Abstract:
A method for acquiring fusion images of a periodically moving body organ and an apparatus adapted to implement such method is described. In a preferred embodiment of the method, X-rays are irradiated to the body organ and a multiplicity of mask images is acquired by X-ray detection at a high image acquisition rate of at least 60 frames per second. Then, contrast medium is injected into vessels of the body organ and subsequently at least one contrast image of the body organ with the contrast medium included in the vessels is acquired by X-ray detection. A matching image from the multiplicity of mask images is determined which has been acquired at substantially the same stage of the movement of the body organ as the contrast image. By calculating the difference between the matching mask image and the at least one contrast image a subtraction image of the body organ can be obtained and displayed. Using different image acquisition rates during mask image acquisition and contrast image acquisition high quality subtraction images can be achieved while at the same time reducing the overall X-ray exposure dose.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a device and to a method for combining two images, especially for superimposition of static vascular maps (B), which were taken at different phases of the cardiac cycle and/or the respiratory cycle and were archived in a memory (6), on a current image (A) of a catheter (2, 8) in the vascular system (9). In the method, a defined section of a map image (B) around the estimated actual position of the catheter is selected and is displayed superimposed on the current image (A) in an image (C) on a monitor (10). The map image (B) used for this is preferably selected by means of an electrocardiogram to match the particular cardiac cycle. The position of the catheter relative to the map image (B) can be estimated using a distance image (D).
Abstract:
The invention relates to a device and to a method for combining two images, especially for superimposition of static vascular maps (B), which were taken at different phases of the cardiac cycle and/or the respiratory cycle and were archived in a memory (6), on a current image (A) of a catheter (2, 8) in the vascular system (9). In the method, a defined section of a map image (B) around the estimated actual position of the catheter is selected and is displayed superimposed on the current image (A) in an image (C) on a monitor (10). The map image (B) used for this is preferably selected by means of an electrocardiogram to match the particular cardiac cycle. The position of the catheter relative to the map image (B) can be estimated using a distance image (D).
Abstract:
A medical viewing system for processing and displaying a sequence of medical angiograms representing a balloon, moving in an artery, this system comprising extracting means for automatically extracting balloon image data in a phase of balloon expansion, and computing means for automatically defining and storing coordinates of a Region of Interest (ROI) based on the expanded balloon image data, located around the expanded balloon; and display means for displaying the images. Contrast agent may be used as agent of balloon expansion. The system may have means to detect and keep track of balloon markers and means to look around those markers for further balloon image data extraction.
Abstract:
A medical imaging device and a method for providing an image representation supporting positioning of an intervention device such as a wire tip (4) in a region of interest during an intervention is proposed. Therein, the following process steps are to be performed: (S1) acquiring a pre-live anatomy image (1) including a region of interest; (S2) acquiring a live anatomy image using a live image acquisition device comprising an adjustable collimator device; (S3) identifying a location (5) of the intervention device (4) within the live anatomy image; (S4) adjusting settings of the collimator device based on the identified location of the intervention device for subsequently acquiring a further live anatomy image representing the region of interest using the live image acquisition device with the collimator device being in the adjusted settings; and providing (S5) the image representation by merging information from the live anatomy image into the pre-live anatomy image.. Thereby, the intervention device may be continuously tracked and the collimator device may restrict a field of view to a location of the intervention device thereby significantly reducing an applied X-ray dose. Background anatomical information may be introduced into the final image representation using the pre-live anatomy image possibly having a higher image contrast than the live anatomy images.
Abstract:
Scatter compensation is achieved in an X-ray imaging system by providing collimation means in the form of shutters (12) to collimate the primary X-ray beam (1) such that the radiation (8) transmitted through a subject (4) to be imaged is incident substantially centrally on the active part (14) of an image detector (3), so as to define an active border (14b), in respect of which scatter levels can be measured. An electrical signal (104) representative of the scatter level is subtracted from the electrical signal (7) representative of the radiation (8) transmitted through the subject, to obtain a scatter-compensated image signal (106).
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a method and a device for providing images with an X-ray imaging system comprising an X-ray tube. In order to provide improved image quality, in particular for noise reduction in X-ray images, the method comprises the steps of acquiring (112) at least a first (118) and a second image (120) of the same region with different focal spot sizes of the X-ray tube, wherein one of the first and the second images is acquired with a small focal spot and the other image is acquired with a large focal spot. Then the two images are combined (114), wherein the combination step includes decomposing (122) the image data of the first image and the second image, determining the noise content in the decomposed data, determining (130) at least one weighting factor (132), depending on the signal content and noise content of the decomposed data of at least one of the two images, modulating (136) the decomposed image data of at least one of the two images using the weighting factor and recomposing (142) the decomposed image data of the at least two images to form a single new image (116).
Abstract:
An x-ray system (100) comprises a gantry (102) on which an x-ray source (104) and an x-ray detector (106) are mounted. A control unit (110) comprises means (114) for effectuating a wiggling motion of the gantry, wherein an axis (116) connecting the x-ray source and the x-ray detector traces a surface (128) of a cone (118). The x-ray source and the x-ray detector have a fixed position with respect to the axis. The control unit comprises means (120) for acquiring a series of x-ray images during the wiggling motion of the gantry. An object recognition unit (122) detects an object (124) appearing in the series of x-ray images to obtain a tracked path. A depth estimation unit (126) uses the tracked path for estimating a depth parameter indicative of a position of the object in a direction substantially parallel to the axis (116).
Abstract:
An imaging apparatus is disclosed. The imaging apparatus comprises a multi-dimensional assembly that further comprises a plurality of x-ray sources that are individually addressable. The plurality of x-ray sources is further configurable to simultaneously emit x-ray spectra at different mean energies. Furthermore, the multi¬ dimensional assembly further comprises a plurality of x-ray detectors that are arranged to detect at least a part of the x-rays that are emitted from at least one of the x-ray sources.