Abstract: An anatomical image data set and an emission image data set are acquired for a subject. An attenuation map is generated from the anatomical image data set. The emission image data set is reconstructed to generate an emission image. The reconstructing includes correcting for attenuation of emission radiation in the subject using the attenuation map. A value is calculated for a quality assurance (QA) metric quantifying alignment of the attenuation map with the emission image. The emission image is displayed or printed together with the calculated quality assurance metric. In some embodiments, prior to the reconstructing the attenuation map is registered with the emission image data set by performing a global rigid registration followed by a local non-rigid registration of a region of interest.

Abstract: A diagnostic imaging system includes a tomographic scanner 10 which generates sets of anatomical and functional image data. An adaption unit 50 adapts a motion model to a geometry of an object of interest based on a motion averaged volume image representation acquired over a plurality of motion phases. Virtual image data is simulated from the anatomical projection image data with the motion model at the plurality of motion phases. A comparison unit 54 determines a difference between the actual and virtual anatomical image data. If the difference meets a stopping criterion, the motion model is used to correct acquired functional image data, and a corrected functional image is reconstructed therefrom. If not, the motion model is iteratively updated based until the difference meets the stopping criterion.

Abstract: An imaging system (10) includes at least one radiation detector unit (16) disposed adjacent a field of view (20) to detect and measure radiation from the field of view (20). The detector unit (16) includes multiple detection modules (18) which each detects radiation from a prespecified region of the field of view (20), each region being a fraction of the field of view. One or more pinholes (52) are associated with the detector unit (16). Each pinhole (52) receives radiation from the prespecified region of the field of view (20) and transmits radiation to one or more associated detection modules (18).

Abstract: A radiation planning system includes a dose volume kernel determiner (122) and an expected absorbed dose determiner (124). The dose volume kernel determiner (122) generates a dose volume kernel for each of a plurality of voxels in a dose calculation grid. Each of the dose volume kernels is based on a radial dose distribution and a template function for a particular voxel size. The expected absorbed dose determiner (124) determines an expected absorbed dose distribution for each of the plurality of voxels based on the dose volume kernel.

Abstract: A method of image reconstruction corrected for attenuation is provided for use with radioemission-based imaging, such as SPECT and PET. This method includes collecting measured emission projection data. The emission projection data, a reconstruction of the emission projection data, and a priori organ information are collectively analyzed to generate a body region estimate of the imaged subject. Each voxel of the body region estimate is then homogenously assigned an attenuation coefficient to generate an initial attenuation map estimate. An initial emission assumption is also generated based on a reconstruction of the emission projection data. The initial emission assumption and initial attenuation map estimate are then processed and refined to produce an image reconstruction.

Abstract: A detector arrangement providing imaging information at the edge of the scintillator is provided. The detector arrangement provides complete information and improved spatial resolution. SiPMs can be used in place of PMTs in order to provide the geometrical coverage of the scintillator and improved spatial resolution. With such detector arrangements, the spatial resolution can be under 2 mm. Furthermore, the overall thickness of the detector can be substantially reduced and depth of interaction resolution is also improved.

Abstract: An imaging system (10) comprises at least one radiation detector unit (16) disposed adjacent a field of view (20) to detect and measure radiation from the field of view (20). The detector unit (16) includes multiple detection modules (18) which each detects radiation from a prespecified region of the field of view (20), each region being a fraction of the field of view. One or more pinholes (52) are associated with the detector unit (16). Each pinhole (52) receives radiation from the prespecified region of the field of view (20) and transmits radiation to one or more associated detection modules (18).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of establishing a wireless communication connection between a source apparatus (20) and the spatially closest target apparatus (12). The source apparatus (20) transmits search signals (21) at an increasing range (Rd), and a communication connection (22) is established with that target apparatus (12) which is the first to be within range of the search signals (21). After the communication connection has been established, the range (Rc) for the actual communication connection (22) is preferably increased. The communication may be realized particularly in accordance with a Bluetooth protocol and may be used in, for example, a patient-monitoring system.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for dynamic assignment of mobile terminals (E1, En) to one of a plurality of base stations (B1, B2, Bm) in an in-home digital network. The method is characterized in that it is executed autonomously in distributed manner at each base station (B1, B2, Bm). To this end, the base stations measure the connection strengths between them and the terminals located in their range (E1, En) and communicate the measured values thus obtained in a broadcast to all the other base stations. All the base stations may then calculate the assignment of terminals to base stations on the basis of the global information obtained using a predetermined algorithm, for example involving assignment of the terminal to the greatest connection strength taking account of hysteresis and a threshold value.