Abstract:
The present invention is directed to a freshness indicator (9) for a chilled beverage and in particular to a beverage dispensing device (1) with a freshness indicator (9) for a chilled beverage, wherein the beverage dispensing device (1) comprises an outer housing (7), a tapping device (2) for dispensing a beverage, a beverage container (4) being placeable in the outer housing (7) and connectable with the tapping device (2), and the outer housing (7) functioning as a chiller (8), characterized in that the beverage freshness indicator device (9) comprises: a display (10) for indicating the storage temperature, maximum storage period, actual freshness of the beverage, the time left until expiry of the freshness and/or the date of expiry of the freshness, a data input unit (11) for the input of data and/or means (12) for recording replacement of the beverage container (4), at least one temperature sensor (13) for measuring the storage temperature of the beverage, - a temperature controller (14) for adjusting the cooling temperature of the chiller (8), a data storage unit (15) for storing the freshness criteria, a signal processing unit (16), which temperature sensor (13) transmits a signal regarding the current beverage storage temperature to the signal processing unit (16) and the signal processing unit (16) calculates, depending on the recorded storage temperature period and based on stored freshness criteria, the actual freshness of the beverage, the time left until expiry of the freshness of the beverage and/or the date of expiry of the freshness of the beverage, and the signal processing unit (16) transmits the calculated data to the display (10).
Abstract:
A method includes generating, via a dose estimator (208), a dose map indicative of an estimated dose deposited for a subject based on acquisition protocol parameter values of an acquisition protocol of an imaging system (100), and generating, via a noise estimator (210), at least one of a noise map indicative of an estimated image noise based on the acquisition protocol parameter values or a contrast-to-noise map based on the noise map and an attenuation map. The method further includes displaying, via a display (216), the dose and noise maps in a human readable format.
Abstract:
A method and an apparatus for motion visualization of a moving object in angiographic images are described. In a preferred embodiment of the method, first a mask image of the object of interest is acquired and a sequence of angiographic images of the object in different phases of motion of the object is acquired. Then, a first angiographic subtraction image and at least a second angiographic subtraction image are generated by subtracting the angiographic images from the mask image. Subsequently, a twice subtracted image is generated by subtracting the first angiographic subtraction image from the second angiographic subtraction image. In this way a double subtraction, i.e. a twice subtracted angiography is performed, to facilitate the assessment of the motion.
Abstract:
A method and apparatus are provided to improve large field of view CT image acquisition by using at least two scanning procedures: (i) one with the radiation source and detector centered and (ii) one in an offset configuration. The imaging data obtained from both of the scanning procedures is used in the reconstruction of the image. In addition, a method and apparatus are provided for detecting motion in a reconstructed image by generating a motion map that is indicative of the regions of the reconstructed image that are affected by motion artifacts. Optionally, the motion map may be used for motion estimation and/or motion compensation to prevent or diminish motion artifacts in the resulting reconstructed image. An optional method for generating a refined motion map is also provided.
Abstract:
A method and apparatus of image reconstruction correcting for photon scatter is provided. A direct physical measurement of scattered photons is used in conjunction with a physical model of the photon scattering process to make the corrections.
Abstract:
Adaptively controlling an imaging system (200, 205) includes constructing model feature characteristics (105) of a process over time, determining parameters and commands (110) for controlling the imaging system for each state of the process, performing data acquisition (120) for the process, extracting current features (130) of the process from the acquired data, matching (135) the current features (130) with the model feature characteristics (105) to determine a state of the process (140), and controlling the data acquisition based on the state of the process to produce optimized data.
Abstract:
A method for generating a set of kernels for convolution error compensation of a projection image of a physical object recorded by an imaging system comprises calculating the set of kernels in such a way that for each pixel of the projection image an asymmetric scatter distribution for error compensation is calculated representing a X-ray scatter originating along a ray from an X-ray source to the pixel.
Abstract:
Adaptively controlling an imaging system (200, 205) includes constructing model feature characteristics (105) of a process over time, determining parameters and commands (110) for controlling the imaging system for each state of the process, performing data acquisition (120) for the process, extracting current features (130) of the process from the acquired data, matching (135) the current features (130) with the model feature characteristics (105) to determine a state of the process (140), and controlling the data acquisition based on the state of the process to produce optimized data.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to an apparatus for artifact correction of a data set of X-ray projections (10) of an object (1) for generation of a reconstruction image of said object. In particular for correction of artifacts causing cupping or inverse cupping (called capping) shaped spatially slowly varying inhomogeneities caused by e.g. scatter, a wrong truncation extension factor or a wrong gain factor, an apparatus is proposed comprising: an estimation unit (41) for estimating in an X-ray projection (11) the amount of artifact present in said X-ray projection using at least one estimation parameter, a correction unit (41) for correcting said artifact present in the X-ray projection (11) by use of said estimate, - a reconstruction unit (42) for generating an intermediate reconstruction image by use of said data set of X-ray projections (10) including said corrected X-ray projection, and an evaluation unit (43) for evaluating said correction by determining a quantitative measure of inhomogeneity in said intermediate reconstruction image and for optimizing said correction by iteratively repeating said correction using an adjusted estimation parameter determined by use of said quantitative measure until a predetermined stop criterion has been reached.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a method of scatter correction of a projection image acquired from an X-ray imaging system. The method is based on estimating an X-ray scatter distribution based on a weighted accumulation of the scatter contribution generated along individual source rays. The method incorporates two weighting functions to account for at least one of the two of a spatial non-uniformity of the X-ray radiation used in the X-ray imaging system and shading effects due to an anti-scatter-grid arranged in the X-ray imaging system.