Determination of a time-dependent contrast agent injection curve as a function of ct scan parameters

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016325040-A1
Application number	US-201615138501-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 26, 2016
Priority date	May 4, 2015
Publication date	Nov 10, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for the automatic determination of a contrast agent protocol for a contrast agent-enhanced medical imaging method is described. The method includes an overview recording of a region of interest of an object under examination. In addition, an image recording protocol including a plurality of recording parameters is defined on the basis of the overview recording. Furthermore, recording time points are determined for a plurality of z-positions of the region of interest on the basis of the image recording protocol. In addition, the structures acquired with the overview recording are assigned to the recording time points determined. Finally, a contrast agent protocol including the temporal course of a contrast agent injection curve is defined as a function of the acquired structures and the assigned recording time points. A contrast agent protocol determination device is also described, as well as an imaging medicinal device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for defining a contrast agent protocol for a contrast agent-enhanced medical imaging method, the method comprising:
performing an overview recording of a region of interest of an object under examination; defining an image recording protocol, including a plurality of recording parameters, on the basis of the overview recording; determining recording time points, for a plurality of z-positions of the region of interest, on the basis of the image recording protocol; assigning structures, acquired during the overview recording, to the recording time points determined; and defining the contrast agent protocol, including a temporal course of a contrast agent injection curve, as a function of the acquired structures and the respectively assigned recording time points.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the medical imaging method includes a magnetic resonance imaging method or a computed tomography method.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a definition of the contrast agent protocol includes at least one of a definition of a flow rate of an injected contrast agent as a function of time and the definition of a concentration of an injected contrast agent as a function of time.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein parameters of the image recording protocol includes a size of the region to be imaged.

5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the medical imaging system is a CT system, and parameters of the image recording protocol include at least one of a rotation time of the CT system, a collimation of the X-ray beam and a spiral pitch of the CT system.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a definition of the contrast agent protocol takes account of empirical data.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a definition of the contrast agent protocol takes account of a model describing the circulatory parameters of the object under examination.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the model takes account of flow rate of the blood changing as a function of the anatomical position and diameter of blood vessels through which blood flows.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a definition of the contrast agent protocol includes a definition of a mixing ratio of a contrast agent with a saline chaser as a function of anatomy of the object under examination.

10 . An imaging method, the method comprising:
using the method of claim 1 to determine a contrast agent protocol; and performing imaging, via a contrast agent-enhanced medical imaging method, using the contrast agent protocol determined.

11 . The imaging method of claim 10 , further comprising:
sending to a contrast agent injection device, following the determining of the contrast agent protocol, a control signal for controlling a contrast agent injection.

12 . A contrast agent protocol determination device for the defining of a contrast agent protocol for a contrast agent-enhanced medical imaging method comprising:
a raw data acquisition unit to acquire raw data for an overview recording of a region of interest of an object under examination; an image data reconstruction unit to reconstruct image data from the raw data acquired; an image recording protocol defining unit to define an image recording protocol including a plurality of recording parameters; a recording time point determining unit to determine a recording time point for each z-position of the region of interest; an assignment unit to assign structures, acquired during overview recording, at the recording time points determined; and a contrast agent protocol defining unit to define the contrast agent protocol, including a temporal course of a contrast agent injection curve, as a function of the acquired structures and the respectively assigned recording time points.

13 . An imaging medicinal device, comprising:
a control device; and the contrast agent protocol determination device of claim 12 .

14 . A memory device of a control device of an imaging medicinal system, storing a computer program including program segments to carry out the method of claim 1 when the computer program is executed in the control device of the imaging medicinal system.

15 . A non-transitory computer readable medium including stored program segments, readable-in and executable by a computing unit, to carry out the method of claim 1 when the program segments are executed by the computing unit.

16 . The method of claim 2 , wherein a definition of the contrast agent protocol includes at least one of a definition of a flow rate of an injected contrast agent as a function of time and the definition of a concentration of an injected contrast agent as a function of time.

17 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the medical imaging system is a CT system, and parameters of the image recording protocol include at least one of a rotation time of the CT system, a collimation of the X-ray beam and a spiral pitch of the CT system.

18 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the empirical data includes typical times of arrival of the contrast agent in individual organs or vessels of a patient collective.

19 . The method of claim 2 , wherein a definition of the contrast agent protocol takes account of a model describing the circulatory parameters of the object under examination.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the model takes account of flow rate of the blood changing as a function of the anatomical position and diameter of blood vessels through which blood flows.

21 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the imaging includes contrast agent-enhanced depiction of a region to be imaged of an object under examination.

22 . The imaging medical device of claim 13 , wherein the imaging medical device is a computed tomography system.

23 . A memory device of a control device of an imaging medicinal system, storing a computer program including program segments to carry out the method of claim 2 when the computer program is executed in the control device of the imaging medicinal system.

24 . A non-transitory computer readable medium including stored program segments, readable-in and executable by a computing unit, to carry out the method of claim 2 when the program segments are executed by the computing unit.

Assignees

• Siemens Ag
• Bayer Pharma AG

Inventors

• Flohr Thomas
• Jost Gregor
• Pietsch Hubertus

Classifications

• A61B6/541

  involving acquisition triggered by a physiological signal · CPC title

• G01R33/5601

  involving use of a contrast agent for contrast manipulation, e.g. a paramagnetic, super-paramagnetic, ferromagnetic or hyperpolarised contrast agent · CPC title

• A61B6/469

  for selecting a region of interest [ROI] · CPC title

• A61M2205/3334

  Measuring or controlling the flow rate · CPC title

• A61B6/5217

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