Abstract: A comprehensive strategy is used to determine valid reference time-concentration curves (TCCs) from image data. The image data corresponds to a series of image scans acquired over time for an area of interest of a patient to which a contrast agent was previously administered. The image scans are initially registered to a common coordinate system. Then, observed potential reference TCCs in the image scans are compared to modeled reference TCCs to determine if the potential reference TCCs are plausible reference TCCs. Thereafter, any plausible reference TCCs are evaluated to determine if they contain residual, isolated motion artifacts. If a plausible reference TCC does not include any motion artifacts, the plausible reference TCC is considered a valid reference TCC. If a plausible reference TCC is determined to include motion artifacts, the plausible reference TCC is modified to a valid reference TCC by removing the motion artifacts, or otherwise the plausible reference TCC is rejected.

Abstract: A therapy planner is configured to construct a therapy plan based on a planning image segmented into segments delineating features of a subject. A predictive plan adaptation module is configured to adjust the segments to represent a foreseeable change in the subject and to invoke the therapy planner to construct a therapy plan corresponding to the foreseeable change. A data storage stores a plurality of therapy plans generated for a subject by the therapy planner and the predictive plan adaptation module based on at least one planning image of the subject. A therapy plan selector is configured to select one of the plurality of therapy plans for use in a therapy session based on a preparatory image acquired preparatory to the therapy session.

Abstract: A scanner (10) is used to provide images for automated diagnoses of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimers disease. The images are registered (90) to a template (78). The aligned image is analyzed (60) in relation to reference image data (76, 80) which has been registered to the template which is contained in a knowledge maintenance engine (70) for similar patterns of hypo-intensity that would indicate (in the case of an FDG tracer) reduced glucose uptake in the brain. The most appropriate reference images for the analysis of the present study are chosen by a filter (74). The present study is then given a dementia score (84) as a diagnostic feature vector that indicates to a clinician the type and severity of the ailment based on the analysis. The scanner (10) can produce PET or other metabolic and MR images for diagnosis. The MR can be used to measure blood flow rate into the brain. From the blood flow rate and the metabolic image, tracer, e.g.

Abstract: Medical images are collected in a plurality of cardiac and respiratory phases. The images are transformed into a series of respiratory compensated images with the plurality of cardiac phases, but all at a common respiration phase. The series of respiratory compensated images are transformed into one image at a selected cardiac phase and the common respiration phase. In some embodiments, a database of gated transform matrices is generated. The database may be based on specific patient information or on information generated from a pool of patients. The database may account for respiratory motion, cardiac contractile motion, other physiological motion, or combinations thereof. For a current image to be motion corrected, the transformation matrices collected in the database are used to estimate a current set of transformation matrices accounting for the motion in the current image, and a motion-compensated image is generated based on the current set of transform matrices.

Abstract: A clinical decision support system (CDSS) includes a CDSS module (20) comprising a digital processing device (10) configured to store patient data (34) and a clinical guideline (22). The clinical guideline comprises connected nodes representing clinical workflow events, actions, or decisions, wherein contiguous groups of the nodes are grouped into care phases (40). The CDSS module is configured to associate patient data with patient care phases selected from the care phases of the clinical guideline, and determine patient care phase time intervals for the patient care phases based on acquisition date information for the patient data associated with the patient care phases. The selected patient care phase may be a care phase associated with a clinical guideline node associated with the new patient data, or may be a patient care phase that is consistent with the acquisition date for the new patient data.

Abstract: An imaging system (10) includes imaging modalities such as a PET imaging system (12) and a CT scanner (14). The CT scanner (14) is used to produce a first image (62) which is used for primary contouring. The PET system (12) is used to provide a second image (56), which provides complementary information about the same or overlapping anatomical region. After first and second images (62, 56) are registered with one another the first and second images (62, 56) are concurrently segmented to outline a keyhole (76). The keyhole portion of the second image (56) is inserted into the keyhole (76) of the first image (62). The user can observe the composite image and deform a boundary (78) of the keyhole (76) by a mouse (52) to better focus on the region of interest within previously defined keyhole.

