Four-dimensional helical tomographic scanner
First Claim
1. A helical cone beam computed tomography imaging apparatus comprising:
- means for acquiring helical cone beam computed tomography projection data for a volume of interest using a plurality of source trajectory helices that temporally overlap, each source trajectory helix being triggered based on detection of a selected cardiac phase, the selected triggering cardiac phase being different for each helix;
means for reconstructing the acquired helical cone beam computed tomography projection data for each helix to generate a corresponding time skewed volume image representation of the volume of interest, the time skewed volume image representations temporally overlapping due to the temporal overlap of the source trajectory helices;
means for computing a voxel acquisition time for each voxel for each time skewed volume image representation; and
means for computing an interpolated voxel value for each voxel based on values of the voxel in the plurality of image representations and corresponding voxel acquisition times.
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Abstract
A computed tomography imaging scanner (10) acquires helical cone beam projection data for a volume of interest (46) using at least two source trajectory helices. A reconstruction processor (62) reconstructs the projection data for each helix to generate a corresponding time skewed image representation. A voxel time processor (66) computes an acquisition time for each voxel in each time skewed image representation. A voxel interpolator (68) computes an interpolated voxel value for each voxel based on values of the voxel in the time skewed image representations and corresponding voxel acquisition times. In an electronic embodiment, the computed tomography scanner (10) includes an x-ray source (12) with an axially oriented cylindrical anode (92), an electron source (961, 962) irradiating the cylindrical anode (92) to produce an x-ray beam (120, 122, 124, 126), and an electron beam deflector (98, 100) that deflects the electron beam along the anode (92) to axially sweep the x-ray beam.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A helical cone beam computed tomography imaging apparatus comprising:
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means for acquiring helical cone beam computed tomography projection data for a volume of interest using a plurality of source trajectory helices that temporally overlap, each source trajectory helix being triggered based on detection of a selected cardiac phase, the selected triggering cardiac phase being different for each helix;
means for reconstructing the acquired helical cone beam computed tomography projection data for each helix to generate a corresponding time skewed volume image representation of the volume of interest, the time skewed volume image representations temporally overlapping due to the temporal overlap of the source trajectory helices;
means for computing a voxel acquisition time for each voxel for each time skewed volume image representation; and
means for computing an interpolated voxel value for each voxel based on values of the voxel in the plurality of image representations and corresponding voxel acquisition times. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A helical cone beam computed tomography imaging method comprising:
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acquiring helical cone beam computed tomography projection data for a volume of interest using a plurality of source trajectory helices;
reconstructing the acquired helical cone beam computed tomography projection data for each helix to generate a corresponding time skewed volume image representation of the volume of interest, each voxel being reconstructed based on projection data acquired over a single contiguous acquisition time interval of the corresponding source trajectory helix;
for each time skewed volume image representation, computing a voxel acquisition time for each voxel by;
identifying a PI line associated with the voxel;
determining a PI line time interval corresponding to the PI line; and
computing the voxel acquisition time as a statistical characteristic time value of the PI line time interval; and
for each voxel, computing an interpolated voxel value based on values of the voxel in the plurality of image representations and corresponding voxel acquisition times. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A helical cone beam computed tomography imaging method comprising:
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rotating a cone beam radiation source about a volume of interest;
simultaneously with the rotating, axially sweeping an electron beam parallel to an axis of radiation source rotation across an axially elongated anode of the radiation source, the electron beam defining an x-ray cone beam generation position on the anode, the rotating and the axial sweeping cooperating to generate the source trajectory helices about the volume of interest;
reconstructing the acquired helical cone beam computed tomography projection data for each helix to generate a corresponding time skewed volume image representation of the volume of interest; and
for each time skewed volume image representation, computing a voxel acquisition time for each voxel. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A cardiac helical cone beam computed tomography imaging method comprising:
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acquiring helical cone beam computed tomography projection data for a volume of interest using a plurality, of source trajectory helices, each source trajectory being triggered based on detection of a selected cardiac phase, the selected triggering cardiac phase being different for each helix;
reconstructing the acquired helical cone beam computed tomography projection data for each helix to generate a corresponding time skewed volume image representation of the volume of interest;
for each time skewed volume image representation, computing a voxel acquisition time for each voxel; and
for each voxel, computing an interpolated voxel value based on values of the voxel in the plurality of image representations and corresponding voxel acquisition times.
