Optimizing CT scanning parameter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10420526-B2
Application number	US-201514986556-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 31, 2015
Priority date	Dec 31, 2014
Publication date	Sep 24, 2019
Grant date	Sep 24, 2019

Abstract

A method for optimizing CT scanning parameter is disclosed. A target group may be generated from a plurality of reference information samples. Each of the reference information samples may include subject information, information indicating a scanning protocol, one or more scanning parameter values and information indicating reconstructed image quality; the target group can consist of one or more reference information samples with the same subject information and the same scanning protocol. A scanning parameter optimization may be performed according to reconstructed image qualities and scanning parameter values of reference information samples in the target group, so as to acquire a target scanning parameter value of the target group. And according to the target scanning parameter value, a reference X-ray irradiation dose corresponding to the scanning protocol and the subject information of the target group may be determined.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for optimizing a CT scanning parameter, includes:
acquiring a plurality of reference information samples, wherein each of the reference information samples includes subject information, information indicating a scanning protocol, one or more scanning parameter values and information indicating reconstructed image quality, wherein the subject information of the reference information sample comprises one or more from a body size, a gender, an age and a body mass index, and the scanning protocol of the reference information sample indicates a region which is scanned based on the one or more scanning parameter values;
generating a target group from the plurality of reference information samples, wherein the target group consists of one or more reference information samples in which the subject information is same as that of a subject to be scanned and the scanning protocol indicates a region to be scanned of the subject;
selecting an optimal group from the target group, wherein each of the reference information samples in the optimal group has a reconstructed image quality higher than a first preset score;
obtaining an average of scanning parameter values of reference information samples in the optimal group as a target scanning parameter value;
determining a reference X-ray irradiation dose according to the target scanning parameter value, wherein the reference X-ray irradiation dose corresponds to the scanning protocol and the subject information of the target group; and
obtaining a reconstructed image of the region of the subject by scanning the region of the subject based on the target scanning parameter value and the reference X-ray irradiation dose;
wherein the subject information of a reference information sample is determined by:
converting pilot film data of a slice corresponding to the reference information sample or projection data of a field view image in the reference information sample into an equivalent attenuation domain;
calculating an equivalent attenuation area according to the data in the equivalent attenuation domain;
calculating an attenuation diameter of an equivalent water phantom according to the equivalent attenuation area; and
taking the attenuation diameter of the equivalent water phantom as the subject information of the reference information sample;

wherein the equivalent attenuation area is calculated as follows:

S
=

∑

i
=
0

N
-
1

⁢

(

μ
i

⁢

l
i

+

μ

i
+
1

⁢

l

i
+
1

)

*

Δ
/
2

;

wherein, the S represents the equivalent attenuation area,
the N represents the number of detecting channels in a CT scanner system, wherein the CT scanner system comprises a detector with multiple, adjacent detecting units,
the μ i represents an average attenuation coefficient corresponding to the i th detecting channel,
the l i represents a length of attenuation path corresponding to the i th detecting channel, and
the Δ represents a distance between centers of two adjacent detecting units in the CT scanner system.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the attenuation diameter of the equivalent water phantom is calculated as follows:
D scan 2*sqrt(mean( S )/π/μ water ;

wherein, the D scan represents the attenuation diameter of the equivalent water phantom,
the μ water represents an attenuation coefficient of water, and
the π represents a circumference ratio.

3. A method for optimizing a CT scanning parameter, includes:
acquiring a plurality of reference information samples, wherein each of the reference information samples includes subject information, information indicating a scanning protocol, one or more scanning parameter values and information indicating reconstructed image quality, wherein the subject information of the reference information sample comprises one or more from a body size, a gender, an age and a body mass index, and the scanning protocol of the reference information sample indicates a region which is scanned based on the one or more scanning parameter values;
generating a target group from the plurality of reference information samples, wherein the target group consists of one or more reference information samples in which the subject information is same as that of a subject to be scanned and the scanning protocol indicates a region to be scanned of the subject;
selecting an optimal group from the target group, wherein each of the reference information samples in the optimal group has a reconstructed image quality higher than a first preset score;
obtaining an average of scanning parameter values of reference information samples in the optimal group as a target scanning parameter value;
determining a reference X-ray irradiation dose according to the target scanning parameter value, wherein the reference X-ray irradiation dose corresponds to the scanning protocol and the subject information of the target group; and
obtaining a reconstructed image of the region of the subject by scanning the region of the subject based on the target scanning parameter value and the reference X-ray irradiation dose;
wherein, wherein the subject information of a reference information sample is determined by:
determining a major axis and a minor axis of a reconstructed image corresponding to the reference information sample;
simulating an equivalent ellipse according to the major axis and the minor axis;
converting the equivalent ellipse into an equivalent circle of the same area;
calculating the diameter of the equivalent circle as an equivalent diameter; and
taking the equivalent diameter as the subject information of the reference information sample.

4. A method for optimizing a CT scanning parameter, includes:
acquiring a plurality of reference information samples, wherein each of the reference information samples includes subject information, information indicating a scanning protocol, one or more scanning parameter values and information indicating reconstructed image quality, wherein the subject information of the reference information sample comprises one or more from a body size, a gender, an age and a

Assignees

• Shenyang Neusoft Medical Sys

Inventors

• Lou Shanshan
• Lv Dan
• Pang Ling
• Liu Changkun

Classifications

• A61B6/5258

  involving detection or reduction of artifacts or noise · CPC title

• A61B6/032

  Transmission computed tomography [CT] · CPC title

• A61B6/583 Primary

  using calibration phantoms · CPC title

• A61B6/545

  involving automatic set-up of acquisition parameters · CPC title

• A61B6/542

  involving control of exposure · CPC title