein, the imaging system further configured to collect each segment of projection data for the selected phase from a different projection angle.
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20. An imaging system in accordance with claim 19 wherein to collect each segment of projection data for the selected phase from a different projection angle, the system configured to alter a rotational speed of each the x-ray source.
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21. An imaging system in accordance with claim 20 wherein to emit an x-ray beam from each the x-ray source toward each the x-ray detector array from plurality of projection angles, the imaging system configured to emit an x- ray beam from each the x-ray source for a determined imaging temporal period.
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22. An imaging system in accordance with claim 21 wherein the rotational speed of each x-ray source is determined in accordance with:
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(in revolutions per second) where;
Tc is the cardiac cycle time in seconds;
n is an integer constant; and
Rt is the determined imaging temporal period in seconds.
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23. An imaging system in accordance with claim 21 wherein to collect at least one segment of projection data for each cycle of the object, the imaging system configured to alter the rotational speed of each the x-ray source in accordance with:
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(in rotations per second) where;
w is a period of a physiological cycle (in seconds), γ
y is a projection angle range for a complete projection data set (in degrees), andn is a selected integer number of cycles to collect a complete projection data set.
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24. An imaging system in accordance with claim 21 wherein to collect at least one segment of projection data for each cycle of the object, the imaging system configured to alter the rotational speed of each the x-ray source in accordance with:
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(in rotations per second) where;
w is a period of a physiological cycle (in seconds), γ
is a projection angle range for a complete projection data set (in degrees), andn is a selected number of cycles to collect a complete projection data set.
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25. An imaging system in accordance with claim 16 wherein the imaging system includes a first x-ray source, a second x-ray source, a first detector array and a second detector array.
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26. An imaging system in accordance with claim 16 wherein to allow an operator to select at least one phase of the object, the imaging system configured to:
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allow the operator to select a first selected phase of the object; and
allow the operator to select a second selected phase of the object.
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27. An imaging system in accordance with claim 16 wherein to identify a physiological cycle of the object, the imaging system configured to identify a physiological cycle of a heart comprising a systolic phase and a diastolic phase.
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28. An imaging system in accordance with claim 16 wherein to identify a physiological cycle of the object, the imaging system configured to identify a physiological cycle of a respiratory system.
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29. An imaging system in accordance with claim 16 wherein to generate a projection data set by combining the projection data segments, the imaging system configured to:
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rotate each the x-ray source a plurality of projection angles;
collect projection data for a plurality of projection angles using each the detector array; and
rebin the projection data for each selected phase of the object.
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30. An imaging system in accordance with claim 16 wherein to collect at least one segment of projection data for each selected phase of the object during each rotation of each the x-ray source, the imaging system configured to:
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detect an arrhythmic cycle of the object; and
collect replacement projection data for the projection data collected during the arrhythmic cycle.
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Specification