Handling detector pixel performance variation in digital positron emission tomography

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020301032-A1
Application number	US-201816649416-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 12, 2018
Priority date	Sep 22, 2017
Publication date	Sep 24, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions readable and executable by a workstation (18) including at least one electronic processor (20) to perform a quality control (QC) method (100). The method includes: receiving a current QC data set acquired by a pixelated detector (14) and one or more prior QC data sets acquired by the pixelated detector; determining stability levels of detector pixels (16) of the pixelated detector over time from the current QC data set and the one or more prior QC data sets; labeling a detector pixel of the pixelated detector as dead when the stability level determined for the detector pixel is outside of a stability threshold range; and displaying, on a display device (24) operatively connected with the workstation, an identification (28) of the detector pixels labelled as dead.

First claim

1 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions readable and executable by a workstation including at least one electronic processor, to perform a quality control (QC) method, the method comprising:
receiving a current QC data set acquired by a pixelated detector ( 14 ) and one or more prior QC data sets acquired by the pixelated detector; determining stability levels of detector pixels of the pixelated detector over time from the current QC data set and the one or more prior QC data sets; labeling a detector pixel of the pixelated detector as dead when the stability level determined for the detector pixel is outside of a stability threshold range; and displaying, on a display device operatively connected with the workstation, an identification of the detector pixels labelled as dead.

2 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the method further includes:
determining sensitivity levels of the detector pixels of the pixelated detector from the current QC data set; labeling a detector pixel of the pixelated detector as dead when the sensitivity level is above a maximum sensitivity threshold; and labelling a detector pixel of the pixelated detector as dead when the sensitivity level is below a minimum sensitivity threshold.

3 . (canceled)

4 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 2 , wherein the method further includes:
labeling a detector pixel of the pixelated detector as cold when the sensitivity level is below a minimum sensitivity threshold and has a stable sensitivity level over time; wherein the display also includes identification of the detector pixels labeled as cold.

5 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the method further includes:
determining whether maintenance or calibration of the pixelated detector is indicated based on the detector pixels labeled as dead; wherein the display on the display device further includes a message indicating a recommendation of performing maintenance of the pixelated detector or a recommendation of performing a calibration of the pixelated detector in accord with the determination of whether maintenance or calibration of the pixelated detector is indicated, the message further indicating a recommendation to rearrange a cluster of detector pixels labeled as dead in the pixelated detector.

6 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the operation of labeling a detector pixel of the pixelated detector as dead when the stability level determined for the detector pixel is outside of a stability threshold range further includes:
re-labeling one or more detector pixels previously labeled as dead as live when the detected stability level of the one or more detector pixels previously labeled as dead is within the stability threshold range.

7 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the method further includes:
simulating imaging data acquired for an imaging subject by the pixelated detector with the detector pixels labeled as dead treated as providing no data; and reconstructing the simulated imaging data to generate a simulated image.

8 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the method further includes:
reconstructing an imaging data set acquired by the pixelated detector with data acquired by the detector pixels labeled as dead omitted to generate a current QC image; and displaying, on the display device a comparison of the current QC image with a reference image generated with the one or more prior QC data sets.

9 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the method further includes:
comparing the current QC image and the reference image; determining whether maintenance or calibration of the pixelated detector is indicated based on the comparison of the current QC image and the reference image; wherein the display on the display device further includes a message indicating a recommendation of performing maintenance of the pixelated detector or a recommendation of performing a calibration of the pixelated detector in accord with the determination of whether maintenance or calibration of the pixelated detector is indicated.

10 . An imaging system, comprising:
an image acquisition device configured to acquire imaging data of a patient, the image acquisition device including a pixelated detector with a plurality of detector pixels; a display device; and at least one electronic processor programmed to:
receive a current quality control data set acquired by the pixelated detector and one or more prior QC data sets acquired by the pixelated detector;
determine stability levels of the detector pixels over time from the current QC data set and the one or more prior QC data sets;
label one or more of the detector pixels as dead when the stability level determined for the detector pixels is outside of a stability threshold range; and
control the display device to display an identification of the detector pixels labelled as dead.

11 . The imaging system of claim 10 , wherein the at least one electronic processor is further programmed to:
determine sensitivity levels of the detector pixels of the pixelated detector from the current QC data set; label a detector pixel of the pixelated detector as dead when the sensitivity level is above a maximum sensitivity threshold; label a detector pixel of the pixelated detector as cold when the sensitivity level is below a minimum sensitivity threshold control the display device to display the identification of the pixels as dead or cold.

12 . The imaging system of claim 10 , wherein the at least one electronic processor is further programmed to:
determine whether maintenance or calibration of the pixelated detector is indicated based on the detector pixels labeled as dead; wherein the display on the display device further includes a message indicating a recommendation of performing maintenance of the pixelated detector or a recommendation of performing a calibration of the pixelated detector in accord with the determination of whether maintenance or calibration of the pixelated detector is indicated.

13 . The imaging system of claim 10 , wherein the at least one electronic processor is further programmed to:
re-label one or more detector pixels previously labeled as dead as live when the detected stability level of the one or more detector pixels previously labeled as dead is within the stability threshold range.

14 . The imaging system of claim 10 , wherein the at least one electronic processor is further programmed to:
simulate imaging data acquired for an imaging subject by the pixelated detector with the detector pixels labeled as dead treated as providing no data; and reconstruct the simulated imaging data to generate a simulated image.

15 . The imaging system of claim 10 , wherein the at least one electronic processor is further programmed to:
reconstruct an imaging data set acquired by the pixelated detector with data acquired by the detector pixels labeled as dead omitted to generate a current QC image; and control the display device to display a comparison of the current QC image with a reference image generated from the one or more prior QC data sets.

16 . The imaging system of claim 15 , wherein the at least one electronic processor is further programmed to:
compare the current QC image and the reference image; determine whether maintenance or calibration of the pixelated detector is indicated based on the comparison of the current QC image and the reference im

Assignees

• Koninklijke Philips Nv

Inventors

• Bai Chuanyong
• Andreyev Andriy
• Lin Shushen
• Zhang Bin
• Miller Michael Allen
• Song Xiyun
• Ye Jinghan
• Shekhar Dwivedi
• Hu Zhiqiang
• Hsieh Yu-Lung
• Brodskiy Ilya
• Bulgrin Thomas Christopher
• Zhu Yang-Ming
• Mcknight Douglas B

Classifications

• G06T12/10

  Image preprocessing, e.g. calibration, positioning of sources or scatter correction · CPC title

• A61B6/585

  Calibration of detector units · CPC title

• G01T1/2985 Primary

  In depth localisation, e.g. using positron emitters; Tomographic imaging (longitudinal and transverse section imaging; apparatus for radiation diagnosis sequentially in different planes, steroscopic radiation diagnosis); (using external radiation sources A61B6/02) · CPC title

• G01T7/005 Primary

  calibration techniques (stabilization of spectrometer G01T1/40) · CPC title

• A61B6/037

  Emission tomography · CPC title