Abstract: A clinical decision support (CDS) system comprises a patient treatment histories database (10, 32) and a patient case navigation tool (10, 30) operative to select a patient treatment history from the patient treatment histories database and to display a flowchart representation (50) of at least a portion of the selected patient treatment history. Optionally, the navigation tool (10, 30) is further operative to selectively display a flowchart representation (64, 66) of a portion or all of a patient nonspecific treatment guideline not coinciding with the selected patient treatment history. Optionally, the CDS system further comprises a patient records query engine (10, 40) operative to receive a query and apply same against the patient treatment histories database to retrieve query results, the navigation tool (10, 30) being further operative to generate a query responsive to user input and to display query results retrieved for the query.

Abstract: A comprehensive strategy is used to determine valid reference time-concentration curves (TCCs) from image data. The image data corresponds to a series of image scans acquired over time for an area of interest of a patient to which a contrast agent was previously administered. The image scans are initially registered to a common coordinate system. Then, observed potential reference TCCs in the image scans are compared to modeled reference TCCs to determine if the potential reference TCCs are plausible reference TCCs. Thereafter, any plausible reference TCCs are evaluated to determine if they contain residual, isolated motion artifacts. If a plausible reference TCC does not include any motion artifacts, the plausible reference TCC is considered a valid reference TCC. If a plausible reference TCC is determined to include motion artifacts, the plausible reference TCC is modified to a valid reference TCC by removing the motion artifacts, or otherwise the plausible reference TCC is rejected.

Abstract: A system for generating registered diagnostic images (58, 62), such as nuclear and magnetic resonance (MR) images, of a subject includes a nuclear imaging device (10) for generating emission diagnostic images (58) and optionally also intermediate transmission or emission images (56). A second imaging device (12), such as an MR imaging device generates magnetic resonance diagnostic images (62) and optionally also intermediate images which are more readily registered with images from the nuclear imaging device than the diagnostic MR images. Processing for the images includes a preprocessing portion (64) for generating a transform for aligning common anatomical structures in images (56, 58, 60, 62) generated by the nuclear imaging device and the MR imaging device and a diagnostic image registration portion for applying the transform to bring the emission and magnetic resonance diagnostic images into registration (58, 62).

Abstract: A therapy planner (16) is configured to construct a therapy plan based on a planning image segmented into segments delineating features of a subject. A predictive plan adaptation module (20) is configured to adjust the segments to represent a foreseeable change in the subject and to invoke the therapy planner to construct a therapy plan corresponding to the foreseeable change. A data storage (18) stores a plurality of therapy plans generated for a subject by the therapy planner and the predictive plan adaptation module based on at least one planning image of the subject. A therapy plan selector (30) is configured to select one of the plurality of therapy plans for use in a therapy session based on a preparatory image acquired preparatory to the therapy session.

Abstract: A scanner (10) is used to provide images for automated diagnoses of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimers disease. The images are registered (90) to a template (78). The aligned image is analyzed (60) in relation to reference image data (76, 80) which has been registered to the template which is contained in a knowledge maintenance engine (70) for similar patterns of hypo-intensity that would indicate (in the case of an FDG tracer) reduced glucose uptake in the brain. The most appropriate reference images for the analysis of the present study are chosen by a filter (74). The present study is then given a dementia score (84) as a diagnostic feature vector that indicates to a clinician the type and severity of the ailment based on the analysis. The scanner (10) can produce PET or other metabolic and MR images for diagnosis. The MR can be used to measure blood flow rate into the brain. From the blood flow rate and the metabolic image, tracer, e.g.

Abstract: An imaging system (10) includes imaging modalities such as a PET imaging system (12) and a CT scanner (14). The CT scanner (14) is used to produce a first image (62) which is used for primary contouring. The PET system (12) is used to provide a second image (56), which provides complementary information about the same or overlapping anatomical region. After first and second images (62, 56) are registered with one another the first and second images (62, 56) are concurrently segmented to outline a keyhole (76). The keyhole portion of the second image (56) is inserted into the keyhole (76) of the first image (62). The user can observe the composite image and deform a boundary (78) of the keyhole (76) by a mouse (52) to better focus on the region of interest within previously defined keyhole.

Abstract: An MR method is presented for determining the nuclear magnetization distribution in an examination zone, the image data acquired during an MR examination by means of a surface coil arrangement, comprising at least one coil and exhibiting a locally inhomogeneous sensitivity, being corrected on the basis of auxiliary values derived from data acquired by means of a body coil arrangement having a locally at least approximately homogeneous sensitivity.