Method for producing a computed tomography display of tissue structures by applying a contrast medium

• US 7,643,866 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2005
• Issued: 01/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GMBH (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Heismann, Bjoern
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Long V
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brutus; Joel F
• Application Number:
  US11/300,416
• Publication Number:
  US 20060134000A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,482 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 600/425
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/032 Transmission computed tomography [CT]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4021 involving movement of the focal spot
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4035 the source being combined with a filter or grating
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/405 Source units specially adapted to modify characteristics of the beam during the data acquisition process A61B6/4021, A61B6/4035 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4241 using energy resolving detectors, e.g. photon counting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/481 involving the use of contrast agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/482 involving multiple energy imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/504 for diagnosis of blood vessels, e.g. by angiography

Abstract

A method is disclosed for producing a computed tomography display of tissue structures by applying a contrast medium. A contrast medium is applied to a patient for better visualization of the tissue structure to be examined. An X-ray scan is performed during the presence of the one contrast medium, and computed tomography 2- or 3-dimensional pictures are subsequently reconstructed from the X-ray scan data obtained. In the method, absorption data are measured for at least two different energy spectra, a computed tomography intermediate image is reconstructed per energy spectrum, and the distribution of the one contrast medium in the tissue is determined from the different energy-specific absorption behavior between tissue and contrast medium.

Claims

1. A method of determining a distribution of a contrast medium in a tissue structure, an X-ray scan being performed during the presence of the contrast medium, comprising:

measuring absorption data for at least two different energy spectra;

reconstructing a computed tomography intermediate image per energy spectrum;

determining the distribution of the contrast medium in the tissue structure from different energy-specific absorption behavior between the tissue structure and the contrast medium, and

a calculating significancy statement referring to the distribution of the contrast medium from the at least two intermediate images,

by forming the quotient of the intermediate images.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein display image values with a positive significancy statement referring to the presence of contrast medium obtain a predetermined image value in a CT image.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the image value is at least one of a maximum and minimum gray scale value.

4. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the image value is a color value that is not present in a remaining image display.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a dedicated radiation source is used per spectrum to determine the absorption data for the at least two different energy spectra.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a dedicated anode material per spectrum is used in the radiation source to determine the absorption data for the at least two different energy spectra.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a combination of anode material and contrast medium is used, the anode material having an intensity maximum in an bremsstrahlung spectrum, and the contrast medium having an absorption maximum in an energy range of the intensity maximum of the bremsstrahlung spectrum generated by the anode material.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the measuring uses a spring focus.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a dedicated detector is used per spectrum to determine the absorption data for the at least two different energy spectra.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein to determine the absorption data for the at least two different spectral energies, at least one detector that can resolve the energy spectrum of the detected radiation for at least two different energies is used.

11. A method for producing a computer tomography display of a tissue structure by applying a contrast medium, the method comprising:

applying the contrast medium to a patient for better visualization of the tissue structure to be examined;

performing an X-ray scan during the presence of the contrast medium;

measuring absorption data for at least two different energy spectra;

reconstructing a computed tomography intermediate image per energy spectrum;

determining the distribution of the contrast medium in the tissue structure from different energy-specific absorption behavior between the tissue structure and the contrast medium;

reconstructing at least one of computed tomography two-dimensional and-three dimensional pictures, and

a calculating significancy statement referring to the distribution of the contrast medium from the at least two intermediate images

by forming the quotient of the intermediate images.