Characterization of plaque

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11328423-B2
Application number	US-201715831462-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 5, 2017
Priority date	Dec 12, 2016
Publication date	May 10, 2022
Grant date	May 10, 2022

Abstract

A method is for the characterization of plaque in a region of interest inside an examination subject by way of a plurality of image data sets. The image data sets have been reconstructed from a plurality of projection data sets, which have been acquired via a CT device using different X-ray energy spectra. The method includes: acquiring the image data sets, which include a plurality of pixels. Spectral parameter values are acquired on a pixel by pixel basis using at least two image data sets. Character parameter values are then acquired on a pixel by pixel basis to characterize plaques on the basis of the spectral parameter values. An analysis unit and a computed tomography system are also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for characterization of plaque in a region of interest inside a vessel, used to transport blood, of an examination subject by way of at least a first image data set and a second image data set, the first image data set including a plurality of pixels and being reconstructed from a first projection data set acquired via a CT-device using a first X-ray energy spectra, and the second image data set including the plurality of pixels and being reconstructed from a second projection data set acquired via the CT-device using a second X-ray energy spectra, the method comprising:
acquiring the first image data set and the second image data set;
acquiring, on a pixel by pixel basis, spectral parameter values using at least the first image data set and the second image data set, the spectral parameter values for a respective pixel, among the plurality of pixels, including a dual energy index; and
acquiring, on a pixel by pixel basis, character parameter values, which characterize the plaque in the region of interest inside the vessel of the examination subject, based on the spectral parameter values; wherein
the first X-ray energy spectra is different from the second X-ray energy spectra, and
the dual energy index for the respective pixel is based on a difference between a first pixel value for the respective pixel in the first image data set and a second pixel value for the respective pixel in the second image data set divided by a sum of the first pixel value, the second pixel value and a scaling factor.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining risk parameter values from the character parameter values.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the determining of the risk parameter values includes using, in addition to the character parameter values, at least one of morphological data, a chronological evolution of the character parameter values and the morphological data, or blood flow data.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the determining of the risk parameter values includes using, in addition to the character parameter values, blood flow data of blood within the vessel.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the acquiring of the character parameter values or the determining of the risk parameter values includes a machine learning process.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the machine learning process is based on a database of reference examination subjects.

7. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
locally assigned outputting of at least one of the character parameter values or the risk parameter values, wherein
the at least one of the character parameter values or the risk parameter values are at least one of output as a figure that is locally assigned or output in graphically encoded form in a superimposed image that is based on one of the first image data set or the second image data set.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining risk parameter values from the character parameter values and using blood flow data of blood within the vessel.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining risk parameter values from the character parameter values and using a chronological evolution of the character parameter values and morphological data.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first projection data set and the second projection data set are acquired using a CT device with a photon-counting detector.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the acquiring of the character parameter values includes a machine learning process.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the machine learning process is based on a database of reference examination subjects.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
locally assigned outputting of the character parameter values, wherein
the character parameter values are at least one of output as a figure that is locally assigned or output in graphically encoded form in a superimposed image that is based on one of the first image data set or the second image data set.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining risk parameter values from the character parameter values and using at least one of blood flow data of blood within the vessel or a chronological evolution of the character parameter values and morphological data.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the acquiring of the character parameter values is based on attenuation data and the spectral parameter values.

16. An analytical device for characterization of plaque in a region of interest inside a vessel, used to transport blood, of an examination subject, the analytical device comprising:
an image data interface to acquire at least a first image data set and a second image data set, the first image data set including a plurality of pixels and being reconstructed from a first projection data set acquired via a CT device using a first X-ray energy spectra, and the second image data set including the plurality of pixels and being reconstructed from a second projection data set acquired via the CT device using a second X-ray energy spectra;
an acquisition unit to acquire, on a pixel by pixel basis, spectral parameter values using at least the first image data set and the second image data set, the spectral parameter values for a respective pixel, among the plurality of pixels, including a dual energy index; and
a characterization unit to acquire, on a pixel by pixel basis, character parameter values, which characterize the plaque in the region of interest inside the vessel of the examination subject, from the spectral parameter values; wherein
the first X-ray energy spectra is different from the second X-ray energy spectra, and
the dual energy index for the respective pixel is based on a difference between a first pixel value for the respective pixel in the first image data set and a second pixel value for the respective pixel in the second image data set divided by a sum of the first pixel value, the second pixel value and a scaling factor.

17. A computed tomography system, comprising:
a CT device; and
the analytical device of claim 16 .

18. The computed tomography system of claim 17 , wherein the CT device is designed as a multi-energy CT device.

19. A non-transitory computer program product, including a computer program directly loadable into a memory unit of an analytical device, the computer program including program segments to carry out the method of claim 1 when the computer program is run in the analytical device.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, storing program segments, readable and executable by a computation unit, to carry out the method of claim 1 when the program segments are run by the computation unit.

21. A non-transitory computer program product, including a computer program directly loadable into a memory unit of an analytical device, the computer program including program segments to carry out the method of claim 2 when the computer program is run in the analytical device.

22. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, storing program segments, readable and executable by a computation unit, to carry out the method of claim 2 when the program segments are run by the computation unit.

23. An analytical device for characterization of plaque in a region of interest inside a vessel, used to transport blood, of an examination subject, the analytical device comprising:
an image data interface to acquire at least a first image d

Assignees

• Siemens Healthcare Gmbh

Inventors

• Flohr Thomas
• Schmidt Bernhard

Classifications

• A61B6/5217

  extracting a diagnostic or physiological parameter from medical diagnostic data · CPC title

• A61B6/032 Primary

  Transmission computed tomography [CT] · CPC title

• A61B6/4241

  using energy resolving detectors, e.g. photon counting · CPC title

• A61B6/482

  involving multiple energy imaging · CPC title

• A61B6/504

  for diagnosis of blood vessels, e.g. by angiography · CPC title