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18. A cardiac helical cone beam computed tomography imaging method comprising:
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acquiring helical cone beam computed tomography projection data for a volume of interest using a plurality of source trajectory helices, each source trajectory being triggered based on detection of a selected cardiac phase, at least two source trajectory helices being triggered within a single cardiac cycle;
reconstructing the acquired helical cone beam computed tomography projection data for each helix to generate a corresponding time skewed volume image representation of the volume of interest;
for each time skewed volume image representation, computing a voxel acquisition time for each voxel; and
for each voxel, computing an interpolated voxel value based on values of the voxel in the plurality of image representations and corresponding voxel acquisition times.
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19. An apparatus for performing helical cone beam computed tomography imaging, the apparatus comprising:
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a means for acquiring helical cone beam computed tomography projection data for a volume of interest using a plurality of source trajectory helices, each source trajectory helix being triggered based on detection of a selected cardiac phase, at least two source trajectory helices being triggered within a single cardiac cycle;
a means for triggering the acquiring of conebeam projection data starting at points in a physiological cycle which vary among the trajectory helices;
a means for reconstructing the acquired helical cone beam computed tomography projection data for each helix to generate a corresponding time skewed volume image representation of the volume of interest;
a means for computing a voxel acquisition time for each voxel of each time skewed image representation; and
.a means for computing an interpolated voxel value for each voxel based on values of the voxel in the plurality of time skewed image representations and corresponding voxel acquisition times. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. An apparatus for performing helical cone beam computed tomography imaging, the apparatus comprising:
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a means for triggering the acquiring of conebeam projections data for a volume of interest starting at points in a physiological cycle which vary among a plurality of trajectory helices;
a means for acquiring helical cone beam computed tomography projection data responsive to the triggering, the acquiring means including;
(i) a rotating gantry, (ii) an x-ray source arranged on the rotating gantry including an axially extended anode and an electron source that axially sweeps an electron beam along the anode to produce an axially sweeping x-ray cone beam in coordination with the triggering means, the axial sweeping cooperating with rotating of the gantry to produce the source trajectory helices, (iii) a radiation detector arranged to detect x-rays produced by the x-ray source after passing through the volume of interest, and (iv) a support structure that supports an imaging subject, at least a portion of which imaging subject defines the volume of interest;
a means for reconstructing the acquired helical cone beam computed tomography projection data for the helixes to generate a corresponding time skewed image representations of the volume of interest;
a means for computing voxel acquisition times for the voxels of the time skewed image representations; and
a means for computing interpolated voxel values for selected voxels based on values of the corresponding voxel the time skewed image representations and corresponding voxel acquisition times. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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26. An apparatus for performing high-speed computed tomography imaging, the apparatus comprising:
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a rotating gantry;
an x-ray source disposed on the rotating gantry and rotating therewith, the x-ray source including an axially oriented cylindrical anode, an electron source irradiating the cylindrical anode to produce an x-ray beam traversing a volume of interest, and an electron beam deflector that axially deflects the electron beam along the cylindrical anode to axially sweep the x-ray beam, a period of the axial sweep of the x-ray beam along the cylindrical anode being coordinated to a period of rotation of the rotating gantry to produce a helical trajectory of the x-ray beam about the volume of interest;
a radiation detector arranged to measure the x-ray beam after passing through the volume of interest; and
a reconstruction processor that reconstructs the acquired projection data to produce a time skewed image representation corresponding to the helical trajectory. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
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29. In a conebeam helical computed tomography imaging system including a rotating gantry and a means for controlling sweeping of an x-ray tube electron beam in accordance with rotation of the gantry, an x-ray tube comprising:
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a cylindrical anode whose cylindrical axis is axially oriented with respect to a rotation axis of the rotating gantry;
an electron source that produces an electron beam generally directed toward the cylindrical anode, which electron beam interacts with the cylindrical anode to produce a cone beam of x-rays; and
an electron beam deflector that sweeps the electron beam axially across the cylindrical anode;
wherein a ratio of a sweep speed of the electron beam to a rotation rate of the rotating gantry being selected to generate a selected helical trajectory of the cone beam about a region of interest.
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Specification